The St. Louis Blues confirmed Tuesday that former Edmonton Oilers veteran forward Milan Lucic will attend training camp on a professional tryout agreement (PTO).
We've signed Milan Lucic to a professional tryout. #stlblues
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) August 19, 2025
DETAILS ➡️ https://t.co/fsCekt9xnjhttps://t.co/fsCekt9xnj
Following a stint in the NHL Players' Assistance Program and rumors back in August of 2024 that he was looking to make a return, his attempt at a comeback is happening. Lucic has since completed the program and been reinstated by the NHL.
For Oilers fans, the news brings back memories of a high-profile free agency signing that was supposed to be the first big thing to go with Connor McDavid, but never lived up to expectations.
Signed to a massive ticket at $42 million, the Oilers went all in on Lucic, thinking he would be the team's big power forward success story. For a while, he was effective, scoring 23 goals and 50 points in his first season with the team in 2016-17.
Things went downhill not long after.
Related: McDavid v. the Decade of Darkness: Part 1: My Introduction to the Oilers
He played two additional seasons with the team before being traded to the Calgary Flames for James Neal. The Oilers moved the contract but took on salary retention, a conditional pick, and eventually bought out James Neal — leaving the Oilers still paying for players no longer on the roster.
Lucic, 37, has played 17 NHL seasons in the NHL. His most recent run was a second go-round with the Boston Bruins, but he also spent time in Los Angeles, Edmonton, and Calgary. He won a Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011, likely one of the big reasons the Oilers spent so much to acquire him a few seasons later.
At one point, Lucic was viewed as a game-changer. The idea was he could score, hit, and put fear into his opponents, all while protecting Connor McDavid. This was the duo that was supposed to lead Edmonton into the playoffs and help the team turn the corner. McDavid had called him a dream teammate prior to his arrival.
Instead, Lucic’s stint in Edmonton became a cautionary tale.
His production plummeted, he slowed down to the point he struggled to keep pace, and his physical impact faded as the game changed. By the end, he was a $6 million forward who was vastly overpaid and viewed as nearly untradable.
The Oilers did eventually find a taker in Calgary, where he never scored more than 10 goals in a single season.
His best days are clearly behind him and making a NHL roster could be a long shot. However, the Blues are going to give him a look.
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