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Trade Bait: Martin St. Louis

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The NHL’s trade deadline is Wednesday, April 3. Following is a player that may be moved. For more “Trade Bait,” click here.

Through good times and (mostly) bad, Martin St. Louis has been a go-to guy for the Tampa Bay Lightning. With that and in his sustained brilliance in mind, various outlets indicate that he’ll only be traded if that’s what he wants.

As the league’s fourth-place point producer at 42 points, St. Louis would likely draw heavy attention from the trade deadline’s buyers - even if there are always those complaints about his size and age (37).

The Boston Globe’s Kevin Paul Dupont placed the sweet playmaker on the top of his post-Jarome Iginla wish list alongside San Jose Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle. Sportsnet’s Jason York also mentioned the New York Rangers as a potential suitor, which would make sense since St. Louis enjoyed his greatest moments while being coached by John Tortorella.

Considering the downright grim times St. Louis has been through with Tampa Bay, it wouldn’t be shocking if he insisted to stay put.

Still, his advanced age at least begs the question.

He brings the added benefit of being more than a rental, too. The diminutive forward’s friendly contract carries just a $5.625 million cap hit through 2014-15.

Then again, that term might hurt the odds of him joining the Bruins (who will join the Lightning in a realigned division next season). It’s one thing to rent a hero to a team in another conference when he only has a few months left on his deal. If the Lightning trade St. Louis to Boston, they might have to watch him set up guys like Tyler Seguin instead of Steven Stamkos for two full seasons.

With the big Iginla fish already captured, it’s fun to at least imagine guys like St. Louis going. Especially since you can argue that he has just as much - if not more - to offer in a smaller package.