Why Has Martin St. Louis Struggled With New York Rangers?
By Brandon Fitzpatrick
@bfitzsports
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
It has been 22 days since Martin St. Louis was acquired by the New York Rangers for Ryan Callahan and a pair of draft picks. When St. Louis was acquired, everyone was expecting the 38 year old to make an immediate impact with his new team. That hasn’t been the case so far, as St. Louis has struggled to find any offense at all since coming to broadway.
In 12 games with the Rangers, St. Louis has only recorded three assists. Not only is he not scoring goals, but he has been virtually invisible out on the ice. Other than his game winning assist to Derek Stepan against the Carolina Hurricanes, St. Louis has been a non-factor.
So, why has St. Louis struggled so far? First off, it has to be because of the change of setting. St. Louis was apart of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization for 14 years. It is hard for anyone to change on the fly after you are so used to being in one place for so long. This shouldn’t be a big deal for St. Louis since his family lives in Connecticut and he has a home there.
Maybe St. Louis has struggled because he is playing with new teammates. He has been on three different lines since coming to the Rangers. He has a history with Brad Richards, but those two haven’t played together in eight years. A player of St. Louis’ stature shouldn’t have to worry about chemistry; he is supposed to make everyone around him better.
The main reason I think St. Louis is struggling is because of the lights. St. Louis wanted to come to New York; he said it was the only place he wanted to play. But he has never faced the kind of pressure that comes with the territory. New York is a brutal place to play if you aren’t producing, and St. Louis is finding that out early into his career with the Rangers.
Every move you make is under a microscope, and the fans are harsh. Make a bad play, and you will hear it from the fans. Then, you add the fact that St. Louis was traded for one of the most popular Rangers of this decade in Callahan, which rubbed a lot of fans the wrong way.
St. Louis better start realizing that he was brought in here to help this team right now. There is no more time for excuses. He has been on the team for almost a month, and chemistry shouldn’t be an issue for a player like him. He can either embrace the pressure or succumb to it. Either way, the Rangers need to find out if he can handle the bright lights of broadway.
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