Tampa Bay Lightning's Martin St. Louis, right, and Steven Stamkos take a breather after the end of the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes Sunday, April 21, 2013, in Tampa, Fla. Stamkos made the Canadian Olympic hockey team but Tampa Bay teammate Martin St. Louis was passed over, and coach Jon Cooper says he knows how disappointed the veteran was by the decision. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Mike Carlson
January 07, 2014 - 11:06 AM
WINNIPEG - Steven Stamkos made the Canadian Olympic hockey team but Tampa Bay teammate Martin St. Louis was passed over, and coach Jon Cooper says he knows how disappointed the veteran was by the decision.
The team said St. Louis would comment after tonight's game against the Winnipeg Jets.
Cooper says he isn't worried about how the snub might affect his leading scorer, adding it would likely provide extra motivation.
Cooper says he's sure other NHL coaches were just as puzzled at how some of their star players could have been passed over.
But he says no one can overlook the contribution St. Louis has made to putting the Lightning in a position to compete for a playoff spot this season.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014