Rangers' Martin St. Louis Starting to Look Like Old Self After Rough Start

The New York Rangers acquired Martin St. Louis last season because he's an elite offensive player, but things didn't click when he arrived to Manhattan. In 19 regular-season games, St. Louis tallied a goal and seven assists for eight points, which was disappointing to say the least.

During the playoffs ,St. Louis tallied 15 points in 25 games, and there was reason to believe that he'd continue that success with the Rangers to start the season. Through the Blueshirts' first seven games, St. Louis tallied a goal and five assists for six points. During the next three games, St. Louis failed to register a point, and he was a minus-five.

St. Louis looked like he was battling frustration, as he would do almost everything but get the puck in the net. The Rangers' alternate captain had a great game Wednesday night against the Detroit Red Wings, and after two solid back-to-back games, it seems that St. Louis is looking like his Tampa Bay self.

In his last two games, St. Louis has scored three goals and added an assist for four points. He currently has 10 points in 12 games, and you can just tell that he's heating up. Against the Red Wings, St. Louis used his speed and on-ice awareness to score on a breakaway. 

He was set up with an amazing pass by defender Matt Hunwick, and the 39-year-old winger took solace in scoring his fourth goal of the season. St. Louis' second point came in overtime, as he played a role in keeping the puck in the zone; it eventually went to Dan Girardi, and a rebound was tucked home by Derick Brassard.

While you could say that St. Louis' six points in seven games prior to having a three-game slump were decent, he didn't look himself. There was a lack of explosiveness in his skating, a visible frustration on his face, and St. Louis just didn't look comfortable on the ice.

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It makes sense when you consider that St. Louis has been playing out of position for a good chunk of the 2014-15 season to date, but adversity has never stopped the 5'8" winger from Laval, Quebec. During the Blueshirts' last two games, St. Louis has been one of the best forwards on the ice, and he looks like he's having fun out there.

The Rangers' sage veteran has a newfound pep in his stride, and he's been making plays that he wasn't connecting on earlier in the season.

Just take this goal scored against the St. Louis Blues:

St. Louis put his head down, skated up the ice with speed and glided into perfect position to receive a pass from Nash that didn't even graze the ice before going over the goal line. It was the type of moment that had eluded St. Louis to date, and once that puck went in, there was a sense that the tide was turning for him.

I mean, just take a look at his mood before the Rangers' matchup with Detroit.

Here you can see a visibly vibrant St. Louis, a major difference from the stoic yet well-spoken individual who sat down for an intermission interview with Al Trautwig of MSG during the Rangers' loss to the Blues.

Clearly St. Louis was in the right mindset heading into the Blueshirts' contest against Detroit, as he was a forward who helped set the tone all night long.

Going forward, the Rangers will need this type of production from St. Louis, and there's reason to believe that it should continue.

Rick Nash and Derick Brassard are white-hot with not sign of stopping soon. Chris Kreider is heating up,and now St. Louis is putting it together in a big way. There were a number of people who wondered what St. Louis would be capable of as a veteran 39-year-old this season, and at this juncture it is safe to say that things are going in the right direction.

St. Louis will have his streaks from time to time, but it is clear that he's a motivated and comfortable player who wasn't getting the breaks earlier in the season. It will be interesting to see how St. Louis' game will take off when Derek Stepan returns, because that will mean that he'll be back at his natural wing position.

Only time will tell, but now the Rangers are motoring along in the wake of numerous injuries, as they have picked up six points in their last four games.

Stats via NHL.com.