The NHL season is entering a period of intensity as teams continue to battle it out for playoff spots and division leads. For the Edmonton Oilers, the time is now for veterans and big time players to step their games up a notch. We have seen exactly that from Milan Lucic.
I have been a mega fan of Lucic since the days he donned number 17 for the big bad Boston Bruins. His combination of size, skill and nastiness stole my heart from the get go. When he signed for 7 years with the Oilers, I knew a missing piece to the puzzle was finally added.
There are many critics out there that are negative towards Lucic’s massive contract. In 50 games he has 29 points. Yes he has struggled this season and the chemistry with Connor McDavid that everyone was banking on never panned out. Many times I have seen fans noticeably annoyed by his lack of foot speed and misplacing of the puck. For a player that gets paid over 6 million bucks a year, much more is expected of him right?
Yes, to an extent. But one thing that must be realized is that Lucic isn’t paid to rack up massive points. He is paid to be Milan Lucic. That entails him to hit, fight, intimidate, protect, score, lead and play smart. Although consistency can be an issue, he is usually doing at least one of these things on a game by game basis.
For the record, I have not seen very many players that can screen a goalie like Lucic can. It is virtually impossible to win the physical battle against him in front of the net and he shadows the goalie so well. So many goals have happened as a result of his screening this season.
Also for a player of his type, he only has 30 penalty minutes this year. He has done well in maintaining his composure and staying out of the box. I notice he is great at picking his moments in regards to any form of physical engagement, which has helped him stay out of the box.
Lucic solidified his legacy as a beast during Boston’s 2011 Stanley Cup winning season. We have seen that very same version of Lucic the past couple of games with Edmonton. I think there is a Bruin inside him that is finally being unleashed again and it could not have come at a better time this season. Lucic is playing a key role in this recent Oilers surge as he has upped his game to a familiar level we’ve seen before: Beast-mode.
Its obvious how much of a difference-maker he is when he’s being the full version of himself. That will come in handy for the hectic playoff grind. Its these types of players that make a champion. After all, there is only one Milan Lucic in the entire NHL, and he’s in Edmonton. Look out from now until playoffs because he’s only going to get madder.
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