Pictured above: Lucas (left) and Ryan (right)

When Montreal head coach Martin St. Louis learned that his sons Ryan and Lucas were invited to the Penguins’ development camp earlier this month, he was excited about the opportunity.

“Obviously he’s with the Canadiens, but he was really excited because Pittsburgh is a great place to develop,” Lucas, the younger of the two, said. “They’re doing really well here. It’s great to hear the news and know we’re going to be here together.”

The brothers acknowledge the uniqueness of their childhood, having a father who played 17 NHL seasons, the majority of which were spent in Tampa Bay. Martin won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2003, won a Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP and earned five All-Star nominations.

“It was awesome,” said Lucas, a defensive back who will attend Harvard in the fall. “It was probably the best environment to grow up in and have my dad coach us since I was 10 years old. It was awesome. It was really cool to be around the game my whole life.”

While both brothers, of course, adored their father, they also loved watching his Tampa Bay teammate Steven Stamkos play. Ryan’s favorite hockey memories were attending Lightning games; Lucas said it was great to see how the pros lived and that it served as an example for him and his brother.

“I remember Fridays and Saturdays, if they were playing at home, our whole family would go,” said Ryan, a forward entering his sophomore season at Brown University. “Me and my two brothers, my mom, sometimes my grandparents. It was kind of a family event.”

Ryan said that was reflected in his St. Louis home, which was “really competitive.” “A lot of street hockey games, a lot of knee hockey games. Even our grandfather got involved. I feel like I’ve been playing hockey ever since I can remember, whether it was on the ice, outside or inside.”

After two years with the Calgary Flames and 13 seasons with the Lightning, Martin finished his career with the New York Rangers. While with the Blueshirts, St. Louis was part of some intense postseason battles against Pittsburgh.

Lucas emphasized how proud the entire family is of Martin’s mother, who had recently passed away, playing a key role in knocking the Penguins out of the First Round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs. In every memory the boys share, it’s clear that family has always had a huge impact on their hockey careers.

As for his decision to attend the camp, Ryan shared, “You know, I thought I would get that experience. Anytime I get to be in a facility like this, it’s a privilege. So I’m trying to learn as much as I can. It’s a great staff here, great guys. So I had a lot of fun.”

Lucas also noted the franchise’s history, saying, “You can list a lot of greats who have played here. And it’s clear that what they’ve done here has worked.”

The St. Louis boys reunited with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Head Coach Kirk MacDonald, who both played for him in Dubuque as teenagers in the United States Hockey League. Ryan spent the 2022-23 season there after a year at Northeastern before heading to Brown, and Lucas’ favorite hockey memory was last year when the Fighting Saints advanced to the Clark Cup Finals.

He said he was happy to work with MacDonald so soon after that run, adding, “I think he does a really good job. He’s definitely a players’ coach. He keeps everyone under control. We had a really great culture.”

Both Ryan and Lucas are eagerly awaiting their return to Vermont, where they spent their summers after their father met their mother during his college hockey days, and then taking what they learned with them to their own schools.

“I just want to continue to improve my game and have a good year next year. I’m really going to take it one day at a time,” Lucas said.