Milan Lucic
Encyclopedia
Milan Lucic is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
left winger
of Serbia
n origin currently playing for the Boston Bruins
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). He played major junior with the Vancouver Giants
in the Western Hockey League
(WHL) for three seasons and captured a Memorial Cup
, while being named tournament MVP
in 2007
. He was selected 50th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
and made the Bruins' roster as a nineteen-year-old in 2007–08. Three years later, he won a Stanley Cup
with the Bruins. Internationally, he captained the Canadian national junior team
at the 2007 Super Series
. Lucic plays physically in the style of a power forward
and is considered to be one of the NHL's premier power forwards
to Serbia
n parents Dobrivoje Lučić and Snežana Kesa. His father, a longshoreman, immigrated from Serbia when he was 27, while his mother arrived in Canada with her family at the age of two.
He has a younger brother named Nikola and an older brother named Jovan. His maternal uncle, Dan Kesa
, is a retired NHL right winger
who played for the Vancouver Canucks
, Pittsburgh Penguins
, Tampa Bay Lightning
, and Dallas Stars
.
Growing up, Lucic attended Killarney Secondary in Vancouver
. He was diagnosed with Scheuermann's disease
, a condition that can cause the upper back to curve, at the age of 15. He played minor hockey
in Vancouver, but nearly quit hockey altogether after being passed up in the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft. He was invited to play for the Coquitlam Express
of the Junior A British Columbia Hockey League
(BCHL), but was further demoralized when he initially failed to make the team out of rookie camp. He agreed to play, instead, for the Junior B Delta Ice Hawks
, but later played his way onto the Express after five games.
of the BCHL
in 2004–05. In the same season, he made his major junior debut with the Vancouver Giants
, his hometown WHL
team, playing in one regular season game and two playoff games. Lucic joined the Giants full-time in 2005–06, scoring 19 points in 62 games. He added seven points in 18 playoff games to help the Giants to a WHL title
and an appearance in the 2006 Memorial Cup
. In the off-season, he was selected 50th overall by the Boston Bruins
in the second round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
. Bruins management had considered taking Lucic earlier in the second round with the 37th overall pick, but chose defenceman Yuri Alexandrov
instead. The Bruins' director of scouting Scott Bradley admitted he did not expect Lucic to still be available with the 50th pick, adding "We were fortunate to get him."
The following season, in 2006–07, Lucic emerged as one of the Giants' leaders, finishing first in team scoring with 68 points in 70 games. He added 19 points in 22 post-season games, as the Giants lost the WHL Finals to the Medicine Hat Tigers
in seven games. Despite losing the WHL title, Vancouver appeared in the 2007 Memorial Cup
as tournament hosts. Lucic and the Giants met Medicine Hat once more in the tournament final, capturing the Canadian Hockey League
(CHL) title by a 3–1 score. Lucic assisted on Michal Řepík
's tournament-winning goal with five minutes to play in regulation. He finished the tournament tied for the lead in scoring with Řepík (with more goals, Řepík was awarded the Ed Chynoweth Trophy
as leading scorer) and earned the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy
as tournament MVP.
Nearly four years after his last junior game, Lucic was honoured by the Giants prior to a game against the Chilliwack Bruins
on February 25, 2011. Dubbed "Milan Lucic Night", he was added to the club's Ring of Honour, showcasing the top Giants alumni of all-time. The first 500 game-attendees were also given free Lucic bobblehead dolls. As part of the team's 10-year anniversary, he was also voted by fans as the team's best player of all-time.
game on October 5, 2007, a 4–1 loss to the Dallas Stars
, in which he fought opposing forward Brad Winchester
. His first goal came a week later on October 12 against Jonathan Bernier
, a game winner
, in an 8–6 win against the Los Angeles Kings
. By also fighting Kings forward Raitis Ivanāns and notching an assist, he recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick
(an unofficial statistic constituting a goal, an assist and a fight in one game). Unsure of whether the Bruins would keep him or return him to junior, he stayed in a downtown hotel in Boston
to start the season. However, Lucic made enough of an impression during his first set of games with the Bruins, showing grit and consistent willingness to fight (he recorded 13 fighting majors in his rookie season), that they decided to keep him in the lineup. Bruins management informed the Giants prior to Lucic's 10th game, accounting for the NHL's nine-game maximum for junior-eligible players to stay with their NHL club without initiating their contract. He was chosen to participate in the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game
and finished his rookie campaign with eight goals and 27 points. Towards the end of the season, he was voted by Bruins fans for the team's Seventh Player Award for exceeding expectations. Matched up against the first-seeded Montreal Canadiens
in the opening round, Lucic scored his first NHL playoff
goal in game three on April 13, 2008. He finished his first NHL post-season with two goals as the Bruins were eliminated by the Canadiens in seven games.
