‘His perspective has been improbable’: Milan Lucic has impressed Jim Montgomery on and off the ice

Bruins

“I believe that he’s going to have success with the way in which we need to play.”

Milan Lucic Bruins
Milan Lucic after throwing out the primary pitch at a Crimson Sox-Orioles sport on Sept. 8. Barry Chin/Globe Workers

After the Bruins skilled an offseason that was filled with modifications, Milan Lucic is able to assist fill the void after signing a one-year deal to return to Boston in July.

Whereas nobody can totally substitute the retired Patrice Bergeron (or the departure of fellow veteran David Krejci), Lucic will mix with newly put in captain Brad Marchand, in addition to alternate captains David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy to assist attempt to offset the lack of management.

Because the Bruins proceed within the staff’s coaching camp, Jim Montgomery has seen the presence of the 35-year-old Lucic.

“The issues which have stood out is he’s actually relishing the management function and mentorship function, which has been nice,” Montgomery advised reporters, per Sean T. McGuire of NESN. “His perspective has been improbable.”

Along with off-ice presence, Montgomery thinks Lucic can nonetheless contribute in video games as properly.

“After which on the ice, he’s making performs,” stated Montgomery. “His capability to make performs in small areas has been very noticeable to me. And I believe that he’s going to have success with the way in which we need to play.”

Reflecting on his latest historical past — as a frontrunner on Canada’s 2023 World Championship-winning staff — Lucic stated he’s making an attempt to attract on that in his second stint with Boston.

“I had a very good expertise on the World Championships sort of being the older man there and having to tackle a management function so I acquired a variety of good prep there,” he defined.

“It ended up being a very nice expertise and a fantastic event as a result of we received the gold,” Lucic added. “But it surely was a very good studying curve for myself, and I’ll attempt to apply what I discovered and what I gained from that have into this season.”

Initially drafted by the Bruins in 2006 (fiftieth general), Lucic performed the primary eight seasons of his NHL profession in Boston. He was a member of the staff’s 2011 Stanley Cup championship season, and had all three of his most prolific seasons with the Bruins earlier than being traded to the Kings in 2015.