The mystery behind Lucic's PTO has finally been revealed

Oct 2, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Milan Lucic (12) skates against the Ottawa Senators during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Oct 2, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues left wing Milan Lucic (12) skates against the Ottawa Senators during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Blues have announced their opening night roster, and with that came a bit of confusion. What happened to Milan Lucic, who was on a Professional Tryout?

He was not listed on the official roster, and no announcement was made regarding his being released or waived. Additionally, he was not sent down to Springfield. So, what happened?

General Manager Doug Armstrong shed some light on the situation, and it is an intriguing one.

Revisiting it later?

When Dalibor Dvorsky was sent down to Springfield, it looked as though Lucic did enough to make the opening night roster. But that was not the case.

Now, it seems like the Blues are still interested in the 37-year-old enforcer and have plans for him to make another go at a tryout later in the season. This could be a good ace to have up their sleeve, god forbid any injuries strike this team later on in the season. Inserting Lucic gives you a chance to rest bodies, and also stir up some motivation in the group.

Let's not forget that Lucic is a distinguished force. He is a Stanley Cup champion, and he is used to running that kind of gauntlet. That experience factor is a great teaching tool for a lot of the younger players like Jimmy Snuggerud and Dylan Holloway, and the tenacity and physicality can influence guys like Nathan Walker.

Worth the investment?

The Blues are not losing anything by keeping Lucic in limbo. He is not going against the salary cap just yet, and even though he can get signed by any other team, the Blues are the frontrunners and have been the sole team to give him a shot at a comeback.

There were some moments of prime Lucic during the preseason games, but there were also some moments where the age and absence from the game were very apparent. He is not the same player he once was, and he is not going to be a player who gives you over 250+ hits per season. But, if used correctly, he can be a great 13th forward, cycling in and out of the fourth line to counteract other known enforcers.

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