"Less is more": Flames' Lucic reflects on string of healthy scratches
Milan Lucic is going back in.
Lucic, the fourth-line fan-favourite who has sat as a healthy scratch the past three games, is drawing back into the Calgary Flames lineup on Friday with an upbeat attitude and new perspective on how to both help the team and help put his best skate forward.
“I’ve just got to do what I do to help the team win, and for me, I think it’s a bigger thing of being a positive influence and a leader in the locker room and getting guys prepared to play the right way and enforcing what we need to do,” a goal-less Lucic told media Friday morning.
“And then for myself, personally, just going out there and just playing loose and playing the way I can. Sometimes when you’re in a rut or whatever, when you try too hard it works against you. It’s one of those things, it’s not about doing more — it’s about less is more, in the sense, and simplifying things.
“That’s when I’m at my best and that’s what I need to do tonight and moving forward.”
“Just focus on what I need to get back to doing in order to most importantly, help the team win.”
Milan Lucic on getting back into the lineup for tonight’s game vs. the Blues. pic.twitter.com/114K7YFhTn
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) December 16, 2022
It hasn’t necessarily been that way so far for Lucic, a veteran of over 1,100 twirls with the Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, and Boston Bruins.
With no goals, five assists, and a team-worst -7 rating, it’s been tough sledding for the power winger who’s averaged 10:21 of ice. He remains the only forward on the active roster with more than a half-dozen suit-ups yet to dent the twine.
Lucic has, at times, responded as such, sporting a fierce growl and scowl, and snapping a twig or two along the way.
Both the results and approach have led him out of the lineup and into the press box.
Probably not the easiest of conversations between the veteran player and veteran coach Darryl Sutter.
But likely a necessary one.
“Coaches make decisions on what they feel is going to give the team the best chance to win,” Lucic said, bluntly. “When you’re not helping the team win it’s just… you know eventually, a change is going to come.
“The past times that I’ve been scratched, when I came back in I made sure that it never happened again. I got scratched once in my rookie year and then again in 2013 in a similar situation where things weren’t going well for me and I was frustrated and slamming doors and breaking sticks and things weren’t going well for me offensively and all that type of stuff.
“Just trying to take the positives out of it. It’s easy to get down and feel sorry for yourself and say ‘F this’ or ‘F that’ or any of that type of stuff, but I just wanted to take the positives out of it and reflect on things, and just kind of focus on what I needed to get back to doing, to most, importantly helping the team win.”
Milan Lucic looks miserable after this win. pic.twitter.com/xg3hg3FJT7
— Robert Munnich (@RingOfFireCGY) December 8, 2022
The Flames have struggled of late in that last regard, having dropped four straight contests including three beyond regulation.
Calgary is on the outside looking into the playoff picture, sitting fifth in the Pacific Division and locked into a technical tie with the Colorado Avalanche, who have played fewer games, for the second wild card into postseason play from the Western Conference.
A keen observer from up top, Lucic might’ve spotted the recipe for turning things the right way from 80 feet above.
Now back in the lineup, he suggested it’s on him to implement.
“I think one of the things… when you have a good start and play with the lead it energizes the group and energizes individuals and all that type of stuff,” Lucic said. “I think it’s about believing in each other and believing in yourself and just finding that belief again on a night-to-night basis so that when the puck drops you’re ready to go.
“That’s one of my jobs, and one of my most important jobs is getting the team ready as a leader so that we are ready at puck drop. That’s one of the things we need to do.”