Lucic/By S. Bradley
Twenty goals? Are you kidding me?
Next time, Milan Lucic shouldn’t set his expectations for the upcoming season so low.
Prior to the 2010-11 season, Lucic wanted to stay healthy and surpass 20 goals for the first time in his NHL career. After all, he was starting the three-year contract extension worth a little more than $4 million per season he signed the previous fall.
Well, talk about shattering your preseason milestones. Despite a late-season slump, Lucic reached 30 goals and established himself as a legit No. 1 left winger. His regular-season slump carried over into the postseason, and he wasn’t quite the constant playoff point-producing beast he’d been for the Bruins in previous years, but he came through in the clutch plenty during Boston’s run to the Stanley Cup championship.
It’s going to be difficult for Lucic to come up with a goal for next season that he can reach but doesn’t look like he’s underestimating himself. That’s the type of problem and player would want to have.
Stats
Regular season: 79 GP, 30-32-62, plus-28
Playoffs: 25 GP, 5-7-12, plus-11
Contract status: Signed through 2012-13 at a cap hit of $4,083,333
Best regular-season moment: Lucic recorded a hat trick and a number of other productive games during his breakout year, but no performance was as dramatic as the one in Vancouver Feb. 26. The Bruins sent a message to the league-leading Canucks, just in case the two teams would meet in the postseason, and Lucic ruined his hometown team’s night with the game-winning goal with 4:38 left in regulation plus two assists.
Best playoff moment: After going goal-less through the seven-game Montreal series and the first three games of the Philadelphia series, Lucic broke out with two scores in the sweep-completing victory over the Flyers. One of his goals came on the power play to end a team-wide drought in that department.
Worst moment: Although the goal-less Canadiens series was pretty bad, Lucic’s giveaway that led to Tampa Bay’s game-winning goal in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final was a low point for the winger. The Bruins had blown a 3-0 lead and suddenly the Lightning were about to even up the series at 2-2.
Regular-season grade: A-minus
Playoff grade: B-plus. Considering he played most of the conference finals and Cup Final with a broken toe, Lucic held his own when the stakes were highest in the last two rounds.
Carcac predicts … with his linemates Nathan Horton and David Krejci slated to return to the fold as well next season, Lucic can continue to blossom as one of the league’s best power forwards.
@ Bo – In terms of upgrading this team, I would say that the best thing to do would be to sit back and watch the young guys grow. This team hasn’t touched its potential yet. With today’s Corvo deal, it looks as though that’s exactly what Chiarelli intends on doing.
@Bo. I get what you’re saying.
Bo, sorry, I definitely misinterpreted your comment and should have been on point with the prospect in return v.s. prospect + Looch for superstar thing. I would still disagree on trading the guy though; I’m totally with Andrew on this. We just won the cup, we have more important issues to attend to, and I really don’t think we should consider trading arguably our best winger (who’s still developing!).
David – where did I say anything about Neely, Nash, or Perry? I didn’t. Can you actually take one specific point I made, and legitimately refute it? Not trying to be a dick… but can you quote me directly, and then construct an argument refuting one of the points I made?
As for his offensive upside, well, don’t you have to wait for a player to stop improving before you can legitimately make a comment like that? He had 62 points this season, which ain’t half bad! Sure the guy gets some greasy goals – but hey, if he improves his positional play and drives the net even harder, given his size he’ll score MORE greasy goals, he’ll get MORE points.
I think his somewhat lackluster playoffs, largely due to the sinus issues and the broken toe, are clouding some judgment here.
Also, you guys who mentioned turnovers are absolutely right, he needs to be much more responsible breaking out of his own zone; he can get a bit nonchalant with the puck, and we need strong plays on the exit. Way too many mistakes in his own zone, but despite that, look at that plus/minus!
Are we seriously discussing this?
I think people can get overexcited about his talent at times, but he’s so far from trade bait its not even funny. He’s 23 and has the potential to consistently score 25-30 goals in this league while physically dominating opponents. Forget the potential, he’s already begun to do it. Is that not enough?
