Josh Burgerty here in downtown Springfield at the Mass Mutual Center, home of the Springfield Thunderbirds. Why are we here? Milan Lucic, 17 year NHL veteran trying to resurrect his career. He has been through *** lot certainly over these past couple of years, and he spoke candidly about that. He was on the ice today with his teammates trying to make his debut on Friday night. He’s on *** PTO player tryout, hoping to get to the St. Louis Blues and play for Jim Montgomery there. But before he gets back there, he did speak about all that he’s been going through. To be honest, it’s, it helped me *** lot, uh, get to this point and I, and I’m grateful and thankful for. The whole program and you know it’s helped me, I guess, you know, build myself back up to to get to this point and you know, not only them, but you know, just even my, my family, uh, you know, especially my, my wife and kids as well, just their support and belief in me is uh helped me get to this point, but. And you can watch that story on WCVB tonight. Thanks for watching.
Former Boston Bruins star Milan Lucic opens up about his path back to pro hockey in Mass.
Updated: 2:31 PM EST Nov 5, 2025
Milan Lucic, a former Boston Bruins star and member of the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team, opened up about his path back to professional hockey with revealing conversations on Wednesday. Lucic, 37, signed a professional tryout contract this week with the Springfield Thunderbirds. He hopes to one day return to the NHL with the St. Louis Blues and Coach Jim Montgomery.He was introduced to reporters by the team on Wednesday and spoke candidly about how the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program helped him and his family.The Player Assistance Program helps players through mental health and substance abuse issues.”To be honest, it’s helped me a lot, to get to this point, and I’m grateful and thankful for the whole program,” he said. “It’s helped me, I guess, you know, build myself back up to, to get to this point.”Lucic also thanked his wife and children for their support.”Their support and belief in me helped me get to this point,” he said. Prosecutors dropped a domestic assault case against the veteran NHL forward in 2024, after revealing that an alleged victim declined to testify, and a judge ruled that a 911 call was inadmissible. Lucic last played for the Bruins in October 2023. Lucic, a native of Vancouver, played for the Bruins from 2007 to 2015 and again from 2023 to 2024. In between, he played for the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. He totaled 1,177 NHL games in his career.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. —
Milan Lucic, a former Boston Bruins star and member of the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team, opened up about his path back to professional hockey with revealing conversations on Wednesday.
Lucic, 37, signed a professional tryout contract this week with the Springfield Thunderbirds. He hopes to one day return to the NHL with the St. Louis Blues and Coach Jim Montgomery.
He was introduced to reporters by the team on Wednesday and spoke candidly about how the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program helped him and his family.
The Player Assistance Program helps players through mental health and substance abuse issues.
“To be honest, it’s helped me a lot, to get to this point, and I’m grateful and thankful for the whole program,” he said. “It’s helped me, I guess, you know, build myself back up to, to get to this point.”
Lucic also thanked his wife and children for their support.
“Their support and belief in me helped me get to this point,” he said.
Prosecutors dropped a domestic assault case against the veteran NHL forward in 2024, after revealing that an alleged victim declined to testify, and a judge ruled that a 911 call was inadmissible. Lucic last played for the Bruins in October 2023.
Lucic, a native of Vancouver, played for the Bruins from 2007 to 2015 and again from 2023 to 2024. In between, he played for the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. He totaled 1,177 NHL games in his career.