Milan Lucic

At 36 years old, Milan Lucic has this physical status:

Milan Lucic (Serbian pronunciation: [mlan lûtit]; born June 7, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League. (NHL) He played major junior hockey with the Vancouver Giants in the Western Hockey League for three seasons and captured the Memorial Cup, after being named tournament MVP in 2007. He was drafted 50th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and made the Boston Bruins' roster as a 19-year-old in 2007-08. He was crowned with a Stanley Cup with the Bruins three years ago. He spent the first eight seasons of his NHL career with Boston before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings in June 2015. Lucic came from Los Angeles as a free agent with the Edmonton Oilers in July 2016, playing three seasons with the Oilers before being traded to Calgary in July 2019.

Lucic captained the Canadian national junior team at the 2007 Super Series on international level. He plays physically in the style of a power forward.

Early life

Lucic was born in East Vancouver to Serbian couple Dobrivoje "Dobro" Lui and Sne Kesa. Dobro's father, a longshoreman in Vancouver, emigrated to North America from Serbia when he was 27. Snezana's mother, Snezana, moved to Vancouver when her parents moved from Serbia when she was just 2. Nikola, his younger brother, and Jovan, his older brother. Dan Kesa, his maternal uncle, was a retired NHL right winger who competed for the Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Dallas Stars.

Lucic was a student at Killarney Secondary School in Vancouver, a young boy from Killarney Secondary. When following the team, he was a fan of the hometown Vancouver Canucks, and he named forward Todd Bertuzzi as one of his favorite players. Lucic was diagnosed with Scheuermann's disease, a condition that can cause the upper back to swoop, and has given him a hunched-over posture at age 15.

Lucic played minor hockey (VMHA) in Vancouver, but after being refused in the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft, he nearly left the sport. He was accepted to play for the Coquitlam Express of the Junior A British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), but he was still demoralized after failing to make the squad out of rookie camp. He decided to play for the Junior B Delta Ice Hawks rather than the Express, but after five games, he gained his way to the Express.

Personal life

In the summer of 2012, Lucic married Brittany Carnegie, his longtime girlfriend. The couple have three children together.

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Playing career

Lucic's junior stint with the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL began in 2004. He made his major junior debut with the Vancouver Giants, his hometown Western Hockey League (WHL) team, in one regular-season game and two playoff games. He played for the Giants full time from 2005 to 2006, scoring 19 points in 62 games. He had seven points in 18 playoff games to help the Giants win a WHL title and a 2006 Memorial Cup appearance. He was ranked 50th overall by the Boston Bruins in the second round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft in the off-season. With Lucic's 37th overall pick, the Bruins' administration had considered taking him earlier in the second round, but instead chose defenceman Yuri Alexandrov. "We were lucky to get Lucic" with the 50th pick, according to Bruins Director of Scouting Scott Bradley.

Lucic finished first in team scoring with 68 points in 70 games in the following season, from 2006-07. In 22 games since the Giants lost the WHL Finals to the Medicine Hat Tigers in seven games, he scored 19 points in 22 post-season games. Despite losing the WHL championship, Vancouver was the tournament hosts in the 2007 Memorial Cup. Lucic and the Giants defeated Medicine Hat once more in the tournament final, winning the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) crown by a 3–1 margin. With five minutes to play in regulation, Lucic assisted Michal ep's tournament-winning goal. With more goals, he ranked second in scoring and was named tournament MVP.

Lucic was honoured by the Giants ahead of a game against the Chilliwack Bruins on February 25, 2011. Lucic was almost four years since his last junior game with the Chilliwack Bruins on February 25, 2011. He was named "Milan Lucic Night" and was added to the club's Ring of Honour, showcasing the best Giants alumni of all time. The first 500 game-attendees were also given free Lucic bobblehead dolls. He was also named by fans as the team's best player of all time on the team's ten-year anniversary.

