Late last week the news broke that former Lightning star Martin St. Louis was retiring after 16 years in the NHL. It’s been a weird time for a lot of Lightning fast as we process this information. That may be why it’s taken so long to put this down in words. It was hard to know exactly what to say. If we had to put a Facebook relationship status on where things are with Marty it would most definitely be “It’s Complicated”.
St. Louis is without a doubt the best player in Lightning history at this point in time. There’s no arguing that point. The evidence is mountainous: all-time Lightning scoring leader, Stanley Cup Champion, League MVP, and two scoring titles are just a few of his many accolades. He reached the pinnacle of the league despite being undrafted and diminutive. He was the face of the franchise, helping to put it on the map when hockey in Florida was still seen as a quirky oddity. He was a long time leader of the team and eventually its captain. It’s pretty much impossible to think of the 2004 season and playoff run without remembering his heroics.
If we could stop right there and only remember the good stuff it would be fine. Unfortunately the bitter sting of the rumors and Marty’s contentious departure early in 2014 is still fresh in our minds. Marty wanted out and had eyed leaving Tampa for a while. The now famous Team Canada snub seemed to serve as the catalyst and he demanded a trade to the New York Rangers. The Lightning acquiesced and just like that he was gone.
That wasn’t the end of it though. Like an annoying ex, we heard how great it was to play in a big market during the playoffs. That he made the move for a chance to win the Cup. Getting to the ’14 Stanley Cup Final made “everything right”. Our captain jumped ship and seemed to keep throwing the team that gave him a chance in the NHL under the bus. A number of little jabs drove the knife deeper and made it all too easy to root for the eventual Cup champs from Los Angeles. Time has passed, wounds have healed, but the scars most definitely remain.
When the news broke there weren’t any wild personal emotions either way. No sadness or anger. There was only a quiet ambivalence which has persisted. In an alternate universe where Marty retired as a member of the Lightning there would have been incredible celebrations of his career and contributions to the Bolts. It would have only been a matter of time before the number 26 hung in the rafters. Instead we’re left with his incredible legacy that’s been tremendously tarnished for the fans who loved him best. Maybe one day we can truly celebrate Marty’s career in Tampa. Unfortunately it’s going to be quite a while until we reach that day.
(Feature Photo by/ Getty Images)
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