Lucic puts his faith in positive thinking
Oilers tough guy says last year’s troubles were all in his head — and he’s ready to rebound
Milan Lucic contends he needed a mindset reset.
The powerhouse winger from East Vancouver was one of the players who took heat for the struggles of the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers, who came into last season with aspirations of a long playoff run but ended up struggling early and missing the post-season.
Lucic finished with 10 goals, his lowest full-season total since he potted eight in his rookie campaign with the Boston Bruins in 2007-08, and 13 fewer than he had in his first year with Edmonton in 2016-17.
There were reports earlier this summer that the Oilers were looking to trade the former Vancouver Giants star and his US$6-million cap hit, which is on the books until the end of the 2022-23 season thanks to the unrestricted free-agent deal Lucic signed two summers ago with Edmonton.
And there were suggestions that the game has become too quick for the 30-year-old — that he’s no longer able to keep up.
Lucic balks at that notion. He says his skating wasn’t part of the problem with last season. He says he needed to get his head right, and he believes he’s done that now.
“It’s the mindset part. It’s having fun and believing in yourself and believing that you can be that guy, that’s where I’m at right now,” said Lucic, who attended the Giants’ season-opening golf tournament on Wednesday at Tsawwassen Springs.
“It’s being healthy mentally and being there mentally.
“Last year, a lot of it had to do with how the team started (the Oilers began the year 3-7-1 and were 18-23-3 by early January) and ... I was my own worst enemy with my mindset and where my head was at.
“Last year sucked. It’s the first time I’ve experienced anything like that, season-wise. But, also, I look at it and think that it’s fortunate that it took me 11 years to experience a season like that. So that’s a good thing.
“I say to myself, ‘You never want to experience anything like that again.’ ”
Asked how he handled the negative attention surrounding him last season, Lucic said: “I tried not to listen to anything, I tried not to read into anything. I tried to surround myself with positive people.”
Lucic recently rejoined the training group led by Ian Gallagher, the former strength and conditioning coach of the Giants. Other members of that summer workout program include Montreal Canadiens winger Brendan Gallagher, who is Ian’s son and also an ex-Giant.
Vancouver Canucks defenceman Troy Stecher also trains with them.
There have been various theories floated that Lucic needs to trim down to keep up with the new-style game.
He isn’t keen on the concept, though. He says that he’s been the same weight since he was 22, and continues to measure in at 6-foot-3 and 236 pounds.
“It’s such a misconception. Lighter doesn’t mean faster,” said Lucic.
“My body fat has always been about 8.5 per cent. For me to lose weight, I’m losing muscle. You lose muscle, you lose power. You lose power, you lose speed, and you lose the ability to win puck battles and to get in on the forecheck and hit hard.
“I feel good. I felt great last year. Being in shape was not an issue for me last year.
“If you talk to Peter (Chiarelli, the Oilers’ general manager), he said in his year-end press conference that skating wasn’t an issue for me last year and it wasn’t. It was just things didn’t go well.”