Milan Lucic's career as a Calgary Flame may be coming to an end
The Calgary Flames are searching for answers. The Flames currently sit in the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff picture. In August hockey fans and analysts had anointed Brad Treliving a finalist for General Manager of the Year, even before a single game was played.
Unfortunately for the Flames, they haven't found the success they'd hoped to find. Now that lack of success has started to result in changes to the roster construction. According to Elliotte Friedman, part of that includes potentially moving on from Milan Lucic.
The Flames are now looking at ways to try out younger players in their lineup and have in turn decided to healthy scratch Milan Lucic.
I think they want to see what Zohorna and Phillips can do, whether Sutter is happy with it or not, but the one thing I had heard was they... made a commitment that... if they were going to try Phillips, they wanted to try him in a position where he might be able to score.
...the thing about Lucic is... he is a proud guy... Erik Karlsson said last week his career is not over... that is what I've heard about Lucic...
The reason Lucic was scratched was to see how the youngsters are progressing, and Matthew Phillips was called up recently. Phillips, who in the AHL has 30 points in 20 games absolutely deserves a look, and Lucic has been the odd-man out rightfully.
Phillips won't be the only one getting a look, as they hope to find a spot on the 4th line for Radim Zohorna as well.
Lucic has fulfilled the tough, character guy on the ice up until this past season, where he's done less intimidating on ice, rather in favor of not being an offensive compliment or defensive compliment.
With Lucic wanting to continue his career, you have to wonder if he could find himself moved similar to Ryan Reaves. If nothing else it's difficult to see Lucic returning to Calgary for another season.
