Bruins
Final season, the 35-year-old Lucic doled out 168 hits over 77 video games with the Flames.
A Bruins fan favourite is likely to be making his approach again to Causeway Avenue this summer time.
In line with NHL insider Chris Johnston, a reunion between the Bruins and pending free agent Milan Lucic is a “strong possibility.” Vancouver reporter Rick Dhaliwal first reported rumblings of a Lucic reunion with Boston, earlier than later tweeting that “Lucic to the Bruins will happen.”
Though Lucic can not signal with a brand new workforce till July 1, Johnston famous that the 35-year-old winger can already start discussions with groups.
Clearly, there may be intrigue on Boston’s aspect, particularly if the veteran is all for signing an inexpensive deal.
Lucic final performed in Boston through the 2014-15 season. Drafted by the Bruins within the second spherical of the 2006 NHL Draft, Lucic rapidly turned a fan favourite in Boston because of his mixture of measurement, snarl and netfront scoring.
He performed in 566 video games with Boston, scoring 139 objectives, 342 factors and racking up 772 penalty minutes. Lucic led Boston in objectives (30) and was tied for the workforce lead in factors (62) through the Bruins’ Cup-winning 2010-11 marketing campaign.
Final week, Lucic spoke to The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun about the opportunity of rejoining the Bruins after eight years away from the Unique Six group.
“Clearly it’s a particular place for me and it’ll all the time be a particular place for me,” Lucic mentioned of Boston. “However we’ve bought, what, 11 days to see what occurs (earlier than July 1)? We’ll see what occurs after which go from there.”
Lucic stays shut with lots of his former teammates in Boston, so it’d come as no shock that the facility ahead would possibly take a web page out of David Krejci’s e book and choose to return to the Bruins on a low-cost, short-term deal.
After all, Lucic is not the top-six stalwart he as soon as was throughout his prime years with the Bruins.
Lucic doled out 168 hits final season for the Flames whereas scoring seven objectives and posting 19 factors over 77 video games. He’s nonetheless one of many extra feared scrappers within the NHL, despite the fact that his position has shifted into extra of a bruising fourth liner.
“Massive, heavy, veteran winger who ought to are available on a one-year, low-money deal,” one nameless NHL workforce government informed LeBrun about Lucic’s worth. “Any workforce that desires measurement and a worry aspect will take a look at him.”
If cash-strapped Boston is searching for a substitute for Nick Foligno on its fourth line, Lucic can inject extra heft and pushback at a less expensive worth.
His underlying metrics have been removed from stellar on a lackluster Flames workforce in 2022-23, particularly on the defensive aspect of issues.
But when Boston is searching for a veteran who toughen up their lineup and function a mentor to an anticipated inflow of youthful gamers of their bottom-six unit, Lucic is a strong possibility (a minimum of on the correct worth).
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