Pierre McGuire's In The Crease

Lightning forward Martin St. Louis continues to show why he's so respected by his peers. The veteran's unwavering work ethic in practices and games—even though Tampa Bay has long been out of the playoff race—has gotten him on the short list to play for Team Canada in the 2010 Olympics. More important for Tampa Bay, St. Louis's M.O. has rubbed off on the team's No. 1 pick of last June's entry draft, Steven Stamkos (above), who had nine points and a shootout game-winner in his last nine games through Sunday.... The Devils have drafted as well as any team in NHL history, and underrated defenseman Paul Martin, selected 62nd in 2000, could turn out to be their biggest steal yet. He leads the team in ice time, and his ability to move the puck and run the power play has forced opponents to devise game plans specifically to limit Martin's effectiveness.

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SCOTT AUDETTE/NHLI/GETTY IMAGES (STAMKOS)