Milan Lucic’s return to professional hockey appears to be on hold with the St. Louis Blues terminating the veteran forward’s professional tryout offer, the team announced Tuesday.
Lucic, who hasn’t played in the NHL for more than a year, initially signed a PTO with the Blues prior to the start of training camp. The 37-year-old had a goal and assist in four preseason games before missing time with a lower-body injury.
He would return to the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, where he had an assist in five games. Lucic failed to record a shot in four of the five games he played with the Thunderbirds. His most recent game was Nov. 21 in the Thunderbirds’ 2-1 win over the Utica Comets.
The hulking power forward played his first eight seasons with the Bruins and was part of the 2011 Stanley Cup team that gave the franchise its first title since 1972.
Lucic would have three seasons of more than 20 goals before he left the Bruins after the 2014-15 season. He spent a season with the Los Angeles Kings before spending the next three years with the Edmonton Oilers that was followed by a four-season stint with the Calgary Flames.
He signed a one-year contract worth $1 million to return to the Bruins ahead of the 2023-24 season. Lucic recorded two points in four games before taking a puck to the ankle that led to him being placed on long-term injured reserve.
He remained out of the lineup and was later arrested on suspicion of assault and battery on a family member. The Bruins placed Lucic on indefinite leave for the remainder of the season.
The Blues (7-10-6) have had one of the more challenging starts of any team to the first quarter of the season after reaching the playoffs last year. Entering Tuesday, they’re seven points behind the Utah Mammoth and the Vegas Golden Knights for the final Western Conference wild-card spot while sitting four points clear of the Nashville Predators for the fewest in the NHL.
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