Early into the 2008–09 season
, Lucic recorded his first NHL hat trick
and added an assist in a 5–4 win against the Atlanta Thrashers
on October 25, 2008. Later that week, Lucic made a much-publicized return to his hometown in a game against the Vancouver Canucks
, which featured a picture of him as a baby on the back page of Vancouver's The Province
newspaper. Earlier in the year, Lucic's 2007 Memorial Cup ring had been stolen from his home in East Vancouver
on July 10, 2008. In a private ceremony before the game against the Canucks, he was presented a replacement ring by Vancouver Giants ownership.
Lucic was chosen to his second YoungStars Game in January 2009. However, he did not compete for the sophomores in Montreal
due to an undisclosed upper-body injury. Near the end of the season, on April 4, 2009, Lucic was awarded the Bruins' Eddie Shore Award for hustle and determination. He finished his second NHL season improving to 17 goals and 42 points in 72 games, while playing predominantly on a line with the Bruins' top centre, Marc Savard
.
Entering the 2009 playoffs
with the Bruins as the first seed in the Eastern Conference
, Lucic received a one-game suspension after delivering a cross-check to the head of Montreal Canadiens forward Maxim Lapierre
in game two of the first round. While the Bruins argued that Lucic used predominantly his glove, rather than his stick, the league held its decision. After serving his suspension, Lucic and the Bruins went on to eliminate the Canadiens, advancing to the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes
, who the Bruins lost to in seven games. Lucic added nine points in 10 games in the playoffs.
With the 2009–10 season
marking the final year of his original entry-level contract, it was announced on October 6, 2009 that Lucic had been signed to a three-year, US$
12.25 million contract extension with the Bruins, to go through to 2012–13. The deal is structured at US$4 million for the first two seasons and US$4.25 million in the third, a raise from his US$685,000 2009–10 base salary. Ten days later, on October 16, he suffered a broken finger requiring surgery in a game against the Dallas Stars while hitting defenceman Stéphane Robidas
. Lucic returned to the Bruins lineup on November 19, but was injured again four games later, suffering a sprained ankle
in a game against the Minnesota Wild
on November 25. His left leg had buckled from underneath him while reaching behind him to receive a pass from teammate Dennis Wideman
. Missing an additional 18 games, Lucic was limited to 50 contests in his third NHL season. His play was perceived by head coach Claude Julien
to have suffered following the two injuries; he recorded nine goals and 20 points to finish the regular season. He added nine points in 13 playoff games as the Bruins were eliminated in the second round by the Philadelphia Flyers
. They became the third team in NHL history to lose a playoff series after having led three games to none. All five goals Lucic scored in the playoffs were recorded in the second round, including two in the deciding seventh game, which the Bruins lost 4–3.
In the second month of the 2010–11 season, Lucic recorded a natural hat trick on November 18, 2010, during a 4–0 win over the Florida Panthers
. Later in the campaign, he was fined $3,500 by the league for his actions during a game against the Atlanta Thrashers
on December 23. After Lucic was hit by opposing defenceman Freddy Meyer
, teammate Andrew Ference
engaged Meyer in a fight. In the ensuing scrum, Lucic punched Meyer as the two were being restrained by referees, resulting in a match penalty. Three days following the game, Lucic received a $2,500 fine for his punch and an additional $1,000 for an obscene gesture he had made to players on the Thrashers' bench immediately afterwards. In January 2011, he missed three games with a shoulder injury. Lucic completed the season with a career-high 30 goals, 32 assists and 62 points in 79 games. He led the Bruins in goal-scoring while tying for the points lead with centre David Krejci
. Entering the 2011 playoffs
as the third seed in the East, the Bruins eliminated the Montreal Canadiens
, Philadelphia Flyers
and Tampa Bay Lightning
in the first three rounds, en route to the Stanley Cup Finals
against the Vancouver Canucks
. Although Lucic scored below his regular season pace during the post-season with 12 points (5 goals and 7 assists) in 25 games, he helped the Bruins to their first Stanley Cup
since 1972, as the team defeated the Canucks in Game 7 of the Finals.