Lucic signed an entry-level deal with the Bruins in the 2007 off-season. He had been selected as the Giants' next team captain, but the Bruins' 2007–08 opening roster was ruled out of training camp. On October 5, 2007, he appeared in his first NHL game, losing by 4–1 to the Dallas Stars, in which he faced forward Brad Winchester. In an 8–6 victory over the Los Angeles Kings, Jonathan Bernier, a game winner, scored his first goal against Jonathan Bernier, a game winner, a week later. He won a Gordie Howe hat trick (an unofficial measure determining a goal, an assist, and a match in a single game) by simultaneously fighting Kings forward Raitis Ivanns and notching an assist. He stayed in a downtown Boston hotel until the season and wasn't sure if the Bruins would keep him or return him to junior. Lucic made enough of an impression in his first set of games with the Bruins, showing grit and a tenacious willingness to fight (he had 13 majors in his rookie season) that they retained him in the lineup. Prior to Lucic's tenth game, Bruins general told the Giants that they could continue with their NHL team without instating their deal. He was chosen to play in the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game and finished his rookie campaign with eight goals and 27 points. He was voted by Bruins fans for the team's Seventh Player Award for surpassing hopes at the end of the season. Lucic scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal in Game 3 on April 13, 2008, when matched up against the first-seeded Montreal Canadiens in the first round. In seven games, he scored for his first NHL post-season with two goals.

Lucic won 5–4 over the Atlanta Thrashers on October 25, 2008, his first career NHL hat-trick and contributed an assist. Lucic returned to his hometown in a game against the Vancouver Canucks, which featured a snapshot of him as a baby on the back page of Vancouver's The Province newspaper. Lucic's 2007 Memorial Cup ring had been stolen in East Vancouver earlier this year. He was given a ring replacement by the Vancouver Giants ownership in a private gathering before the game against the Canucks.

Lucic was selected to his second YoungStars Game in January 2009. However, he did not participate in the sophomores in Montreal due to an undisclosed upper body injury. Lucic was given the Bruins' Eddie Shore Award for hustle and tenacity on April 4, 2009. He had his second appearance in his second NHL season, scoring 17 goals and 42 points in 72 games, while mainly on a line with Bruins top center Marc Savard.

Lucic was suspended after giving a cross-check to Montreal Canadiens forward Maxim Lapierre's head in Game 2 of the first round of the Eastern Conference. Lucic primarily used his glove rather than his stick, according to the Bruins, who appealed the League's decision. Lucic and the Bruins defeated the Canadiens after serving their suspension, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in their second round, where the Bruins lost in seven games. Lucic had nine points in ten games in the playoffs.

Lucic had been locked to a three-year, US$12.25 million contract extension with the Bruins through the 2012-2013 season, with the 2009–2010 season marking his last year of his original entry-level deal. The deal is priced at US$4 million for the first two seasons and US$4.4 million in the third, a rise from his US$685,000 base salary in 2009-10. In a game against the Dallas Stars on October 16, he sustained a broken finger requiring surgery, while attacking defenseman Stéphane Robidas. Lucic returned to the Bruins on November 19, but he was forced to return to action against the Minnesota Wild on November 25 due to a strained ankle injury. When reaching behind him to receive a pass from teammate Dennis Wideman, his left leg buckled from underneath him. Lucic was limited to 50 games in his third NHL season, despite missing an additional 18 games. Head Coach Claude Julien's reaction to the two injuries was expected; he scored nine goals and 20 points to end the regular season. The Bruins were eliminated in the second round by the Philadelphia Flyers after he scored nine points in 13 playoff games. After losing three games to none, they became the third team in NHL history to miss a playoff series. In the second round, all five goals were recorded, with two in the deciding seventh game, where the Bruins defeated the Bruins 4-3.

Lucic won by 4–0 over the Florida Panthers in the second month of the 2010–11 season. He was fined $3,500 by the NHL later this season for his conduct during a game against Atlanta on December 23. After Lucic was struck by anti-defenseman Freddy Meyer, teammate Andrew Ference engaged Meyer in a brawl. Lucic punched Meyer as the two were being restrained by referees, resulting in a match penalty. Lucic received a $2,500 fine for his punch and an additional $1,000 for an offensive gesture he had made to players on the Thrashers' bench right after the game. He missed three games due to a shoulder injury in January 2011. Lucic's season ended with a career-high 30 goals, 32 assists, and 62 points in 79 games. While tying for the points lead with center David Krej, he led the Bruins in goal-scoring. The Bruins defeated the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Tampa Bay Lightning in the first three rounds en route to the Stanley Cup Finals against Vancouver, as the third seed in the East. Although Lucic's career slowed in 25 games with 12 points (five goals and seven assists), the Bruins earned their first Stanley Cup since 1972, beating the Canucks in Game 7 of the Finals. Lucic was later discovered that he had suffered from a few injuries during the playoffs. He suffered a broken toe after blocking a shot from teammate Tyler Seguin during practice. He also struggled with a sinus infection, which was part of a larger problem in his right nostril that dated back to the 2009–10 season and caused poor breathing. Lucic underwent sinus surgery in the off-season to restore the sinuses.

