St. Louis stung by Team Canada snub

Oh, Canada.

What the hell were you thinking?

The Winter Olympics begin in Vancouver, British Columbia on Friday.

A few days after that, the Olympics inside the Olympics begin, namely the hockey tournament, with all Canadians transfixed as their hockey team tries to beat the world. The pressure on Team Canada will be enormous.

As far as I'm concerned, they've already choked.

Why isn't Marty St. Louis on that team?

Oh, Canada.

What the hell were you thinking?

You don't think Canada could use his game, his motor, his heart?

The man has 20 goals and 46 assists, he's eighth in the NHL in scoring -- and everyone in front of him will play in the Olympics for one country or another.

Not Marty.

The man was left off Team Canada.

He was snubbed -- and snubbed is using a nice word.

"It was a big disappointment," St. Louis said. "I've moved on."

I'd say he has.

Mighty Marty was at it again Tuesday night at the Forum, helping lead the surging Lightning to their fourth straight win, 3-1 over the Vancouver Canucks.

What did Marty do?

He continued to play river hockey with linemate Steven Stamkos. They're in their own little zone right now, doing most of the Bolts' scoring.

St. Louis set up Stamkos' 33rd goal of the season in the first period. Stamkos just turned 20 the other day, but there are times it's hard to tell exactly who's 20, him or 34-year-old Marty.

Oh, Canada.

What the hell were you thinking?

"I think Marty should be on the (Olympic) team," said Stamkos, who could make an argument for his own inclusion, as well, since he's currently fifth in the league with 33 goals. "If I was picking the team, he would be one of the first guys I'd want on it.

"He has the best work ethic in the league, he has one of the top skill sets, he does it all, on the power play, penalty kill, offense, defense. I don't know what else you can really ask for."

What did Marty do?

He broke a 1-1 tie with Vancouver early in the third period with a short-handed goal, a sweet toe drag, followed a flick of the wrist to get it past Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, who just happens to be one of Team Canada's goalies.

Later, a St. Louis pass intended for Stamkos went in off a Vancouver defenseman to give Marty his seventh consecutive 20-goal season.

That's what Marty is doing.

St. Louis, Stamkos and Bolts goalie Antero Niittymaki are leading the Lightning all by themselves.

There's only one thing missing in Marty's world.

And it starts Friday.

"It was hard," he said about learning he'd been left off Team Canada. "Everything that I did to this point, I always thought it was leading up to the Olympics."

The Olympics in his Canada.

Everything he has done -- league MVP, league scoring title, Stanley Cup, World Cup, 2006 Turin Olympics -- it all was leading to Vancouver ...

Playing in his country, for his country, in the Olympics.

St. Louis worked like a fiend toward making the Games. He played for Canada at the 2009 world championships, and he was fantastic, leading the tournament in scoring with 15 points in nine games.

He played well at the 2008 world championships, and at the 2006 Turin Olympics, and at the 2004 World Cup.

All pointing toward this moment, the Vancouver games.

"But it didn't happen," St. Louis said.

He was devastated.

There's no other way to put it.

"I'll be honest with you, as hard as he works, and as his coach, I'd like him to get some rest," Lightning coach Rick Tocchet said. "But for Canada, he should be on that team."

But former Detroit Red Wings great Steve Yzerman, Team Canada's director, and Team Canada coach Mike Babcock had other ideas. It isn't easy picking a team, and they clearly went younger, by and large.

But Marty is ageless.

At the Team Canada camp in September, St. Louis was great again. During one scrimmage in Calgary, before 17,000 fans (no, there'll be no pressure on Team Canada in Vancouver) St. Louis was on a line with Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Calgary's Jarome Iginla. By all reports, Marty made them go, go, go.

It wasn't enough.

The guy got robbed.

Maybe there's a chance Marty gets added on. Tocchet thinks it could happen. Anaheim center and Team Canada member Ryan Getzlaf just sprained an ankle, so maybe he won't be able to play, so maybe Marty gets his chance.

Or maybe not. He's a winger, not a center. Maybe there's a better chance that someone like former Bolt Brad Richards gets the call.

All we know right now is Marty will be watching -- and watch he will. He's taking his family on vacation during the NHL's Olympic break, but ...

"I'll see the games," he said. "It's Canada, it's the Olympics."

It's hard to imagine any team in any sport in Olympics history with more pressure on it than Team Canada this time around. OK, maybe that table tennis doubles squad in the Beijing Summer Games. Imagine if those guys had lost. Three words: live donor organs.

Anyway, Team Canada will be up against it.

They won in Salt Lake City in 2002, but flopped in Italy in 2006.

It's gold or bust in 2010. They need all the help they can get.

If you ask me, they're already in trouble.

No Marty?

Oh, Canada.

What the hell were you thinking?