performance at the 2007 Memorial Cup
, he was named team captain
of Team Canada
for the 2007 Super Series
against Russia. The series, an eight-game competition between Canada and Russia's under-20 teams, commemorated the 35th anniversary of the historic 1972 Summit Series. He recorded three assists as Team Canada won the series with seven wins and a tie.
Two years later, Lucic was invited to Team Canada's summer orientation camp in Calgary
, Alberta
for the 2010 Winter Olympics
. He was not, however, chosen to the final roster.
*Did not play due to injury
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
left winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n origin currently playing for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). He played major junior with the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
in the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
(WHL) for three seasons and captured a Memorial Cup
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major...
, while being named tournament MVP
Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy
The Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy is a Canadian Hockey League trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the annual Memorial Cup Tournament...
in 2007
2007 Memorial Cup
The 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup was played in May 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Pacific Coliseum. The tournament was competed between the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers, the OHL champion Plymouth Whalers, the QMJHL champion Lewiston Maineiacs, and the host team and tournament...
. He was selected 50th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
and made the Bruins' roster as a nineteen-year-old in 2007–08. Three years later, he won a Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
with the Bruins. Internationally, he captained the Canadian national junior team
Canada national junior hockey team
The Canadian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Canada. The team represents Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January...
at the 2007 Super Series
2007 Super Series
The 2007 Super Series was an eight-game Under-20 ice hockey challenge between Russia and Canada. The series was won by Canada, who shocked the Russians with seven wins and one tie . Over the course of the eight games, Canada outscored Russia 39-13. The Series was held from August 27 to September 9...
. Lucic plays physically in the style of a power forward
Power forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, power forward is a loosely applied characterization of a forward who is big and strong, equally capable of playing physically or scoring goals and would most likely have high totals in both points and penalties...
and is considered to be one of the NHL's premier power forwards
Early life
Lucic was born in East VancouverEast Vancouver
East Vancouver is a region within the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Geographically, East Vancouver is bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, to the south by the Fraser River, and to the east by the city of Burnaby...
to Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n parents Dobrivoje Lučić and Snežana Kesa. His father, a longshoreman, immigrated from Serbia when he was 27, while his mother arrived in Canada with her family at the age of two.
He has a younger brother named Nikola and an older brother named Jovan. His maternal uncle, Dan Kesa
Dan Kesa
Dragan "Dan" Kesa is a Serbian-Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Vancouver Canucks, Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning...
, is a retired NHL right winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
who played for the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, and Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
.
Growing up, Lucic attended Killarney Secondary in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. He was diagnosed with Scheuermann's disease
Scheuermann's disease
Scheuermann’s disease is a self-limiting skeletal disorder of childhood. It is also known as Sherman's Disease, Scheuermann’s kyphosis , Calvé disease and Juvenile Osteochondrosis of the Spine. It is named after Holger Werfel Scheuermann...
, a condition that can cause the upper back to curve, at the age of 15. He played minor hockey
Minor hockey
Minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body contact, vary from class to class...
in Vancouver, but nearly quit hockey altogether after being passed up in the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft. He was invited to play for the Coquitlam Express
Burnaby Express
The Coquitlam Express are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League...
of the Junior A British Columbia Hockey League
British Columbia Hockey League
The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
(BCHL), but was further demoralized when he initially failed to make the team out of rookie camp. He agreed to play, instead, for the Junior B Delta Ice Hawks
Delta Ice Hawks
The Delta Ice Hawks are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Delta, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Tom Shaw Conference of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League . They play their home games at Ladner Leisure Centre....
, but later played his way onto the Express after five games.
