Martin St. Louis is Stamkos' replacement

[brelic]

From TSN

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=443131

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Martin St. Louis has been named as the replacement for teammate Steven Stamkos on Canada's Sochi Olympic hockey team.

"Whenever you get a chance to win a gold medal, it's an experience you remember for a long time," St. Louis told reporters on Thursday morning.

St. Louis, who won the Art Ross Trophy last season's as the NHL's leading scorer, garnered the most attention of any player in the days following his original omission from the team. He leads the Lightning with 25 goals and 54 points in 56 games.

"I don't see this as Marty (St. Louis) replacing me. I see this as Marty deserving a spot on this team," Stamkos said

Stamkos was ruled out of Olympic competition Wednesday after team doctors reviewed his most recent CT scan and refused to clear him for game action.

"I know he's disappointed - we're all disappointed for him," said St. Louis. "He's done everything he can this past month to get back to the Lightning first and obviously Team Canada."

The last NHL games before Sochi are Saturday. Canada opens the men's Olympic hockey tournament on Feb. 13 against Norway.

[flyerrod]

I am actually glad that Giroux was snubbed. He should be sporting a pretty decent sized chip on his shoulder for the rest of the season. Not to mention the "five star" accommodations he will be missing out on.....

[radoran]

Marty deserves it.

[murraycraven]

I am actually glad that Giroux was snubbed. He should be sporting a pretty decent sized chip on his shoulder for the rest of the season. Not to mention the "five star" accommodations he will be missing out on.....

 

Well said Rod...  I am also glad.

[mojo1917]

Right.

 

Capstone to a pretty nice career , I hope MSL tears that **** up.

 

Hopefully Claude uses the snub as motivation to take his game to a Crosby-lite level.

[King Knut]

Never kind that a RW is replacing a Center.

never mind that they both play for the same team.

Never mind that that team is general managed by the GM of team Canada.

Never mind that Crosby is on the record as simply not liking Giroux.

While i do think all of those things are probably subconscious Factors, What I think this is really about is the fact that St. Louis is playing well and probably won't be any kind of contender for the team again in 4 years.

Of course MHL players might not be involved at that point, but whatever.

Personally as a flyers fan, I think we have enough guys going to worry about.

Besides, I think the Russians would probably kill to get the gold medal this time if they had to.

As a result I all that I don't hunk it's a bad thing.

That said, if I'm yzerman, looking at the way G ha been playing in recent weeks, I think I'd be an absokute fool not to rake him now over some of the dead weight on that team. If its neck and neck on talent and totals, how do you not go with the hotter hand?

[FD19372]

No surprise. Crosby didn't want him on the team. Polaris should rip me for this any minute now. Waiting...

[doom88]

MSL should be there. I have no problem with it.

[jammer2]

MSL should be there. I have no problem with it.

 

 Exactly, he should have been there from the start. Guys like Matt Duchene and Benn are fast and excellent players, but do we *really* know what they are gonna be like under the pressure of the Olympics, with the whole world watching? We *know* how Marty is gonna react, he's been there many times, the guy will produce under extreme pressure, and put more pressure on the puck/force more turnovers than those youngsters. Just MHO.

 

 The other factor is Stevie Y, his own GM passing Marty up in the first place...if he did it again, for a second time, good luck ever talking to his star again!

[murraycraven]

MSL should be there. I have no problem with it.

 

 

agreed...