NHL Rumors: Milan Lucic Reunion With Bruins ‘Strong Possibility’

It appears Milan Lucic is going back to where it all started for one final run with the Bruins.

The veteran winger seems to be nearing a reunion with the team that drafted him, according to multiple reports. Vancouver sports reporter Rick Dhaliwal was the first to report the possibility of a reunion between the two sides, and veteran NHL insider Chris Johnston reported it is “a strong possibility.” Shortly after Johnston’s tweet, Dhaliwal followed up to say it “will happen.”

Lucic is set to hit unrestricted free agency July 1, but the Flames gave the veteran permission to speak with teams before hitting the market. Lucic told The Athletic’s Pierre Le Brun recently that a return to Boston was on his radar.

“Obviously, it’s a special place for me, and it will always be a special place for me,” Lucic told LeBrun.

The Bruins drafted Lucic in the second round of the 2006 draft, and he quickly became a fan favorite for his physical brand of hockey. Lucic had the best season of his career with the Bruins, scoring 30 goals and adding 32 assists in 2010-11, playing a pivotal part on Boston’s first Stanley Cup champion team in nearly 40 years.

The Bruins traded Lucic to the Kings following the 2015 season, and he has bounced around the league since then. In addition to his stop in Los Angeles, Lucic has logged minutes for Edmonton and most recently Calgary. The 35-year-old scored seven goals with 12 assists in 77 games last season for the Flames. Despite his physicality, Lucic has played at least 77 games 11 times in his 16-year career.