As a kid, Martin St. Louis found sporting success on grass and ice. But the 'Bolts big-time talent eventually gave up scissor-kicks for slap-shots, a move he definitely does not regret.

Throughout his organized soccer career, St. Louis earned a reputation as a consistent contributor and team player, a midfielder that depended on speed and savvy to outwit the opposition time and again.

Over 15 years later, the fleet-skating forward is doing pretty much the same thing for the Tampa Bay Lightning, an Eastern Conference club eager to reassert themselves as a Stanley Cup contender.

"Speed plays an important role in almost every sport," said St. Louis, who has played nearly 720 regular season NHL games. “I’ve always worked hard at using speed to my advantage. I think it’s been a big help in the sports I’ve played.”

And though his days of booting a ball into the back of the net are over, St. Louis, who won the 2004 Lester B. Pearson Award (league MVP as voted by the Players), has been able to transfer much of what he learned from soccer into his thriving hockey career.

The biggest lesson he learned from life on the pitch and at the rink?

Never take anything for granted, says the 34-year-old, now in his 11th big-league season.

“Any time you get to this level, you have to work hard and try to get better,” said St. Louis, who began his NHL career as a member of the Calgary Flames. “A lot of good players don't make it. I guess that's the advice I can give, I can just say you have to work hard because everyone is working to get better.”

St. Louis has done just that during his thriving NHL career, the University of Vermont graduate striving to be at his best each and every night. After seasons of 18 goals and 16 goals, respectively, in his first two seasons with the Lightning, the 5’9”, 180-pounder broke out big-time in 2002-03, tallying 33 times in 82 games.

Though he’s smaller than most players in the league, St. Louis stands out on the ice for a different reason, namely his fluid skating style and uncanny knack for creating numerous scoring opportunities with each shift he takes.

Chalk up his strong play to commitment and confidence, both of which have played a major role in his rise to the elite ranks of NHL forwards.

Though opportunities to prove his abilities as a true talent seemed elusive early on in his big-league career, St. Louis, who was never drafted, made his own.

“I never wanted to quit and even though there were some disappointing things that happened along the way, I’m very happy that I stuck with it,” said St. Louis, who led all scorers with 94 points in 2003-04. “You can never give up on something that you really work hard for.”

His Tampa teammates are certainly happy he didn’t throw the towel in.

When it comes to personal goals, St. Louis, who netted his first NHL tally on October 20, 1998, against Dallas, has set the bar high.

“My goals are to become a dominant player,” said the 185-pounder, who had his first NHL hat trick on January 30, 2003, against Carolina. “If things go well and I can improve, I think I can do it.”

Most would agree St. Louis, who signed as a free agent with the Lightning on July 31, 2000, has already achieved what he set out to do.

As a kid, he used to follow many of hockey’s biggest stars, looking for ways to improve his game by incorporating some of the players’ skills into his own on-ice performance.

And though he marveled at their scoring exploits, it was the manner in which the players competed throughout the game and the course of the season that truly caught St. Louis’ eye.

“Wayne Gretzky was certainly someone I used to watch when I was growing up,” he recalled. “When I was 14 or so I used to love Theoren Fleury. My inspiration was a lot of guys. I love to watch guys who work hard and get better in this league.”

Nowadays, the roles have been reversed for St. Louis.

There are undoubtedly plenty of aspiring big-league players who look at him for inspiration, a competitor who is much more than just a numbers man. Above all else, it’s the forward’s fearless approach and work ethic that make him the ideal role model.

But even one of the league’s most dependable contributors isn’t above the odd superstition or two. When it comes to being dressed for success, St. Louis always manages to look sharp.

“I’m very superstitious,” he admitted. “If we win a game, and I've worn certain things in a game, I will wear it the next day.”

Superstitions aside, St. Louis is driven by a single goal, one that is shared by every NHLPA member.

“Having a chance to win the Stanley Cup is what you play the game for,” said St. Louis, who was part of the Tampa Bay team that won the 2004 championship. “You have to remain focused on doing whatever you can to help make it a reality. I’m happy with the way things have gone, but you have to work even harder when the big games are on the line.”