If you asked me five years ago where Milan Lucic would end his career, I would have guessed a tearful wave to the TD Garden crowd or perhaps a grind-it-out finale in Western Canada. I certainly wouldn’t have predicted the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) in the United Kingdom. Yet, here we are.
According to insider David Pagnotta, the 37-year-old power forward is nearing a deal to play in the UK. For those of us who have followed “Looch” since he was terrorizing defenses during the Bruins’ 2011 Cup run, this is a jarring headline.
From NHL Enforcer to the UK Elite League
Lucic has been a ghost in the National Hockey League for over two years. His last NHL appearance was a four-game stint with Boston in October 2023, which ended abruptly following his arrest for an alleged domestic incident. While the charges were eventually dropped, the court of public opinion—and NHL GMs—aren’t as forgiving.
His recent attempt to claw back via a PTO with the St. Louis Blues was painful to watch. Injuries, age, and the sheer speed of the modern game caught up to him. Getting cut from the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL) with a -7 rating in five games seemed like the final nail in the coffin.
Is This About Legacy or just Hockey?
Seeing a player with 1,177 NHL games and over $70 million in career earnings head to a developing hockey market like the UK is fascinating. The EIHL is a respectable league, but it’s a massive step down from the show.
This tells me one of two things: either Lucic strictly wants to play for the love of the game, or he’s struggling to accept that the NHL door is welded shut. He brings a heavy, intimidating style that will likely make him a fan favorite in the UK instantly, but don’t expect the 30-goal scorer of 2011. This is a slower, older Lucic looking for one last ride.
It’s a humble, perhaps quiet ending for one of the era’s most feared power forwards.
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