Controversial 1100-Game NHL Veteran Signs PTO in Western Conference

A former controversial NHL grinder is making one more push to stay in the game. On Monday, St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong announced that the club has signed Milan Lucic to a professional tryout agreement (PTO).

The veteran forward hasn't played in nearly two years, since October 2023, but has continued training. Milan Lucic began the 2023-24 season with the Boston Bruins before an arrest in November sidelined him.

The charges were later dropped, and Lucic then entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance program to get his life back in order.

At 36, Lucic's chances of earning a roster spot are slim because his production was already trending down before the controversy began, with just 19 points in 77 games for Calgary in 2022-23. Still, his name carries a certain something.

During his prime years, Lucic was one of the league's most feared power forwards. His blend of toughness and scoring touch made him a key part of Boston winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.

Drafted in the second round in 2006, he spent eight seasons with the Bruins, hitting 60 points two times and posting a career-high 32 goals during the 2010-11 season.

Lucic was later traded to Los Angeles in 2014, and after that, he signed with Edmonton in 2016. He eventually moved to the arch nemesis, the Calgary Flames, in 2019.

Across 1,117 career games, he has scored 233 goals, added 353 assists, with 1,301 penalty minutes, and, in addition, had 77 playoff points in 136 appearances.

For the Blues, this PTO is low risk, and for Lucic, it may be his final shot at showing he can still contribute. Whether he makes the team or not out of training camp, his career has already left a lasting mark on the NHL.