The 2014 Olympic Games are over. Marty St. Louis and Team Canada turned in a fantastic performance this morning and ended up walking out of the Bolshoy Ice Dome with the Gold medal; the Canadians defeated Team Sweden by a score of 3-0.
A very emotional St. Louis was on the verge of tears in his post-game interview with CBC’s Elliotte Friedman. He struggled to describe just how much the Sochi experience means to him, and what the success means to both him and his family. After a disappointing finish in Italy back in 2006, St. Louis finally got his shot at redemption in Russia. He took it.
All the emotional talk and reminiscing didn’t stop Marty from celebrating with his teammates, though.
Mike Smith is carrying Marty St. Louis on his shoulders right now and I can't breathe pic.twitter.com/IgUAPQDm5E
— Bree von Trapp (@ForcingTheIssue) February 23, 2014I love my teammates! pic.twitter.com/cWSDgL4foa
— Strombone (@strombone1) February 23, 2014Spent my career at the U of Vermont dreaming of playing in the NHL like Marty St. Louis. Now we share a gold medal. pic.twitter.com/bcWCa7SDAD
— Patrick Sharp (@10PSharp) February 23, 2014Congratulations to Marty!
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the other Tampa guy who played a role in Canada’s success in Sochi. Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman, along with a great cast of hockey minds, built the Gold medal winning roster. He did the same thing in 2010. Following Canada’s win today, Yzerman announced that he would be stepping down from his post with Hockey Canada. Apparently winning the Gold twice is enough for one General Manager. Yzerman had a great run with Team Canada, and I couldn’t be happier for him.
Finally, it’s also worth noting that Lightning defender Sami Salo was a member of Team Finland’s Bronze winning squad. Just as he is in Tampa, Salo was a steady presence on Finland’s blue line. He was also a member of the Finnish teams that won Silver in Turin and Bronze in Vancouver. Say what you want about Salo’s injury history and age, but the fact is he’s had a very decorated career. Congratulations to him!
The Olympic tournament is now over. The National Hockey League trade freeze ends tonight at midnight, and from then on it will be business as usual for all 30 clubs. Let’s be ready to cheer on the Lightning as they head into the stretch drive and aim to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011. There’s a lot to look forward to, Bolts Nation.
As always, thanks for reading.