We’re talking as if the Bruins don’t have bigger needs than to replace arguably their best winger.
Not all of us are pom-pom wavers. I agree that if the Bs want to go out and really get some scoring, it’ll have to be Lucic, Krejci or Rask that goes the other way. Obviously depends on the guy, but I’d take that shot on someone like Nash any day…especially knowing that a healthy Savard ain’t walking through that door and they have a Cup win in their back pocket to fall back on.
Yeah I think it is a bit too soon to be talking about trading Lucic.
I have no real qualms though about switching the lines a little, although I would be tempted to leave Lucic with Krejci and put Seguin or Peverly on Krejci’s other wing.
But I think most of the parts of those top two lines could be moved around some. Lucic and Horton are both pretty good power forwards and I see no huge problems with splitting them between lines. They play well together, but Horton has some nice hands and I wouldn’t mind seeing him play some with Seguin or Peverly.
Guess this is one of those decisions for the coaches to make, but I don’t think the HuLK line has to stay together for the Bruins to do well or be successful.
Just to be clear – the intent of the trade idea was to package Looch WITH a prospect to upgrade talent. I had been drooling over the idea of packaging Looch and that #9 for Nash, but it seems Columbus is content building around Nash.
So – those of you who are all into the Quintessential Bruin thing… tell me who is more overrated on this team than Looch. C’mon, be objective….
Now, before you get all crazy on me again – I’m not talking about trading Looch for a prospect, and I’m not interested in picking up a player like Heatley or a guy like Kessel. I’m thinking of ways to solve the PP problem, and to really upgrade the O. Ok.. Looch scored 30, but how many were empty net dump-ins? He was 28th in goals, and 39th in points. Like I said -and like some of you illustrated, much of his game is intangibles which can absolutely influence a team character, but while you’re pumping up Looch as today’s O’Reilly or Cam (PLEASE!), also note he was 51st in total hits.
Like I said – I like Looch, but I also think it is just as likely that he takes a step back or treads water next year as it is he makes noticeable improvement.
If you’re going to upgrade this team – how are you going about it? From where I sit, its one of the two goalies or its Looch. Sorry – don’t mean to offend your Bs sensibilities.
I’m a firm believer that you don’t trade someone until you have a good idea as to what their ceiling is and if they have reached it or not. Lucic at 23 certainly has areas to improve, but that’s what you want and hopefully he has (and I think he does) the desire to keep on getting better, but @david you are probably right that the comparisons I made are a bit overstated.
Bo, I think you’re pretty close on the trade idea. From the comments, I can see a lot of people like Lucic, but his biggest asset is that he is big and knows how to use it. I hate to burst your bubbles Luke and Rollie, but Neely, Nash, and Perry all have a much greater skill component to their game, which Lucic has only a shadow of. His hands are undeniably pretty good, but not those of an elite-level scorer, which all the others are. He can put garbage home, and gets the occasional great wrister, but his offensive upside is actually pretty overrated. That said, his checking pressure causes headaches for other teams, and ours soon. He makes a decent number of stupid checks that result in penalties, and now that the rules have tightened it will happen more and more frequently. Furthermore, he doesn’t really deliver those huge checks unless the are a little dirty. If Lucic can clean that up he will be far more valuable. I just don’t see that happening.
As far as trading goes, I would. Just not for a prospect. I’d rather package him with a prospect and get an elite-level player for him, preferably a Nash, though he is no longer available. He still has room to grow, but most of that is maturity and not necessarily in the scoring department. If we dangle a bruin as bait, I’d have it be Lucic.
Maybe Marchand can play right wing but I’d leave the first line the way it is. Left wing is loaded but Rex and Rydes spots on the right side are what need to be filled. Seguin can take one but I’d still like to see him get some minutes in the middle.
Bo – I’m with you on the line changes, but not the trade ideas. The Bs don’t really have anyone ready who can take Recchi’s spot. Prospects maybe, but nobody proven. I agree it would be nice to see Looch with Bergeron and Marchand, and then try someone like Seguin or Peverly on the top line for some speed while Krecji and Horton do the battling.
