Quote:
Originally Posted by New Era
Trading for Lucic was getting a liability for a liability. We got the bigger liability as indicated by the included draft pick.
Taking Lucic has saddled the team with a brutal cap liability for years to come with no possible relief. NONE. What's worse, we are stuck with that play killing liability on the ice. The only way we get out from underneath that mess is if Lucic retires. We are stuck with that albatross until the contract is done, two more long painful seasons after this one. I would rather deal with a $1.9M hit to cap space over the extended period than the $5.25M hit while we're trying to leverage an opportunity window. It was another mistake and a third round pick doesn't make up for the loss of the position in the lineup.
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Lucic has been one of the only forwards to be showing up every game with compete level. Is he as fast these days, no, but he is also very savvy with the puck, makes huge hits, creates fear for the opposition when he is on the ice, is a very good locker room guy and brings experience and the right attitude. Every time there is a hot line, he seems to be on it. I get the cap hit isn't ideal but the intangibles Lucic brings to the team cannot be monetized.
He replaced Neal who was a cancer in the locker room, was such a liability on the ice that the team was better off if he wasn't on the ice and didn't produce at any level (scoring, hitting, locker room, compete) At the time Neal was signed, most thought it was a bit of an over payment but it was a big name signing and we finally had a top RW'er for Johnny and Mony. It just turned out that we also got Lindholm and talks were that Peter's wanted to try Lindholm on the top line as RW. So I don't know if that pissed off Neal or why he sucked and sulked so bad when he got his shot to play on that line or any line after that so bad - but getting Lucic in exchange for that dumpster fire was a blessing.