One of the toughest unrestricted free agents (UFA) available is officially off the board, as Milan Lucic has signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Boston Bruins. It also comes with performance bonuses.
Although Lucic’s days as a top-six power forward are long gone, he should still be an effective player for the Bruins because of his physical style of play and plethora of NHL experience. With that, who doesn’t love to see a former fan favorite come back?
Lucic’s 2022-23 Season With the Flames
As noted above, Lucic is no longer the dominant power forward he was during his prime years with the Bruins. His 2022-23 season with the Calgary Flames makes that abundantly clear. In 77 games, the 35-year-old posted seven goals, 12 assists, and a minus-13 rating. However, he continued to make a notable impact with his tenacity, recording 168 hits in 77 games played.
Overall, Lucic simply did what was expected of him from Calgary in 2022-23. He provided them with more toughness and grit and occasionally contributed offensively. We should now expect to see more of that from him next season as he returns to Boston.
Lucic’s Fit With the Bruins
During his initial tenure as a Bruin, Lucic was a key component of their top six, constantly playing on a line with David Krejci. However, due to the fact that his offensive contributions have tailed off dramatically since then, he will not have this role again in Boston. Instead, we should see him on the club’s fourth line, taking over fellow veteran Nick Foligno’s old spot.
Related: 2023 NHL Free Agency Tracker
There is also a chance that Lucic receives some reps on Boston’s power play as well in a net-front presence role. This is something Foligno did at times for Boston. With that, Taylor Hall was also sent to the Chicago Blackhawks, so that creates another hole on the Bruins’ second power-play unit. Thus, perhaps this could open the door for “Looch” to see some time on the power play.
Lastly, Lucic is going to give Boston some serious toughness with his return. That part of his game remains quite present, and that is excellent news for the Bruins. After all, the Bruins have long been criticized for being “too soft” to play against. Whether that narrative is true or not is up for debate, but Lucic is sure to help change that.
Lucic Reunion a Long Time Coming
At the end of the day, it is not surprising to see Lucic heading back to Beantown. There were reports that the Bruins tried to bring him at this year’s trade deadline, and that was with his expensive cap hit. Yet, now that they had the opportunity to get him at a far cheaper price, they took advantage of it.
Lucic was one of the Bruins’ most beloved players during his first tenure there, and now their fans will have the chance to cheer him on in what could be his final days in the NHL. It will be intriguing to see what he can provide for the Bruins in 2023-24.