Vancouver Giants (2004–07)
Lucic began his junior career with the Coquitlam ExpressBurnaby Express
The Coquitlam Express are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League...
of the BCHL
British Columbia Hockey League
The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior...
in 2004–05. In the same season, he made his major junior debut with the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
, his hometown WHL
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
team, playing in one regular season game and two playoff games. Lucic joined the Giants full-time in 2005–06, scoring 19 points in 62 games. He added seven points in 18 playoff games to help the Giants to a WHL title
Ed Chynoweth Trophy
The Ed Chynoweth Trophy is awarded to the leading scorer at the Memorial Cup tournament. It was first awarded in 1996. In the case of a tie in points, the award is given to the player with the fewest games played. If they have played the same number of games, the award goes to the player with the...
and an appearance in the 2006 Memorial Cup
2006 Memorial Cup
The 2006 MasterCard Memorial Cup was held in Moncton, New Brunswick from May 19–28. The host team Moncton Wildcats were the only team guaranteed a spot in the tournament...
. In the off-season, he was selected 50th overall by the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in the second round of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
. Bruins management had considered taking Lucic earlier in the second round with the 37th overall pick, but chose defenceman Yuri Alexandrov
Yuri Alexandrov
Yuri Alexandrov is a Russian professional ice hockey player currently playing for the SKA Saint Petersburg in the Kontinental Hockey League.-Playing career:...
instead. The Bruins' director of scouting Scott Bradley admitted he did not expect Lucic to still be available with the 50th pick, adding "We were fortunate to get him."
The following season, in 2006–07, Lucic emerged as one of the Giants' leaders, finishing first in team scoring with 68 points in 70 games. He added 19 points in 22 post-season games, as the Giants lost the WHL Finals to the Medicine Hat Tigers
Medicine Hat Tigers
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena....
in seven games. Despite losing the WHL title, Vancouver appeared in the 2007 Memorial Cup
2007 Memorial Cup
The 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup was played in May 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Pacific Coliseum. The tournament was competed between the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers, the OHL champion Plymouth Whalers, the QMJHL champion Lewiston Maineiacs, and the host team and tournament...
as tournament hosts. Lucic and the Giants met Medicine Hat once more in the tournament final, capturing the Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
(CHL) title by a 3–1 score. Lucic assisted on Michal Řepík
Michal Repík
Michal Řepík is a Czech professional ice hockey left winger. He is currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League . Repik was selected by the Florida Panthers in the 2nd round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.-Playing career:Prior to his professional career, Repik played...
's tournament-winning goal with five minutes to play in regulation. He finished the tournament tied for the lead in scoring with Řepík (with more goals, Řepík was awarded the Ed Chynoweth Trophy
Ed Chynoweth Trophy
The Ed Chynoweth Trophy is awarded to the leading scorer at the Memorial Cup tournament. It was first awarded in 1996. In the case of a tie in points, the award is given to the player with the fewest games played. If they have played the same number of games, the award goes to the player with the...
as leading scorer) and earned the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy
Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy
The Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy is a Canadian Hockey League trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the annual Memorial Cup Tournament...
as tournament MVP.
Nearly four years after his last junior game, Lucic was honoured by the Giants prior to a game against the Chilliwack Bruins
Chilliwack Bruins
The Chilliwack Bruins were a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League, based out of Chilliwack, British Columbia. The 2006–07 season marked the Bruins inaugural season in the WHL. The team played at Prospera Centre, which was expanded to 5,386 seats for the arrival of the Bruins...
on February 25, 2011. Dubbed "Milan Lucic Night", he was added to the club's Ring of Honour, showcasing the top Giants alumni of all-time. The first 500 game-attendees were also given free Lucic bobblehead dolls. As part of the team's 10-year anniversary, he was also voted by fans as the team's best player of all-time.
Boston Bruins (2007–present)
In the 2007 off-season, Lucic signed an entry-level contract with the Bruins on August 2. He had been chosen as the Giants' next team captain, but made the Bruins' 2007–08 opening roster out of training camp. He played in his first NHLNational Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
game on October 5, 2007, a 4–1 loss to the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
, in which he fought opposing forward Brad Winchester
Brad Winchester
Brad Winchester is a professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 35th overall, by the Edmonton Oilers....
