Milan Lucic Gets Another Shot In NHL After Signing PTO

Milan Lucic will look to make an NHL roster for the first time since his second stint with the Bruins was cut short after an arrest for assault and battery.

The St. Louis Blues are signing Lucic to a professional tryout contract, general manager Doug Armstrong said Monday.

Lucic has not played in the NHL since 2023, when he made his return to Boston. He had played in just four games before getting arrested in November for allegedly attacking his wife — charges that later were dropped. Lucic had entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program upon getting placed on leave by the Bruins.

From a hockey standpoint, Lucic’s chances of breaking camp with St. Louis seem remote. He’s 37, hasn’t played in nearly two years, and already was on the decline by the time he was arrested. He could potentially be a fourth-line grinder for a team, but he might have to earn that gig by biding his time in the minors.

Lucic has played 1,177 games across his NHL career, 570 of them coming with the Bruins. He has a 233-353-586 scoring line across his career, plus 1,301 penalty minutes as a result of his penchant for fighting.