Milan Lucic shared some critiques of the Calgary Flames organization in a recent interview. Despite enjoying his time with the team, he ultimately left to sign with the Boston Bruins. Lucic suggested that it may be challenging to attract and retain players in Calgary.
Milan Lucic speaks highly of his time with the Calgary Flames, but understands why some former teammates have chosen to leave.
In an interview on The Eric Francis Show featured on Sportsnet, the 35-year-old forward reflected on how his four years with the Flames reignited his love for hockey and how he and his family embraced the city and its fans. Lucic also praised his former teammates, calling them some of the best in his career.
However, the Flames have faced criticism for the departure of key players and the potential loss of more. During the interview, Lucic was asked why recruiting and retaining players in Calgary can be challenging.
Milan Lucic gives thoughts on why Flames players won't stay in Calgary
"I enjoyed it and embraced it and think it's a great place to play and live, and when the chinook winds come through in the winter, it makes it real nice. When teams come in, it's usually cold. Even though we all love the' Dome, it's old. That's the main thing. It's a smaller city. There's not much going on other than the Flames. It's not like on a day off you can go to an NBA or MLB game. The travel – it is tough travel. Again, just trying to give you an honest answer about what guys are thinking about."
He also shared his thoughts on former coach Darryl Sutter's coaching approach. When asked about being a healthy scratch late last season, Lucic expressed his initial frustration but acknowledged that it's part of the game and something he will handle better in the future.
Despite some communication issues under Sutter, Lucic praised him as the best and smartest coach he's ever played for.
"I'm a huge Darryl Sutter fan. Honestly, out of all the coaches I've played for, I think he's the best and smartest coach I've played for. The way he breaks the game down and way he brings the game forward, I've never seen anyone do it the way he does. With the communication part, it's very interesting. He's very old school in a lot of ways, very set in his ways. I've only had great experiences with him."
Lucic acknowledged the frustration felt by the Flames for not living up to expectations by missing the playoffs and described the dressing room as "heavy" due to the challenges faced by the team.
Over four seasons playing for the Flames, Lucic scored 35 goals and had 48 assists in 283 games. On April 13, 2021, he marked his 1,000th NHL game while playing for the Flames.
In his entire career, which spans playing for Boston, Los Angeles, Edmonton, and Calgary, Lucic has scored 233 goals and had 584 points in 1,173 games. He has also played in 136 playoff games, where he scored 29 goals and had 48 assists. This past spring, Lucic played in the men's world championship for the first time and won a gold medal with Canada.