The St. Louis Blues have a decent history of bringing in guys on PTO or Professional Try Out contracts. A few guys managed to stick around and provide some valuable minutes in their subsequent season, and those who did not make the squad were no big loss.
The most recent PTO addition was initially rather puzzling. The Blues brought in Milan Lucic prior to the 2025 preseason, which seemed odd since he had not laced up his skates since the first four games of the 2023-24 season.
You could question whether Lucic should be allowed back since he was accused of domestic assault against his wife and then entered the league's player assistance program. Lucic has been open about 22 months of sobriety, and his wife cheered him on in a social media post when he first put on his Blues uniform.
While we should all be for second chances and reclamation projects, the reality for me is that there is only one reason we should hope Lucic makes the roster.
Fits the Blues mindset
Lucic has never been Mr. Offense, even at the peak of his career. He's been decent, but his career highs are 62 points and 30 goals, which came way back in 2010-11. His best numbers in the 2020s are 10 goals or 23 points.
He's not really a big special teams guy as far as offense goes, either. In his entire career, he's only had double-digit power play goals once, and that was with Edmonton. If the Oilers put you on the PP, you're going to get points when you're with those guys.
No, the reason Blues fans should hope that he actually makes the roster is that he provides something this team has lacked in the last couple of years and can use going forward. Lucic provides old-school nastiness.
The guy is a big body. He's listed at 6'3 and 240 lbs. You can't teach size.
He plays with an edge. Even when the offense declined, Lucic was making opponents worry. He regularly had over 200 hits per season. Even in his final full season, 2022-23, he had 168 hits that year.
He does tend to put himself into the penalty box more than you'd like, but at this point in his career, he's almost surely a fourth-line player. I'll take that grit and edge and let everyone else handle the skill part.
Just think about all the times we've complained about nobody stepping up and putting a guy on their butt for touching Jordan Binnington. Remember all the times where it felt like it was only Brayden Schenn who would stick up for anyone. If the captain wasn't able, then nobody would.
Lucic can fill that role. He's a you-know-what disturber, through and through. He can be the modern version of Steve Ott - someone you hated with a passion when they were on a different team, but you'll certainly like them on your team.
I know the general consensus for Blues fans is that we are at a point where you don't want veterans standing in the way of younger guys. While I agree, the presence of Lucic and the possibility of some nastiness on this squad is enough for me to say that if those up-and-comers can't beat him out with ease, then they're not ready for the roster spot anyway.
If this team can be as good as we hope it might, i.e., contending for a top-three division spot instead of a wild card, then you want that kind of grit in the playoffs. Is three or four goals from a prospect getting fourth-line time really better than having a guy who will knock the snot out of opponents and get under their skin?
If this team was only hoping for a final playoff spot or just to be respectable, I'd say give all the time to the youth. That's not the case.
I'm no fan of Lucic. I didn't like him in Boston and even less with the Kings, Oilers, and Calgary.
He's borderline dirty at times. But, while we'd all like to hold our Blues to a higher standard, if those tactics can be utilized for the good of our favorite franchise, as long as it's tip-toeing along the rules, then I'll take it.
If Lucic can be that irritant that can draw opponents into bone-headed decisions or rough up guys who take liberties, I'll take it.