Taylor Hall trade reaction; What do the Bruins do next?
A sizable chunk of Bruins fans have wanted to see Milan Lucic back in Boston for years. Could it actually finally happen?
The Athletic’s Rick Dhaliwal, who is based out of Lucic’s hometown of Vancouver, reported on Wednesday that he is “hearing possible reunion with Milan Lucic and the Boston Bruins.” He later followed up and reported that it “will happen.”
NHL insider Chris Johnston also reported that a Lucic-Bruins reunion is “a strong possibility.”
Lucic is an unrestricted free agent. While free agency doesn’t open until Saturday, Lucic is free to speak with teams before then, as Johnston noted.
Lucic himself weighed in on the possibility last week, telling Pierre LeBrun that Boston is “a special place for me and it will always be a special place for me.”
Lucic, of course, spent the first eight years of his career in Boston from 2007-15, helping the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011 and becoming a fan favorite with his physical, power forward style of play.
So, does it make sense for the Bruins to bring Lucic back now? Sure, as long as the price is right.
Lucic is 35 years old now and is certainly not the same player he was the last time he was a Bruin, eight years ago. He had seven goals and 19 points in 77 games for the Calgary Flames last season while averaging 11:18 time on ice – fourth-line minutes.
The last time Lucic scored more than 10 goals was 2016-17. The last time he had more than 25 points was 2017-18. His defensive metrics dropped off dramatically this past season as well.
But Lucic can still make his presence felt physically, throwing 168 hits last season and dropping the gloves three times. The year before, he had 209 hits and seven fights. He remains one of the most feared fighters in the league.
Lucic also brings veteran leadership in the form of someone who understands what it means to be a Bruin. With the B’s trading Nick Foligno to Chicago and Patrice Bergeron and/or David Krejci possibly retiring, that would be welcomed as well.
Of course, how much sense this makes ultimately comes down to the cost. As long as it’s minimal – think league minimum or something right around $1 million – there’s little harm. Anything more than that, though, and it’s fair to wonder if the cap-strapped Bruins would be better off spending their money elsewhere.
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