Player Discussion Milan Lucic V.2.0

[Raoul Duke]

This I agree with.

My argument in this thread every player in the league goes through a cold stretch.

True, but to my eye old Looch has been pretty bad in the majority of the game’s he’s played as an Oiler. He seems pretty consistent to me. He collects points because he’s always played with quality teammates. Once in a while he puts together an effective game but it’s rare.

Last night was exceptional. Many players would be in the press box or the minors after a game that bad.

When some of us were critical of Lucic’s play we were told about the intimidation and leadership he brings.
Where is it?
Bad efforts and stupid penalties.
Does this team seem like it has any veteran leadership?

With the season hanging by a thread, and coming off a three game winning streak, he plays the worst game I’ve seen anyone play in ages.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

as good as Lucic was until Christmas, he's been brutal since then

as a supposed "leader" in the lockeroom he needs to be a lot better

 

[GMofOilers]

I cant argue he has to be better, im arguing a lot of players have to be better.

Its a long list that includes every single player on this team to be honest.

 

[Raoul Duke]

You cant compare cause it goes against your argument?

Like Lucic played with RNH all of last year, and outscored him by alot.

I guess, if you ignore the time Lucic spent on McDavid’s line and the McDavid power play.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I cant argue he has to be better, im arguing a lot of players have to be better.

Its a long list that includes every single player on this team to be honest.

Absolutely!!

The thread is about Lucic though.

 

[GMofOilers]

Absolutely!!

The thread is about Lucic though.

Yup

Just like every thread on this board though, its what have you done for me lately.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Yup

Just like every thread on this board though, its what have you done for me lately.

I legitimately don’t understand this sentiment.
People bash negative posts a lot with the “this board” stuff.

Are only positive posts the expectation?
In a season like this, after a game like last night’s, should people be discouraged from calling out what they’ve witnessed?

Nobody’s forced to read it.
Everyone here wants the Oilers to win. People have different views on what helps and what hurts. This is exactly the right place to give voice to those opinions.
With the team drowning it’s hardly surprising there would be more negative than positive. It’s reflective of the reality on the ice.

 

[Arpeggio]

Lucic started the year really strong and to me it looked like he was going to be worth his contract this year.

The last month or so has been the worst hockey he's played since coming to the Oilers. I don't remember a single notable offensive play from him in a while. Did he even shoot the puck last night?

Between him and Maroon, it's not even close right now who deserves to be here. But we all know which one will be back next season and which won't. This is the first time since the deal that I wish they could take back the Hall trade, it's finally gotten to me.

 

[McShogun99]

If it was up to me I’d keep Maroon and trade Lucic. Maroon is a better fit on this team and the last few years of Lucic’s contract will hurt us. We’d also get a better trade return from Lucic. This team is to slow on the wings and we can’t have 2 slow players as our top 6 LWs.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Lucic started the year really strong and to me it looked like he was going to be worth his contract this year.

The last month or so has been the worst hockey he's played since coming to the Oilers. I don't remember a single notable offensive play from him in a while. Did he even shoot the puck last night?

Between him and Maroon, it's not even close right now who deserves to be here. But we all know which one will be back next season and which won't. This is the first time since the deal that I wish they could take back the Hall trade, it's finally gotten to me.

I hate to consider this but is Looch actually sulking since being removed again from the McD line and Maroon put back up there? I wouldn't want to think that's any reason but Looch has gotten even worse since. Amazingly even in the game before where Drai and Pulju got 3 pts Looch had a bad game.

 

[Arpeggio]

What's worse is it isn't like Lucic is going to snap out of this when the team is already completely out of it. There's no chance a guy like him is going to buy in for "finishing out the season strong". The vets on this team have given up, it's the same thing that happened every year pre-McDavid.

 

[Arpeggio]

If it was up to me I’d keep Maroon and trade Lucic. Maroon is a better fit on this team and the last few years of Lucic’s contract will hurt us. We’d also get a better trade return from Lucic. This team is to slow on the wings and we can’t have 2 slow players as our top 6 LWs.

No one is touching that contract. Not a single team. Maybe if they retain, but I wonder how much they would have to retain to make it palatable.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

No one is touching that contract. Not a single team. Maybe if they retain, but I wonder how much they would have to retain to make it palatable.

Likely enough to the point where it wouldn't be worth it. And I don't think Chia is trading his prized acquisition...

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

every one on the team magically forgets how to hockey, but somehow McLellan still has a job?

from the outside its brutally obvious what the anchor dragging the team down is, and it stands behind the bench

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

every one on the team magically forgets how to hockey, but somehow McLellan still has a job?

from the outside its brutally obvious what the anchor dragging the team down is, and it stands behind the bench

Actually it's in the rafters but you're not incorrect.

 

[Gone]

I think the only way to get rid of Lucic is to bite the bullet and buy him out. I suspect our next GM will give this serious consideration "IF" the cap space is required.

