Just Who Is Milan Lucic?

Kicking off our “Just Who Is?” series is the biggest UFA signing in Oiler history: Milan Lucic. He beats out Andrej Sekera and Sheldon Souray for the title.

The rumours started in late May/early June about Lucic and the Oilers being paired up. At the time, it seemed more like a luxury signing: the Oilers were certainly set at left wing with Taylor Hall, Benoit Pouliot, Patrick Maroon and Matt Hendricks. There were links to the past here, with Peter Chiarelli having been the general manager in Boston while Lucic was a Bruin.

This all changed after the June 29th trade of Taylor Hall, when a gaping need opened at left wing. This is where Milan Lucic came in to attempt to fill said hole.

So..Just Who Is Milan Lucic?

Milan Lucic is the prototypical NHL power forward of today. After being drafted by the Boston Bruins in 2006, Lucic entered the league in 2007 with the dual threat of being a nasty, physical player on the ice while being able to produce at a first line rate.

Lucic is comfortably on the list of the most feared players in the NHL. You can say what you want about intangibles and their effectiveness, but Lucic plays a style that has been sorely missed in Edmonton for a very long time. Lucic is big, imposing and plays like a bull in a china shop.

Lucic played eight seasons in Boston, including a Stanley Cup win in 2011. He was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings on draft day 2015, but he would end up playing only one season in Los Angeles. His short stint in LA was due to financial complications with the Kings, which enabled Lucic to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

Via The Hockey News, here are Lucic’s assets/flaws:

Assets: Has outstanding size and strength. Is underrated in terms of his offensive skills and instincts. Can dominate a hockey game in the corners or with big hits. Can be a nasty, intimidating presence; he’s also excellent when he drops the gloves. Is the prototypical power forward.

Flaws:His skating is only average. He’s also not a natural goal-scorer–when he does score, it’s often because of sheer determination and a reckless drive through traffic. Can at times put his team in a hole by being too aggressive, which can lead to bad penalties (or worse).

What Can We Expect?

With Milan Lucic, I think Oilers fans can expect his style of game to be a success. After years of wasted draft picks looking for a Milan Lucic type player, the Oilers straight up signed the prototype player.

I expect Lucic to be on the first line with Connor McDavid. Lucic has played with skilled players throughout his career, be it Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci or Anze Kopitar, and I imagine Lucic will be able to play with McDavid. As mentioned before, he offers a different style to the Oilers: a strong net presence, hard to move along the boards, and a player who will physically be able to battle with the best in the NHL with little to no problems.

For point projections, The Hockey News Fantasy edition had Milan Lucic sitting at 25 goals and 65 points, while Dobber’s projection is 28 goals and 58 points. I think he nets around 25 goals and 60 points, but playing with McDavid will definitely help his point production.

Better yet, when it comes to puck possession, Milan Lucic is no slouch. Combine that with Connor McDavid? Lucic will not be a hindrance on the top six at all.

The biggest change that Lucic represents is balance. The Oilers, on paper, look to be a more complete roster. For once, we finally won’t have to hear about how the Oilers have too many similar players in their top six, dare say, top nine. With the addition of Milan Lucic, there is finally a semblance of balance.

Will He Be an Oiler Long Term?

Lucic signed a contract for six million per year over seven years. It is safe to say Lucic will be an Oiler for a long time. However, the contract has some concerns, primarily with the length of the deal and the eventual decline of his play.

That said, I am not as worried about his play falling off the cliff. Lucic has missed only ten games in his career, an out of those ten games missed, only six were due to injury.

I also would not be shocked if Lucic is named an alternate captain sooner rather than later.