. His first goal came a week later on October 12 against Jonathan Bernier
Jonathan Bernier
Jonathan Bernier is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League...
, a game winner
Ice hockey statistics
- Team statistics :* STK - winning or losing Streak* GP – Games played – Number of games the team has played* W – Wins – Games the team has won, either in regulation or in overtime...
, in an 8–6 win against the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. By also fighting Kings forward Raitis Ivanāns and notching an assist, he recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick
Gordie Howe hat trick
In ice hockey, a Gordie Howe hat trick is a variation on the hat-trick, wherein a player scores a goal, records an assist, and gets in a fight all in one game. It is named after Gordie Howe, well known for his skill at both scoring and fighting....
(an unofficial statistic constituting a goal, an assist and a fight in one game). Unsure of whether the Bruins would keep him or return him to junior, he stayed in a downtown hotel in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to start the season. However, Lucic made enough of an impression during his first set of games with the Bruins, showing grit and consistent willingness to fight (he recorded 13 fighting majors in his rookie season), that they decided to keep him in the lineup. Bruins management informed the Giants prior to Lucic's 10th game, accounting for the NHL's nine-game maximum for junior-eligible players to stay with their NHL club without initiating their contract. He was chosen to participate in the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game
NHL YoungStars Game
The NHL YoungStars Game started in 2002, to replace the Heroes of Hockey Old-Timers game during the All-Star Weekend activities. The first four games were played as separate games to the actual All-Star Game, but starting in 2008, it was changed to become part of the NHL Super Skills Competition,...
and finished his rookie campaign with eight goals and 27 points. Towards the end of the season, he was voted by Bruins fans for the team's Seventh Player Award for exceeding expectations. Matched up against the first-seeded Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
in the opening round, Lucic scored his first NHL playoff
Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs is an elimination tournament in the National Hockey League consisting of four rounds of best-of-seven series. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualify for the playoffs based on regular season records...
goal in game three on April 13, 2008. He finished his first NHL post-season with two goals as the Bruins were eliminated by the Canadiens in seven games.
Early into the 2008–09 season
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
, Lucic recorded his first NHL hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
and added an assist in a 5–4 win against the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
on October 25, 2008. Later that week, Lucic made a much-publicized return to his hometown in a game against the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, which featured a picture of him as a baby on the back page of Vancouver's The Province
The Province
The Province is a daily, tabloid format newspaper published in British Columbia by Postmedia. It has been a daily newspaper since 1898.According to a recent NADbank survey, The Provinces average weekday readership was 520,100, making it British Columbia's most read newspaper...
newspaper. Earlier in the year, Lucic's 2007 Memorial Cup ring had been stolen from his home in East Vancouver
East Vancouver
East Vancouver is a region within the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Geographically, East Vancouver is bordered to the north by Burrard Inlet, to the south by the Fraser River, and to the east by the city of Burnaby...
on July 10, 2008. In a private ceremony before the game against the Canucks, he was presented a replacement ring by Vancouver Giants ownership.
Lucic was chosen to his second YoungStars Game in January 2009. However, he did not compete for the sophomores in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
due to an undisclosed upper-body injury. Near the end of the season, on April 4, 2009, Lucic was awarded the Bruins' Eddie Shore Award for hustle and determination. He finished his second NHL season improving to 17 goals and 42 points in 72 games, while playing predominantly on a line with the Bruins' top centre, Marc Savard
Marc Savard
Marc Savard is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently under contract to the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League , but who has not played since late in the season because of post-concussion syndrome...
.
Entering the 2009 playoffs
2009 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 15, 2009, after the 2008–09 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference , play a best-of-seven series for the conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and...
with the Bruins as the first seed in the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NHL)
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....
, Lucic received a one-game suspension after delivering a cross-check to the head of Montreal Canadiens forward Maxim Lapierre
Maxim Lapierre
Maxim Lapierre is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League . Drafted out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League , he was selected 61st overall in 2003 by the Montreal Canadiens...
in game two of the first round. While the Bruins argued that Lucic used predominantly his glove, rather than his stick, the league held its decision. After serving his suspension, Lucic and the Bruins went on to eliminate the Canadiens, advancing to the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
, who the Bruins lost to in seven games. Lucic added nine points in 10 games in the playoffs.
