In 1998-99, an undrafted, undersized forward by the name of Martin St. Louis saw his first NHL action with the Calgary Flames. Over the next two years, St. Louis didn’t see many high-quality minutes before moving on to the Tampa Bay Lightning as a free agent. In an era when players of a smaller stature weren’t given much of a chance, he wasn’t looked at as a player that could make an impact.
Fast forward 20 years later, where the undersized St. Louis proved all the naysayers wrong. As a result, he’ll take his place in hockey immortality in November.
On Tuesday afternoon, the NHL announced that the former Lightning captain will be one of six new inductees into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2018. This marks the second consecutive season a former Bolts captain enters the HOF, as Dave Andreychuk got the call in 2017 following a nine-year wait. Unlike his former teammate, St. Louis will be enshrined on the first ballot.
Joining St. Louis in the Class of 2018 will be former goaltender and fellow first-time eligible candidate Martin Brodeur, Alexander Yakushev, and Jayna Hefford in the players category. In the builders category, current NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and Willie O’Ree earned the nod. O’Ree broke the NHL’s color barrier in 1958 and remains heavily involved with the league in community involvement. He recently presented the first-ever Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award to the family of Darcy Haugan, the late coach of the Humboldt Broncos.
When taking a look at St. Louis’s accomplishments, his name is all over the Lightning’s record book.
Playing 13 of his 17 NHL seasons in Tampa Bay, St. Louis left a lasting legacy with the Lightning. He holds the franchise record for most career points, assists, game-winning goals, shorthanded goals, overtime points, and power play points, while also sitting second in goals and third in power play goals. In addition, he was also named to five postseason All-Star teams and played in six All-Star games.
His trophy case isn’t too shabby, either. In 2003-04, he won the Hart Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award (now known as the Ted Lindsay Award). St. Louis can also claim two Art Ross Trophies, three Lady Byng Trophies, and a 2014 Olympic gold medal with Team Canada. St. Louis also became the first player in Lightning history to have his number retired, as the #26 was raised to the rafters of Amalie Arena in January 2017.
However, what endears him to Lightning fans was his propensity for scoring clutch goals, particularly in the playoffs. In 2003, his triple-overtime goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against Washington propelled the Bolts to their first-ever playoff series victory. In the same round a year later, his overtime goal in Game 5 eliminated the New York Islanders. Yet it was what he did three rounds later that will forever etch his name in Lightning lore. With Tampa Bay trailing three games to two in the Stanley Cup Final, St. Louis notched the game-winner in double overtime of Game 6, tying the series 3-3. Two days later, the Lightning won the only title in franchise history to date with a 2-1 victory in Game 7.
Don’t be surprised to hear that story retold when St. Louis takes the stage this fall for his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
