Boston Bruins hoping Milan Lucic will rebound in 2010-11
After a breakthrough 2008-09 season, Milan Lucic had a disappointing year in 2009-10 and both Lucic and the Boston Bruins are hoping he can return to form. In Lucic’s defense however,
his season was limited to only 50 games as a result of an early season finger injury and a mid-season ankle injury. Lucic also had the added pressure of signing a new three-year contract extension worth US$4.083 million per season to start off his year.
"I feel like I have the ability to help contribute to this team a little bit more," Lucic said on Tuesday after practice at TD Garden. "I still, in my three years, haven't been able to
hit the 20-goal mark and I feel like that's a realistic goal for me this year and that's a personal goal that I should be able to meet. In saying that, I shouldn't just be thinking that way. If I just start thinking goal, goal, goal and just getting points,
that's when my play kind of starts to suffer.
Lucic finished-off the 2009-10 campaign with only nine goals and 20 points. In his second year in the league in 2008-09 Lucic finished the year with 17 goals and 42 points and was a dominating
physical force, helping the Bruins finish first in the National Hockey League’s Eastern Conference standings. There was also talk that Lucic had a good shot at representing Canada at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver before the slip in his play. Lucic is now
entering his fourth season and believes a return to the basics and playing physical will help him get back on track.
"I think if I'm just moving my feet and playing physical, everything else tends to fall into place. I think after playing now, going into my fourth year, what I want to do is try to be
the best player on the ice on a more consistent level. I think that's a challenge for myself and that's what I'm looking forward to doing this year."
Despite a drop in production, Lucic did play well in spurts especially when healthy. Lucic had a solid playoffs where he scored five goals and added four assists in 13 games and almost
helped Boston advance to third round of the playoffs before being eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in seven games.
Heading into training camp, Lucic admitted that he is feeling much better now after injuries limited what he could do on the ice last year.
"I don't have to tape it anymore, which is a good sign," he said of his ankle. "I'm not going to lie. I did not like taping it one bit. That was probably the hardest thing to adjust to
when I first came back, was the tape. And you're going to have the restricted movement because you're locked into that one position. So, like I said, at the end of last year, I felt like I was playing real well in the Philadelphia series and I was skating
real well. In that series, I was moving my feet and I was skating real well and I think that's why I was able to produce offensively."
Bruins coach Claude Julien is also looking for a turnaround in Lucic’s play and is optimistic that his power forward can do the job. He also admitted that the injuries slowed Lucic down
last season.
"I think it definitely slowed him down. I think anyone who has been injured twice, with not minor but major injuries, certainly it takes its toll," said Julien. "So it was a tough year
for him. We acknowledge that. At the same time, it's kind of an opportunity to redeem himself and bounce back with a good year here. Getting off to a good start is important. I think he trained hard this summer to get into shape, and if he's scoring goals,
that's a good sign."
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