With the 2009–10 season
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
marking the final year of his original entry-level contract, it was announced on October 6, 2009 that Lucic had been signed to a three-year, US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
12.25 million contract extension with the Bruins, to go through to 2012–13. The deal is structured at US$4 million for the first two seasons and US$4.25 million in the third, a raise from his US$685,000 2009–10 base salary. Ten days later, on October 16, he suffered a broken finger requiring surgery in a game against the Dallas Stars while hitting defenceman Stéphane Robidas
Stephane Robidas
Stéphane Robidas is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
. Lucic returned to the Bruins lineup on November 19, but was injured again four games later, suffering a sprained ankle
Sprained ankle
A sprained ankle, also known as an ankle sprain, twisted ankle, rolled ankle, ankle injury or ankle ligament injury, is a common medical condition where one or more of the ligaments of the ankle is torn or partially torn.-Cause:...
in a game against the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
on November 25. His left leg had buckled from underneath him while reaching behind him to receive a pass from teammate Dennis Wideman
Dennis Wideman
Dennis Earl Wideman is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League...
. Missing an additional 18 games, Lucic was limited to 50 contests in his third NHL season. His play was perceived by head coach Claude Julien
Claude Julien (ice hockey)
Claude Julien is Canadian professional ice hockey head coach of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League . He previously served as the head coach for the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils...
to have suffered following the two injuries; he recorded nine goals and 20 points to finish the regular season. He added nine points in 13 playoff games as the Bruins were eliminated in the second round by the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. They became the third team in NHL history to lose a playoff series after having led three games to none. All five goals Lucic scored in the playoffs were recorded in the second round, including two in the deciding seventh game, which the Bruins lost 4–3.
In the second month of the 2010–11 season, Lucic recorded a natural hat trick on November 18, 2010, during a 4–0 win over the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
. Later in the campaign, he was fined $3,500 by the league for his actions during a game against the Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
on December 23. After Lucic was hit by opposing defenceman Freddy Meyer
Freddy Meyer
Frederick Meyer IV is an American professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Elitserien.- Playing career :Meyer was signed by the Philadelphia Flyers on May 21, 2003 to an entry level contract...
, teammate Andrew Ference
Andrew Ference
Andrew James Stewart Ference is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League...
engaged Meyer in a fight. In the ensuing scrum, Lucic punched Meyer as the two were being restrained by referees, resulting in a match penalty. Three days following the game, Lucic received a $2,500 fine for his punch and an additional $1,000 for an obscene gesture he had made to players on the Thrashers' bench immediately afterwards. In January 2011, he missed three games with a shoulder injury. Lucic completed the season with a career-high 30 goals, 32 assists and 62 points in 79 games. He led the Bruins in goal-scoring while tying for the points lead with centre David Krejci
David Krejcí
David Krejčí is a Czech professional ice hockey center currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
. Entering the 2011 playoffs
2011 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 13, 2011, after the conclusion of the 2010–11 NHL regular season. Game 1 of the Finals was held on June 1, while Game 7 was held on June 15...
as the third seed in the East, the Bruins eliminated the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
in the first three rounds, en route to the Stanley Cup Finals
2011 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2011 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League , and the culmination of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was the 118th year of the Stanley Cup's presentation. The Eastern Conference Champion Boston Bruins defeated the Western Conference Champion Vancouver...
against the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
. Although Lucic scored below his regular season pace during the post-season with 12 points (5 goals and 7 assists) in 25 games, he helped the Bruins to their first Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
since 1972, as the team defeated the Canucks in Game 7 of the Finals.
International play
In the off-season following Lucic's MVPStafford Smythe Memorial Trophy
The Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy is a Canadian Hockey League trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the annual Memorial Cup Tournament...
performance at the 2007 Memorial Cup
2007 Memorial Cup
The 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup was played in May 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Pacific Coliseum. The tournament was competed between the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers, the OHL champion Plymouth Whalers, the QMJHL champion Lewiston Maineiacs, and the host team and tournament...
