The game last night between the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning saw two players face off against their old teams for the first time in a very long time. Martin St. Louis, now with the Rangers, now calling Madison Square Garden home, managed a goal against his former squad, the Lightning, while Ryan Callahan, one-time captain of the Broadway Blueshirts, returned to his old stomping grounds and potted a couple himself.
After the conclusion of the game - a 5-1 victory for the Lightning - all that was left to ponder was how well that March trade - a trade that sent the 39-year-old St. Louis to the Rangers in exchange for Callahan and two draft picks - had worked out for either side. If last night was any indication, not only has Tampa won the trade, but St. Louis and the Rangers might (see, should) regret it.
"At the time of the trade, many speculated St. Louis' relationship with Bolts GM Steve Yzerman over not initially being named to Canada's 2014 Olympic roster had deteriorated to the point he demanded to be moved, and perhaps that's true," writes Adam Proteau of The Hockey News. "As one of the greatest players in modern memory, he had accumulated enough power to ask out if he truly believed he didn't fit with the organization any longer. However, the circumstances surrounding St. Louis' departure have never been made fully clear. Until they are, all we can judge St. Louis on are the facts apparent to us."
There may never be any out-and-out "facts" in this case - at least not until long after St. Louis has retired and finally pens the memoir almost all famous athletes are seemingly obligated to produce as part of their post-career lives. But it sure seems that he had a hand in his departure from the team that he called home for 13 seasons and, should that be the case, he likely regrets it now.
"And right now, the fact is St. Louis left a team that looks to be a force with which to reckon for many years to come for a team whose leading scorer, Rick Nash, will be 31 years old next summer and whose backbone between the pipes will be 33 in March," Proteau writes. "At 39 years old, he wants to win now, but does anyone see the Rangers as a serious threat to win the Eastern Conference again this year? At this stage, there's no guarantee they'll even be in the post-season."
With one of the game's best in Steven Stamkos and a roster replete with blossoming young talent, the Lightning are on the cusp of becoming perennial contenders.
The Rangers meanwhile are aging - and rapidly. Their core can probably continue to compete for the next couple of seasons, but St. Louis, Henrik Lundqvist and Nash are all approaching the expiration dates on their professional lives. Youngsters like Anthony Duclair represent the future for New York, but he, and the rest of the team's NHL neophytes, are no sure thing.
St. Louis will probably never admit it, but his decision to push for a trade from Tampa may be the single biggest mistake of his Hall of Fame-worthy career.