SEASON	SALARY	INITIAL CAP HIT	ACTUAL COST	SAVINGS	BUYOUT CAP HIT
2018-19	$3,500,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$2,766,667	$3,233,333
2019-20	$3,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$2,266,667	$3,733,333
2020-21	$1,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$266,667	$5,733,333
2021-22	$2,500,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$1,766,667	$4,233,333
2022-23	$1,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$266,667	$5,733,333
2023-24	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2024-25	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2025-26	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2026-27	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2027-28	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Gargyn]

every one on the team magically forgets how to hockey, but somehow McLellan still has a job?

from the outside its brutally obvious what the anchor dragging the team down is, and it stands behind the bench

What's he to do with that lineup? He has one of the best players in the entire world in McDavid but after that it sucks. Draisaitl is very very overpaid. Good player for sure but nowhere close to a guy you build a team around. The forwards...Lucic sucks,Maroon is slow as f***, Caggiula? Slepyshev? Khaira? Strome? Kassian? Pakarinen? Letestu? Not one guy in that group is even close to a 2nd line talent. It's a group of 4th line talented guys. And then you get to the defence which somehow might be worse. What did anyone expect? This is one of the worst skilled lineups I've ever seen in my 42 year old life. You take away Hall and Eberle and replace them with grit guys, what do you expect? You think a new coach is going to get anything more out of that garbage lineup? Chiarelli is the guy that needs to go, he created this mess.

 

[oobga]

I think the only way to get rid of Lucic is to bite the bullet and buy him out. I suspect our next GM will give this serious consideration "IF" the cap space is required.

SEASON	SALARY	INITIAL CAP HIT	ACTUAL COST	SAVINGS	BUYOUT CAP HIT
2018-19	$3,500,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$2,766,667	$3,233,333
2019-20	$3,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$2,266,667	$3,733,333
2020-21	$1,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$266,667	$5,733,333
2021-22	$2,500,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$1,766,667	$4,233,333
2022-23	$1,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$266,667	$5,733,333
2023-24	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2024-25	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2025-26	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2026-27	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2027-28	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Man is that ugly. 5.733M cap hit for nothing 2 of those years. I'm sorry, but this team needs to start making Lucic want to get out. Start playing him 5 mins a night on the 4th line and no PP time.

Maybe me emotions are getting the best of me with Lucic to be honest. I really blame Woodcroft and McLellan. Every time he single handedly kills the first minute of a PP (happened last 2 games on our 1st PP in each), my rage bar maxes out. But really, coaches are complete idiots for putting him out there over and over still.

 

[MikeGrier99]

A guy like Lucic leads by example. He could spark other players when he was a wrecking ball in his prime, but it's tough to get a whole bunch of other guys going when he can't get himself going at this stage of his career.

 

[Little Fury]

I think the only way to get rid of Lucic is to bite the bullet and buy him out. I suspect our next GM will give this serious consideration "IF" the cap space is required.

I don't see the point in buying him out when you don't really save any money in the last three years of the deal AND you still carry dead space for another five after that.

There's three ways we get out from Lucic's anchor of a deal: LTIR, hoping the buyout rules change in the next CBA and there's hoping Chia gets another GM job somewhere and wants his blankie back.

 

[DingerMcSlapshot]

Lucic in another year or two is going the way Lupal and Hossa disappeared. Age, health issues and a lack of ability to play effective. Hossa still had a little left. Combine that with an insane contract spells the end. Lucic just moved to the 4th line....sharing a spot with JJ. I really believe health issues will be cited when Lucic is done soon. Lucic does care and tries....most nights. He's just not very good no more. Lucic's contract is the Oiler's worst, although they have many bad ones.

 

[McShogun99]

I think the only way to get rid of Lucic is to bite the bullet and buy him out. I suspect our next GM will give this serious consideration "IF" the cap space is required.

SEASON	SALARY	INITIAL CAP HIT	ACTUAL COST	SAVINGS	BUYOUT CAP HIT
2018-19	$3,500,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$2,766,667	$3,233,333
2019-20	$3,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$2,266,667	$3,733,333
2020-21	$1,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$266,667	$5,733,333
2021-22	$2,500,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$1,766,667	$4,233,333
2022-23	$1,000,000	$6,000,000	$733,333	$266,667	$5,733,333
2023-24	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2024-25	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2025-26	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2026-27	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333
2027-28	$0	$0	$733,333	-$733,333	$733,333

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

I think we'll buy him out during the next CBA. I think teams will be looking at a way to get out of contracts without a penalty.

 

[Little Fury]

I think we'll buy him out during the next CBA. I think teams will be looking at a way to get out of contracts without a penalty.

I've never wished for a lockout as much as I do right now.

 

[Hockey Nightmare]

I recall Lucic's agent or somebody crowing about how 'buyout proof' his contract was just after it was signed. I also recall an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of my stomach.

 

[Raab]

I think we'll buy him out during the next CBA. I think teams will be looking at a way to get out of contracts without a penalty.

We're not buying out Lucic, at worse were retaining 1-2M on the contract to move him. But a 51 point winger who is also the toughest winger in the league is still worth 4-5M in free agency. So we'd be getting a half decent return.