By JAY CRIDLIN, Times Staff Writer
Published October 23, 2005
Face it: Pound for pound, Marty St. Louis is the best hockey player on Earth.
Just ask the Calgary Flames, whom St. Louis beat with a double-overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2004 Stanley Cup final. Or ask the Lightning, who recently signed St. Louis to a six-year, $31-million contract. Times staff writer Jay Cridlin talked to St. Louis about his life off the ice, including his day with Phish, his night with the Wiggles, and his fondness for Desperate Housewives.
JC: On your day with the Stanley Cup in Vermont, you got to play with your favorite college band, the Samples. Where does that experience rank on your all-time list?
MSL: Oh, it's right up there. Top five days of my life, for sure. I mean, they were touring that summer, so it's not like they weren't busy or anything. So for me to have them there at a special time in my life was awesome. I got to be on stage a little bit, and sang a couple of songs with them. It was a good experience.
JC: And a couple of guys from Phish showed up.
MSL: Trey (Anastasio) was there, and Page (McConnell). I have a lot of respect for what they've done. They're a very creative band, and they're down-to-earth people.
JC: Be honest, though: Have you ever sat through an entire Phish album?
MSL: You mean, listened to an entire Phish CD? No. I have my songs that I like, and I usually look for those.
JC: I hear the guys at Ben & Jerry's are pretty big Vermont Catamount fans. If Ben called you and said he wanted a flavor called Martin St. Gooey, what would you put in it?
MSL: A lotta chocolate. I love their ice cream. I've been to the place where they started and visited. But I've never met them.
JC: You grew up in a French-speaking household, right? What was the first English-language TV show that you watched with any regularity?
MSL: Seinfeld. I don't watch too much TV now, with my two kids, but you know, I like Lost and the CSI stuff. Desperate Housewives.
JC: See, to me, Desperate Housewives seems kinda overrated. What's the appeal?
MSL: I like it. I think it's got a little bit of everything. It's got drama, it's got humor, it's got a little action sometimes, so it's good.
JC: Who's a better TV cop: Gil Grissom from CSI or Jack Bauer from 24?
MSL: See, I watch more of CSI: Miami. I don't play much hockey on Monday nights, and I'm able to watch it. I would take the guy from CSI: Miami. The red-headed guy. I get a good laugh out of him. Everything is dramatic, you know? He always pauses when somebody asks a question. There's always a pause, and he comes back with his deep voice.
JC: You've been in Florida since 2000. Scale of one to 10: What's the best tan you've ever had?
MSL: Not a farmer's tan? I would say about a three.
JC: Who has the best tan on the team?
MSL: Probably Vinny (Lecavalier) and Brad (Richards). Danny Boyle.
JC: Do they hit the tanning beds?
MSL: I don't know. They just get 'er done.
JC: Can you describe the smell of an NHL locker room? Feel free to use profanity if necessary.
MSL: No, I think it smells really good. I've been to many locker rooms, and trust me, a locker room in the NHL smells pretty good. They have the right trainers working around and making sure there's no smell.
JC: Would you ever wear a men's body spray?
MSL: If I liked the smell, yeah, I don't see why not. But I would have to try it on.
JC: What's the last dream you had?
MSL: I always dream that I'm late to get on the ice. I can't find my elbow pads. Yeah, I'm late for a game. I'm late for a game and I can't find anything.
JC: Would you fight Sidney Crosby?
MSL: If it's the right thing to do at the right time. It depends on what he did to me, I guess. Once you get out on the ice, you don't even think about the age.
JC: Give me your favorite shop, restaurant and place to chill out in the Tampa Bay area.
MSL: Shop? Well, International Plaza. There's a lot to pick from there. Restaurant? Bern's Steakhouse. To hang out? My house. Every now and then my wife and I go out to dinner with friends, but I don't really hit the clubs and the bars. I've got two kids at home, and I'm on the road a lot.
JC: Your kids haven't reached the age where you have to take them to Wiggles concerts and things like that yet, have they?
MSL: Oh, yeah. My 2-year-old's been to a Wiggles concert and liked it.
JC: How did it compare with the Samples?
MSL: You know what? It's just as good, because when you see your son having a blast, you're happy.
