Episode 31: Martin St. Louis

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Martin St. Louis took the hard road to the highest honor in the game.

A native of Laval, Quebec, St. Louis carved out an NHL career that spanned 16 seasons from 1998-2015 despite being labeled as too small as a 5-foot-8 forward, which caused him not to be drafted or signed to an NHL contract after amassing 267 points (91 goals, 176 assists) 139 games over four seasons at the University of Vermont.

St. Louis signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning on July 31, 2000. He scored 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists) in 78 games the following season, proving he could be an everyday NHL player.

Although a broken leg cut short his 2001-02 season, St. Louis had 70 points (33 goals, 37 assists) in 2002-03 and shot up to 94 points (38 goals, 56 assists) in 2003-04, when he won the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy and helped lead the Lightning to their first Stanley Cup championship, scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime of Game 6 against the Flames to tie the series 3-3.

Only seven other players in NHL history have won the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season.