During a recent episode of the Leafs Morning Take podcast hosted by Jay Rosehill and Nick Alberga, NHL enforcer and soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Milan Lucic admitted that suiting up for an Original Six franchise might be too good an opportunity to pass up. Not sure what options will be available to him this offseason, the Vancouver Canucks have been linked to Lucic, and there might be a couple of teams looking for a physical presence that can add to their team’s overall toughness.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a team that has tried to add physicality in the past. While it hasn’t always led to wins or paid off in terms of how the plan was laid out on paper, with new GM Brad Treliving at the helm, the former Calgary Flames boss might see Lucic as an appealing option. Lucic is, by most accounts, the most iconic enforcer currently playing in the league. In theory, he’s the type of player that would give stars like Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander a bit more swagger and room to move around.
Lucic Seems to Like the Idea of Being a Maple Leaf
When asked about Toronto as a possible landing spot, he noted, “You can never rule anything out, obviously it’s an original six franchise, a storied franchise.” He added, “I’ve had my fair share of rivalries with the team and now with Brad Treliving coming in, there’s some familiarity there, with him being the GM. I became really good friends with Mark Giordano being teammates with him in Calgary, and he’s told me how much he’s enjoyed it and how much he’s loved being in Toronto and being a Maple Leaf.”
As for what he’d be willing to sign for and if his ask would meet the limits likely placed on Toronto in terms of their salary cap, that’s a tough question to answer. It might take knowing what the market would offer a player of Lucic’s skill set, age, and diminishing production. And, after coming off a contract that valued him at a $6 million cap hit, he would clearly have to take a sizeable pay cut. How much of one remains to be seen.
Maybe the Maple Leafs Mean More to Him Than the Money
Having already made millions of dollars over the course of his NHL career, perhaps his next decision won’t be a financial one. He’s been on record saying he wants to go somewhere that is fun, and that his recent experience at the World Championships reminded him of what’s important. Familiarity and the right market might mean more than a big payday.
Lucic also noted during the podcast:
“I’m still good friends with Jake Muzzin and he had shared the same feelings and how great it is playing in Toronto and how great it is being a part of that organization. Me, having experience being on an original six team, there really is nothing like it. When you’re on an original six team, it means something a little bit different and you know what, if there is an opportunity, I would deinitely listen to it. Like I said, you never want to rule anything out and I’m sure I’ll be getting a few calls and talking to a few teams moving forward from here in the next couple of weeks.”
The number of calls is a question worth asking. Lucic may be the most iconic enforcer in the NHL, but names like Ryan Reaves and Tom Wilson would make a lot more sense when mentioning players that could contribute, especially Wilson who could play in Toronto’s top six.
Is This the Right Move for the Maple Leafs?
Lucic hasn’t scored more than 10 goals in a single season since the 2017-18 campaign with the Oilers. He had seven goals and 19 points in 77 games last season with the Flames. He brings value, but not necessarily on the offensive side of things, and certainly not at the top of the lineup where he would be most effective as a deterrent. So too, there’s been a knock at times about his motivation to stir the pot and be the aggressor. Frequently, it takes a big incident to fire him up, and not one where he initiates.
What the Leafs need is a disturber who can take other players off of their game. There are certainly going to be questions about how well he can keep up, how often he’d play, and if he can bring that physicality on a nightly basis. Lucic in Toronto would make a splash, and he might want it to be an option this summer. That said, it might not be the right fit.
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