For years on end, the Edmonton Oilers have been searching for the unicorn known as a dominate power forward. There are only a few of these players at the NHL level, and Edmonton hasn’t had one since Bill Guerin was traded back in the early 2000’s.
The search for this player has resulted in massive contracts (Dustin Penner), wasted draft picks (Mitch Moroz, Cam Abney, JF Jacques, Zack Stortini) and failed trades (Kale Kessy). This summer, the Oilers may throw big money at another candidate, Milan Lucic.
Why Is He Out There?:
The Kings are in a little territory that we like to call cap hell. The team needs to find space to re-sign Lucic in addition to Kris Versteeg, Trevor Lewis, Luke Schenn and Brayden McNabb. In addition to that, LA will need to find a backup goaltender to play behind Jonathan Quick and will need to find another top-four defender.
LA also has big pay raises for Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson to worry about in the summer of 2017. It’s going to be tough to keep everyone, especially a guy like Lucic who may command north of $6,000,000 per season.
Milan Lucic was tremendous for the Kings this past season, but LA may have to let him go for no other reason than money issues.
What Does He Do Well?:
Here is Lucic’s scouting report via The Hockey News:
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). Career Potential: Excellent, prototypical old-school power forward.
At 6’3” and 235 pounds, Lucic is one of the biggest and most intimidating players in the entire NHL. He plays an extremely physical game and is a pest for the opposition. Watching him play in Boston, he was an exceptional physical presence, arguably the most physical player on the entire team. He created a ton of space for guys like Bergeron, Krejci, Seguin and Marchand.
Offensively, the report says that he is underrated in this regard. Having watched him throughout his carer, I’d call him slightly above average. He’s got pretty good hands and has a surprisingly good shot, but he lacks accuracy and consistency to his game. When Lucic is cold, he’s REALLY cold.
Another thing I noticed about Lucic during his time in Boston and even in LA? He isn’t afraid to go to the front of the net and create some havoc for the netminder. He’s the perfect guy to set up screens and he had some success in this position on the powerplay.
Lastly, Lucic is a solid defensive player. He was taught well in Boston by Claude Julien. When you watch him play, you quickly notice that he is almost always in the right spots and that he works his tail off to not get caught out of position. That’s a huge asset.
Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Where Will He Play / Where Should He Play?:
I’m assuming that the Oilers will split up Taylor Hall and Connor McDavid again in 2016-17. Having the team’s two possession drivers on different lines spreads out the attack and causes some very favorable matchups for Edmonton. If that were to be the case, then Lucic would slide in on the McDavid line, likely the team’s first line with McDavid and Jordan Eberle.
There is zero doubt about what Milan Lucic is at this stage of his career, and that is a top-six forward. In Edmonton, he would be exactly in the appropriate spot, Edmonton wouldn’t be paying for a player who is in over his head.
What Will He Cost?:
Lucic is coming off of a contract that paid him $6,000,000 per season. Unless he stuns the world, he’ll be making at least that on his next contract, no questions there. I think Milan Lucic will end up signing a contract somewhere in the neighborhood of seven years by $6,500,000 – $7,000,000 per year. That’s a lot of term and money for a 27 year old power-forward.
As good as he would be in Edmonton, I’m not willing to make that kind of financial commitment to a guy for that long, especially a power forward who is likely to slow down in a big way in the next five years.
Closing Argument:
If the Edmonton Oilers are going to go whale hunting for a power forward this off-season, then it might as well be Lucic. He’s a proven commodity and is a good bet for the next couple of seasons. Without a doubt, Milan Lucic would change the mix in Edmonton and make the Oilers a better team.
My issue with the player? The asking price is bound to be far too much for far too long. In the NHL, long-term contracts like that are an absolute killer. I’d be weary of giving Lucic that kind of cash and would look at making improvements in other areas.
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