But the Bruins' bruising left wing has been around long enough to be able to wax nostalgic about his first full training camp experience when he made the squad as a 19-year-old in 2007.
"I knew I had a pretty good opportunity to make the team, and I wanted to make sure I made the most of it," said Lucic after skating Sunday's morning session at this year's camp. "I didn't want to let any pressure or nervousness get to me. I just wanted to go out there and play my game and do what I needed to do to make the team. And that's what I did, just get in there and fight, hit, do whatever I need to do."
"Obviously it worked out for me, but looking back, the Bruins were kind of in a rebuilding stage, a lot different than where we are now," said Lucic, a second-round pick in 2006 who was returned to his junior team in Vancouver after the Bruins rookie camp in 2006. "So the timing was perfect for me to come into that situation."
Still, even if there were greater opportunities for a youngster to make a team coming off back-to-back last-place finishes in the Northeast Division than there are now trying to crack a team that's reached the second round of the playoffs the past two years, stepping into an NHL camp is still a daunting proposition. And playing your first exhibition game can be an especially intimidating rite of passage.
"It was a little nerve-wracking, of course," said Lucic of his Bruins preseason debut. "It was out there in St. John's, Newfoundland. We were playing the Islanders. Preseason or not, you're always excited to play the first time you put on an NHL jersey. I had a lot of fun in that game and that's one I'll always remember."
Lucic remembers most how he ended the game, getting in his first pro fight late in the third period against Islanders' defenseman Matthew Spiller.
"I had a fight that game, right at the end," said Lucic. "There was a bunch of them. I had to get in on the action."
Lucic is happy to keep that element in his game, but he's also working hard to develop his overall skills. On Sunday, he showed off his powerful shot in several drills, much to the dismay of rookie goalie Michael Hutchinson, who saw one particularly sharp Lucic blast whistle right by him and into the net.
"When I was out on the ice this year I was just working on a quick release, quick shot, getting a good, hard shot off," said Lucic of his offseason preparations. "Not thinking too much, just putting it where you know it has a good chance to go in. Today it was going in, and hopefully I can keep that up."
Lucic also worked hard this summer to stay at his playing weight, with 235 pounds packed on his 6-foot-3 frame.
"I'm exactly the same size as I was when I ended [last season]," said Lucic. "Last summer I came in and I think I was 223 or 225 and I felt weak. I ended the season about 235 and I felt better. I felt stronger on the puck and when I had the puck on my stick I was able to protect it better, so I decided to stay at that weight this summer coming back and I feel pretty good."
Now Lucic will try to maintain that weight while getting into game-shape during the grueling opening sessions of camp.
"I think the first week is pretty much a grind," said Lucic. "You're just trying to get your legs back and trying to get through the stiffness and soreness from being on the ice every day and practicing and working hard. I'd say it takes a week, maybe two weeks, but some guys take longer, some guys get through it quicker."
"For me, I've never really been a preseason player," added Lucic. "As I recall, I don't think I've ever scored a preseason goal, so for me it takes a little longer. But hopefully this year it won't take as long."