Lucic had his customary day in possession of the Stanley Cup, which he obtained in Vancouver in August 2011. Although players are often invited to host public celebrations with the trophy in their hometowns, Lucic prefers to keep the day private, saying that "I grew up a Canucks fan." I know how it is." Following the Canucks' loss in the Finals, fans in Downtown Vancouver held an hours-long protest. Lucic posters at a local cultural community center were defaced more personally. Also, Lucic's appearance at a Greek festival in Vancouver sparked a public outrage; the Vancouver Sun reported that Lucic did not punch anyone. Although Lucic's day with the Cup was private, several of his functions were held in public venues, which were apparently well-reced by passers-by. He carried the trophy to St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church in Burnaby, where a crowd of about 350 people was welcomed and families were on a harbour cruise with friends and family. He finished the day on Grouse Mountain, the same place where he and his Vancouver Giants teammates took the Memorial Cup after their CHL victory in 2007. The church he brought the trophy to was vandalized a month later in February 2012.

During a game against the Buffalo Sabres that brought a month and a half into the 2011-12 season, Lucic received a lot of notice for a hit against goaltender Ryan Miller. Miller had to play a puck with Lucic last touching midway between the center line and the Sabres' blue line. Lucic collided with him heavily as Miller shot the puck toward the end-boards, knocking him to the ice. Miller was diagnosed with a concussion and was forced to miss several games; he also chastised Lucic for his behavior and called him a "brave piece of shit" in post-game remarks; The NHL held a hearing with Lucic the day after the attack and later announced that he would not be suspended for the game, citing the minor penalty for damage during the game was sufficient. He was suspended for one game after this incident for an illegal attack on Philadelphia forward Zac Rinaldo. Lucic struck Rinaldo from behind during a game for the puck along the boards, but he was not injured on the play. Lucic scored his first-ever NHL overtime goal against the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets just a short time into the 2013–14 season.

Lucic was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for goaltender Martin Jones, Colin Miller, and the 13th overall pick (used to select Jakub Zbol) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft on June 26, 2015. Lucic excelled during his time with the Kings, scoring 20 goals, 35 assists, for 55 points in a solid two-way contest during the regular season. Lucic also had three assists in five games in the 2016 playoffs.

Lucic committed to seven years, $42 million with the Edmonton Oilers on the first day of a new free agency. Jari Kurri's regular #17 was discarded by the Oilers, but he instead wore #27, his number during his junior years.

Lucic had a fruitful first year with the Oilers, scoring 23 goals and 50 points to help lead the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. The Oilers defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games, but they lost in seven games to the Anaheim Ducks. Lucic's output started to decline dramatically after his first season in Edmonton. Lucic scored just 10 goals and 34 points in a disappointing second season. In his third year with the Oilers, he had only scored six goals and 20 points, with a goal drought of more than 40 games.

Lucic waived his no-movement promise and was sent by the Calgary Flames, alongside a conditional 2020 third-round draft pick, in exchange for James Neal. Both Neal and Lucic had failed to live up to the expectations attached to their previous careers' large salaries, and the trade gave both players a chance to get off to a new start. Lucic reverted to his #17 with the Flames, after he was a teenager.

Lucic began his career with the Flames as a result of his goal drought, which was made more prominent by Neal's seven goals (including a four-goal game) in his first seven games with the Oilers. Lucic received a two game suspension for roughing Kole Sherwood in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on November 2, 2019. Lucic's slow start, as well as questions about his presence on the team's absence of playing time, led to him to consider retirement early in the season.

Lucic also scored his first goal as a Flame in his 28th game of the 2019–20 season, winning 4–3 over the Buffalo Sabres after losing on a pass by Derek Ryan. Lucic's next three games met his target by two goals. Lucic had eight goals by March, when the season was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau.

The Flames and Oilers had decided that if Neal scored at least 21 goals in the 2019-2020 NHL season and Lucic scored at least 10 goals less than Neal, the Oilers would owe the Flames a third-round draft draft in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The Flames and Oilers remained stuck in an impasse over how to handle the trade disease despite Neal's 19 goals (two fewer than the required threshold), but the season was still on target to reach its 82-game conclusion, despite the abrupt and incomplete finish to the 2019-20 season. The NHL ruled the Oilers owed the Flames a third-round draft pick in Edmonton's second-round draft selection of either the 2020 or 2021 NHL Entry Drafts as a result of a trade dispute between the two teams.

Lucic played his 1000th game in the National Hockey League on April 13, 2021. He became the 352nd player to reach the 1000 game mark in doing so.

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