The Springfield Thunderbirds have signed veteran forward Milan Lucic to a professional tryout contract. The 37-year-old NHL veteran, who attended the St. Louis Blues' training camp earlier this year, will make his AHL debut with the Blues' affiliate. Lucic brings a wealth of experience, including a 2011 Stanley Cup championship.
The Springfield Thunderbirds announced on Tuesday that they have signed forward Milan Lucic to a professional tryout deal. This marks Lucic's first stint in the American Hockey League after a 17-season NHL career spanning 1,177 regular-season games with the Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, and Calgary Flames.
Lucic, a native of Vancouver, British Columbia, originally joined the St. Louis Blues—Springfield's parent club—on a professional tryout prior to the 2025 training camp. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound forward appeared in four preseason games, recording one goal and one assist before a lower-body injury sidelined him. He was selected by Boston in the second round of the 2006 NHL Draft and won the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011. Over his NHL tenure, Lucic tallied 233 goals, 353 assists, and 586 points, along with 1,301 penalty minutes. In the playoffs, he contributed 29 goals and 48 assists in 136 games. A five-time 20-goal scorer, Lucic returned briefly to the Bruins for four games in the 2023-24 season before entering the NHL/NHLPA Assistance Program, which caused him to miss the 2024-25 season. He has since completed the program.
The move comes as the Thunderbirds navigate a challenging start to their season with a 1-6-1-1 record, placing them second-worst in the AHL and last in the Atlantic Division. They recently endured a 0-4-1-1 losing streak, including a 2-1 shootout loss to the Bridgeport Islanders. Springfield's next game is Friday against the Islanders at MassMutual Center, followed by a rematch in Bridgeport on Saturday. The team faces a demanding November schedule with 12 games in 29 nights.
In related roster news, the Blues acquired defenseman Calle Rosén from the Washington Capitals on Monday in exchange for defenseman Corey Schueneman. Rosén, 31, had 1-6-7 points in nine games with the Hershey Bears and is expected to bolster Springfield's defense.