When the Boston Bruins traded marquee player Milan Lucic last month, there were a lot of tears around Boston. Lucic was a player who brought back Old Time Hockey to the TD Garden. While many in the media understood why the trade was made, there was still a lot of hard feelings over the decision.
Thanks to the Bruins organization for the last 8 years of my life and most of all thank you fans. I will miss you dearly. #bostonstrong
— Milan Lucic (@27MilanLucic) June 26, 2015
Lucic sent out this tweet shortly after he discovered that he had been traded to the Los Angeles Kings. It’s hard to sum up eight years of incredible memories in a single tweet. He came to Boston as a 19-year old kid trying to make an impact on the organization. He left the Bruins as a 27-year old married father of two. In his eight year tenure, he helped Boston hockey get its identity back.
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Milan Lucic was part of the 2011 Stanley Cup Championship team. He was one of those young Bruins who won three seven-game series for the Black and Gold, finishing up the Stanley Cup run in his hometown of Vancouver. While the fans at Rogers Arena weren’t all that thrilled seeing certain members of the team carrying the Cup, they sure changed their tone when David Krejci handed it to Lucic.
Today, Milan Lucic did his best to sum up eight years of memories from his time in Beantown. He took out a full page ad in the Boston Globe and poured his feelings towards the city, its fans, and the organization into the advertisement. If you’ve haven’t seen it yet, here is what Lucic said:
I was 19 when I joined the Boston Bruins, a very young man.
Now at 27, I must say goodbye to this special city. I lived my dream when we won the Stanley Cup. I married my wife here. Both my children were born here. Boston will always be a key part of who I am.
I played in front of a group of fans I will never forget, especially my pals in the North End.
I want to thank the entire Jacobs family, Cam Neely, Peter Chiarelli, Don Sweeney, Scott Bradley and the rest of the Bruins management team; coaches Claude Julien, Geoff Ward, Doug Houda, Doug Jarvis, Craig Ramsey and Joe Sacco; captain Zdeno Chara and the rest of my teammates; the medical staff, trainers and strength coaches who all kept me going; and, of course, all the fans and my friends.
Boston embraced me over the years and I would not be who I am personally or professionally without each of these special relationships.
To the people of Boston…
You are #BostonStrong
Milan Lucic
Well, I’d say he nailed it. Good luck in Los Angeles Looch. Let’s hope you get to wear the Black and Gold one more time for us. I’ve already got my seat when you come back to Boston in February.