Everyone’s gong to bark that you shouldn’t mess with the KHL line, but if you aren’t moving forwards in this league, you’re moving backwards. It’s not ideal but perhaps their best option.
But trade? Do you remember how pathetic their goal scoring was just a year ago?
There were some games this spring where he didn’t bring anything but turnovers to the table. I’ll give him a pass because of the broken toe. That may explain his non existent first step. I agree that he fits in well with the team and can contribute his fair share.
I think Lucic is one reason why the HuLK line is so good at cycling the puck.
I think Lucic can turn into a turnover machine and isn’t always responsible with the puck outside the offensive zone, but he is great at using his size to check and get the puck.
When we all think of the quintessential Bruins its gotta be Cam Neely in our minds and I think Looch is as close as you get in this age to a Cam Neely. Rick Nash and Corey Perry are the only ones I see with that same combination of skill and grit, but they definitely aren’t moving.
With a line like this its a tough matchup for other teams because the first line matches up physically to any other line in the league, even dedicated checkers. The second line operates more like a traditional first line, but if the opponents throw the shut down line against the Bergeron line the HuLK line can destroy average lines. Also don’t forget Lucic and Horton have essentially become best friends and they are beginning to pick up each others skills more to make them both more complete players. Gotta love Lucic’s hockey style, if one part of his game isn’t working he finds another way to contribute, he had some pretty assists in the playoffs.
Wow, Bo… dangle him for a prospect? That’s our leading goal scorer, a guy who can change a game with his physicality alone, he’s on a good ticket, and he’s just 23 years old – there’s tons of room for him to improve. He’s becoming a solid leader, he plays hurt, his teammates love him. I think trading him would be an absolutely terrible idea. I love the fact that we’ve got those two very skilled bruisers with Krejci – that line can really batter and wear down it’s opponents, especially in long playoff series’ – and if Seguin jumps into Rex’s spot, that second line will be very fast. Our team is a matchup nightmare, and this guy has a lot to do with that. He just needs to continue working on his agility drills – keeping his feet moving is so important for his game – and work a little bit on getting that shot off a bit quicker sometimes. I’ve been very impressed with his vision lately, and the hands have impressed me… they’re getting better all the time. Milan Lucic was made to be a Boston Bruin.
Bojangles I think you are barking mad. Lol if you knew anything about team chemistry your comments are way off mark. Lucic is one of the main players that allow the whole team to play large because he has your back and all the team plays bigger because of him. He leads by example most nights and is probably ahead of where Neely was at this stage of his career and still has more upside to him. Some players are born to be a Bruin and for me he is a Bruin for life just like a Terry O’Reilly It’s about how big there heart is and how they inspire their teammates to be better and that is the intangible that you have missed Lucic being paired with Horton has made Horton a much better and tougher player it’s like they want to be the most physical and talented line and they are close if not already there. Could you imagine Horton having more fights in one season than the rest of his career combined. Without playing with Lucic that doesn’t happen. Go Bruins from Saskatoon
I like Looch, but I don’t like him as our 1-LW. I think he’s the most overrated guy on the club to be honest. I would love to see him with Bergy and Marchand, and I think we’d all flash back to the 70s if it ever came to fruition. Looch bring a lot to the table in terms of intangibles, but of anyone on the club that could be dangled with a prospect to seriously upgrade the roster – he’s my vote. Sorry Looch – Please don’t take it personally if I see you across the Bahr.
As long as Lucic continues to win battles down low, his line will flourish; he’s an offensive catalyst whenever he brings his A-game to the ice. Also, it seemed that the chemistry between the KHL line on the rush improved dramatically as time went on- Lucic has fantastic speed for his size, and decent hands too. It was great to see some glimpses of greatness from him, especially sniping a few rockets from the slot and making some great heads-up plays. I love this top line… hopefully the B’s will set things in motion to sign someone who can do some work down low on the third line to help out Seguin. As it looks, I don’t think Chris Kelly or Pouliot will be creating much space for our favorite young stud.