Nothing portrays Milan Lucic’s excitement about returning to the Boston Bruins more than the fact he went out and purchased his own Black and Gold fan gear.

However, Lucic’s infatuation with both the City of Boston and the Bruins organization also was made quite clear in his press conference Saturday after he signed a one-year contract.

“It feels like I’m going home,” Lucic told reporters, per a team-provided transcript. “It’s always felt like I’ve been a Bruin, and I’m just so happy and thankful for the opportunity to be a Bruin again.

“As time went on, I missed being a Bruin more and more as years went on,” Lucic added. “It’s really funny, I caught myself watching Bruins hockey games. I caught myself cheering for the Red Sox, cheering for the Celtics, cheering for the Patriots. It’s just one of those things because it was a place where I felt like I really grew up.”

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Lucic was drafted by the Bruins in 2006 and won a Stanley Cup with the organization in 2011. He grew to be a fan-favorite in Boston given his hard-nosed and physical play and willingness to get to dirty areas. It’s why supporters of the Black and Gold are so thrilled to have him back, regardless of the fact he’ll be entering his age-35 season.

“I’m looking forward to it really badly, because I’ve thought about this moment for the last seven years,” Lucic said. “I’ve been thinking about what it would be like to put on the spoked-B, Black and Gold again. That’s why I’m so grateful for this opportunity.

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“When you start somewhere, I don’t want to say I took it for granted. I lived it and I truly did appreciate what it meant to be a Boston Bruin and living in Boston and playing for an Original Six team and playing in front of those fans every single night. To get to relive that, it’s almost like I’m more grateful for it now than I was at the beginning because as time goes on, sometimes you don’t know how good things are until it’s gone.”

Lucic also made it known how he wasn’t returning just for a farewell tour. He said he’s coming back for the “right reasons” and believes the Bruins have a team capable of chasing a championship.

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That probably will go over well in the minds of Bruins fans, as well.

Featured image via Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports Images