HIGHLIGHTS
- Lucic signs PTO with Blues’ AHL affiliate after completing player assistance program
- 37-year-old played four preseason games with St. Louis before injury
- Read below for details on the veteran’s comeback attempt
Milan Lucic is taking another crack at an NHL return, and this time it starts in the minors.
The Springfield Thunderbirds announced Tuesday they’ve signed the 37-year-old forward to a professional tryout contract. It’s the logical next step after Lucic spent training camp with the Blues on a similar deal.
Lucic got into four preseason games with St. Louis, posting a goal and an assist before a lower-body injury cut his camp short. The Blues passed on offering him a contract for the regular season, but this PTO keeps the possibility of a call-up alive.
The veteran has been working his way back after close to two years away from pro hockey. He last played for Boston in 2023-24, appearing in just four games before taking an indefinite leave to enter the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
Lucic completed the program and was reinstated by the league.
It’s a long way from the player who scored 30 goals and won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011. Lucic hasn’t reached 30 points in a season since 2017-18, and he’s been stuck in bottom-six roles in recent years.
Still, there’s something there worth a look. Over 17 NHL seasons with the Bruins, Kings, Oilers, and Flames, Lucic put up 586 points in 1,177 games while building a reputation as one of the league’s most punishing physical players.
The PTO gives him a shot to prove he’s not done while Springfield adds a veteran presence to their young group. It doesn’t count against the Blues’ cap, so there’s zero risk for St. Louis.
If Lucic can stay on the ice and show he can still contribute, an NHL contract might be waiting. Right now, he’s grinding it out in the minors and trying to earn his way back up.
