There aren’t many “firsts” yet to be experienced by Martin St. Louis, who has won a Stanley Cup, a Hart Trophy, two Art Ross Trophies and three Lady Byngs throughout a Hall of Fame-worthy career that began in 1998.

Yet, St. Louis is experiencing a “first” right now as the Rangers complete the regular season on their way to the playoffs as the Presidents’ Trophy winners, because for the first time ever, the winger is playing out a season without a contract in place for the following year.

That means unrestricted free agency beckons unless he and the Rangers reach an agreement before July 1. That means uncertainty for St. Louis, who will turn 40 on June 18, right around when the Blueshirts hope to be riding up the Canyon of Heroes.

Let’s not kid ourselves. Free agency at 40 is a much different animal than free agency at 30.

“It does cross my mind from time to time, but I’ve also done a good job of putting it to the side and not allowing it to become a distraction or an issue for me,” St. Louis told me before Thursday’s Garden finale against the Senators. “I thought about it more at the start of the season but less and less as the year progressed to the point where it really was never a factor for me.”

There were preliminary discussions at one point between management and St. Louis’ representative, Lewis Gross, but no substantive negotiations, with both parties comfortable deferring talks until after the season.

While St. Louis was put on hold, though, the Rangers signed Cam Talbot, Marc Staal and Mats Zuccarello — the club’s three other pending UFAs — to contract extensions.

“I do believe things happen for a reason, and I was glad for those guys and the organization,” St. Louis said. “I tried not to worry about it too much or take it personally in any way. It is what it is. My mind is clear. I’m excited to have the chance to play in the playoffs and the chance to play for the Stanley Cup.

“When you get to this stage of your career, you don’t know how many more chances you’re going to get, no doubt about it, so my entire focus is to do whatever I can to help the team win.

“If you play hard, things will fall into place,” he said. “I’m not looking at anything other than what’s right in front of me. I’m only concerned about the things I can control. At a different point in my career maybe I would have allowed it to bother me, but not now. This game for me, the last year, I look at life differently.”

“Your mom?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

France St. Louis passed away last May 8 after suffering a heart attack. The inspirational narrative of tragedy followed by triumph is fresh in everyone’s mind. Everyone remembers St. Louis playing Game 5 in Pittsburgh a day after his mom’s passing; the stunning rally from 3-1 down to win Round Two against the Penguins, the Rangers playing with an angel on their shoulders; the emotional funeral service in Montreal the day after Game 1 of the conference finals; his overtime goal to beat the Habs in Game 4 at the Garden.

Everyone remembers and everyone honors St. Louis and his family. Everyone knows the one-year anniversary of Mrs. St. Louis’ death is approaching.

“I think it will be hard, a little bit,” St. Louis said. “Looking back, I’ve had a lot of fans in my career, but I’ve come to realize I lost my No. 1 fan.

“That’s the toughest part,” he said, softly. “Not that my dad and my wife and kids aren’t, but you know…”

Of course I know. Of course we all know.

St. Louis carved his commemorative plaque that will be displayed in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Tampa Bay, of course, through 13 years as the franchise’s heart, soul and greatest player. If this were baseball and he were going to Cooperstown, he’d be wearing a Lightning hat. Of course.

But he’s become immersed in his identity as a Ranger, even though through Thursday, St. Louis had worn the Blueshirt for only 92 of his 1,133 career games.

“I was targeting being a Ranger for a long time,” St. Louis said. “I always wanted to come here, I always hoped I could finish my career here.

“Last year, getting the opportunity to play in the Stanley Cup final, with everything that happened and the way my teammates and the organization were there for me, I felt like a Ranger very quickly,” he said. “Scoring an overtime goal in the conference finals in Madison Square Garden as a Ranger, that’s a memory I will always cherish.

“Now I’m trying to create new memories. I’m grateful for my years in Tampa. When people think of me, they are going to think of me as a Tampa Bay Lightning and rightfully so.

“But to be a part of the Stanley Cup final as a New York Ranger, and have another chance now to win the Stanley Cup as a New York Ranger, it’s big,” he said. “It is very special to be a part of such a cool history.”

Last week, while on the cusp of returning from the knee injury that had sidelined him for eight games, St. Louis delivered a stream-of-consciousness monologue during which he said, “Being a hockey player is all I know.”

“What else would I be if I wasn’t a hockey player? I have no clue,” St. Louis rhetorically asked and answered. “It’s all I know. It’s all I want to be.”

And now here he is, without a contract for next season, without the guarantee of being a hockey player next season.

“There’s no doubt that I want to play next year. Period,” he said. “And for sure, yes, I want to play here. I want to finish my career as a Ranger.

“There’s no doubt about that either.”