A surprising update on Milan Lucic and his NHL future

According to a report from NHL insider Frank Seravalli, suspended free agent forward Milan Lucic is training in Newark, New Jersey in advance of a hopeful NHL comeback.

From Seravalli:

Lucic is currently suspended as a result of his November, 2023 arrest and would need to be reinstated by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman before he could sign a contract with any NHL team.

I've got to say... I don't see it happening.

Lucic is 36 years old and hasn't played a professional hockey game in nearly a calendar year. When he last played a full season with the Calgary Flames back in 2022-23, he was abysmal. He's simply not an NHL level player anymore at this point in his career. I have a hard time believing that he'll secure an NHL contract this offseason.

Read below for our earlier published report on Lucic, submitted by Hockey Feed staff writer Chris Gosselin earlier this offseason.

Back in November, Bruins forward Milan Lucic, who was playing in his second tenure with Boston after returning as a free-agent to the team he began his NHL career with, was arrested following an alleged incident of domestic violence against his wife, Brittany Lucic. Ever since the terrible incident took place, more details on what happened in the Lucic home was released and certainly has not helped the veteran forward’s attempt to return to the NHL.

In fact, a new report has emerged saying that Lucic’s career is over due to his arrest in November 2023 on assault and battery charges. Indications of Lucic’s career coming to end has started to pop up more and more on social media, with no teams interested in signing the free agent.

“It looks like Milan Lucic’s NHL career is over. He was struggling to keep up last season, and his arrest left him unwelcome back in Boston.

“There has been no interest in him this summer and he hasn’t been connected to anyone via rumors. At 36, it’s fair to say it’s game over.”

At the time of the incident involving his now ex-wife, Lucic has only taking part in four contests for the Bruins, as he had been playing on a one year, $1 million contract that included up to half a million dollars worth of performance bonuses. He registered a pair of assists.

In 1,177 games with the Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, Lucic has racked up 233 goals, 353 assists, and 1301 PIM. He was also a key member of the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning Bruins squad.

But it sounds like it may end here.