Former Edmonton Oilers Contemplating Retirement After Rough Seasons

As the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs get underway, it's undoubtedly strange not to see the Calgary Flames in the mix. The team appeared to be well-equipped for the playoffs, but after being eliminated by rival Edmonton Oilers in just five games last season, they made some significant changes.

Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, and Matthew Tkachuk were let go, while Jonathan Huberdeau, Mackenzie Weegar, and Nazem Kadri joined the team. Unfortunately, the new additions failed to mesh well, and many players, including Milan Lucic, struggled.

Lucic bore the brunt of the fans' and social media's criticisms, as many felt the 32-year-old was not worth his hefty contract. Lucic signed a seven-year, $42 million dollar contract as a free agent back in 2016, which expired this year.

Lucic's performance has been declining, with this year being the worst of his career, scoring just 19 points in 77 games this season. In his exit interviews today, Lucic admitted to contemplating retirement several times during his four years with the Flames, as he had lost his passion for the game.


However, he expressed gratitude to the Flames fans who helped him through the difficult times. "It wasn't fun... and it got to a point for me when it wasn't fun coming to the rink anymore and all that type of stuff," Lucic said. "It was tough at one point... but that's why I'm thankful and grateful to have the people around me that I've had here in Calgary."

Personally, I think Lucic could still be an asset to a playoff team, but at a much more reasonable contract. I doubt any general manager would offer him a massive contract at this stage of his career.