Report: Calgary Flames give pending UFA Milan Lucic permission to speak with other teams

Credit: Brett Holmes-USA TODAY Sports

The Calgary Flames have given pending UFA winger Milan Lucic permission to speak with other teams in advance of the free agent market opening on July 1, Vancouver hockey insider Rick Dhaliwal reported Tuesday.

Dhaliwal added that the Vancouver Canucks are believed to be among the teams that have internally discussed the prospect of signing Lucic as an unrestricted free agent.

Lucic, 35, collected seven goals and 19 points in 77 games with the Flames during the 2022–23 regular season. He added two goals and four points while wearing an “A” to help Team Canada win gold at the 2023 IIHF World Championship in Finland and Latvia.

Sources indicate the Flames have given UFA Milan Lucic's agent Gerry Johansson permission to talk with a few teams, Lucic will be hitting the free agent market on July 1st.

— Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) June 20, 2023

The Flames acquired Lucic and a conditional third-round pick from the Edmonton Oilers in 2019 in exchange for forward James Neal. The physical winger spent four seasons in Calgary, racking up 35 goals and 83 points in 283 regular-season games and seven points (one goal, six assists) in seven playoff contests.

Lucic commanded $6 million per season over the duration of the seven-year deal he signed with the Oilers back in 2016. After the trade to Calgary, the Oilers remained on the hook for $750,000 annually while the Flames paid the remaining $5.25 million.

Now set to become a UFA for the second time in his career, Lucic will undoubtedly command a much smaller salary if and when he signs with another team. At this point, he’s best suited to playing limited minutes in an energy role on a fourth line.

The Boston Bruins originally selected Lucic in the second round (No. 50 overall) of the 2006 NHL Draft. The Vancouver product quickly emerged as an impact player with the Bruins, topping out at 30 goals with the team in the Stanley Cup-winning 2010–11 season.

Lucic spent the 2015–16 season with the Los Angeles Kings before joining the Oilers on the aforementioned massive UFA in contract. Through 1,173 career games over 16 seasons with the Bruins, Kings, Oilers, and Flames, Lucic has collected 233 goals and 584 points; he’s added 29 goals and 77 points in 136 additional playoff games.