, he was named team captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
of Team Canada
Canada national junior hockey team
The Canadian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Canada. The team represents Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January...
for the 2007 Super Series
2007 Super Series
The 2007 Super Series was an eight-game Under-20 ice hockey challenge between Russia and Canada. The series was won by Canada, who shocked the Russians with seven wins and one tie . Over the course of the eight games, Canada outscored Russia 39-13. The Series was held from August 27 to September 9...
against Russia. The series, an eight-game competition between Canada and Russia's under-20 teams, commemorated the 35th anniversary of the historic 1972 Summit Series. He recorded three assists as Team Canada won the series with seven wins and a tie.
Two years later, Lucic was invited to Team Canada's summer orientation camp in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
for the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the...
. He was not, however, chosen to the final roster.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2004–05 | Coquitlam Express Burnaby Express The Coquitlam Express are a Junior "A" ice hockey team based in Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Coastal Conference of the British Columbia Hockey League... |
BCHL British Columbia Hockey League The British Columbia Hockey League is a Junior "A" ice hockey league from British Columbia under Hockey Canada, a subsection of the Canadian Junior Hockey League. Founded in Vernon in 1961, the BCHL now includes 16 teams. These teams play in two conferences, known as the Coastal and the Interior... |
50 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 100 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Vancouver Giants Vancouver Giants The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2005–06 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 62 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 149 | 18 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 23 | ||
| 2006–07 | Vancouver Giants | WHL | 70 | 30 | 38 | 68 | 147 | 22 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 26 | ||
| 2007–08 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
77 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 89 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 72 | 17 | 25 | 42 | 136 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 43 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 50 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 44 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 19 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Boston Bruins | NHL | 79 | 30 | 32 | 62 | 121 | 25 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 63 | ||
| NHL totals | 278 | 64 | 87 | 151 | 390 | 55 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 129 | ||||
| WHL totals | 133 | 39 | 48 | 87 | 298 | 42 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 49 | ||||
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Canada Canada national junior hockey team The Canadian men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Canada. The team represents Canada at the International Ice Hockey Federation's World Junior Hockey Championship, held annually every December and January... |
SS 2007 Super Series The 2007 Super Series was an eight-game Under-20 ice hockey challenge between Russia and Canada. The series was won by Canada, who shocked the Russians with seven wins and one tie . Over the course of the eight games, Canada outscored Russia 39-13. The Series was held from August 27 to September 9... |
8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 16 | |
| Junior int'l totals | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 16 | |||
Major junior
| Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| President's Cup (Vancouver Giants Vancouver Giants The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history... ) |
2006 |
| Memorial Cup Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup is a junior ice hockey club championship trophy awarded annually to the Canadian Hockey League champion. It is awarded following a four-team, round robin tournament between a host team and the champions of the CHL's three member leagues: the Ontario Hockey League , Quebec Major... (Vancouver Giants Vancouver Giants The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history... ) |
2007 2007 Memorial Cup The 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup was played in May 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Pacific Coliseum. The tournament was competed between the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers, the OHL champion Plymouth Whalers, the QMJHL champion Lewiston Maineiacs, and the host team and tournament... |
| Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy The Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy is a Canadian Hockey League trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the annual Memorial Cup Tournament... |
2007 2007 Memorial Cup The 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup was played in May 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Pacific Coliseum. The tournament was competed between the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers, the OHL champion Plymouth Whalers, the QMJHL champion Lewiston Maineiacs, and the host team and tournament... |
| Memorial Cup All-Star Team | 2007 2007 Memorial Cup The 2007 MasterCard Memorial Cup was played in May 2007 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the Pacific Coliseum. The tournament was competed between the WHL champion Medicine Hat Tigers, the OHL champion Plymouth Whalers, the QMJHL champion Lewiston Maineiacs, and the host team and tournament... |
NHL
| Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| NHL YoungStars Game NHL YoungStars Game The NHL YoungStars Game started in 2002, to replace the Heroes of Hockey Old-Timers game during the All-Star Weekend activities. The first four games were played as separate games to the actual All-Star Game, but starting in 2008, it was changed to become part of the NHL Super Skills Competition,... |
2008, 2009* |
| Stanley Cup Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug... champion |
2011 |
*Did not play due to injury
Boston Bruins
| Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| Seventh Player Award | 2008 |
| Eddie Shore Award | 2009 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |