**“LUCIC ERA BEGINS! — Oilers Make Bold Splash in 2016 by Signing Milan Lucic to \$42M Deal, Ushering in First Major Move of the Connor McDavid Era”**
The summer of 2016 marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Edmonton Oilers. After a decade of darkness defined by draft lottery wins, coaching carousel drama, and on-ice struggles, the franchise finally began to turn the page with the arrival of a generational star. Connor McDavid had just completed his rookie season, flashing brilliance beyond his years despite a broken clavicle derailing a significant portion of his campaign. With McDavid clearly destined to become the face of the league and the heartbeat of the Oilers for years to come, the organization felt it was time to surround him with the kind of muscle, experience, and intensity required to compete in the Western Conference’s unforgiving trenches. That belief led to the most headline-grabbing move of the 2016 NHL free agency period: the signing of Milan Lucic.
Lucic, coming off a strong season with the Los Angeles Kings, entered the open market as the most coveted power forward available. Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing in around 230 pounds, Lucic brought a blend of grit, intimidation, and scoring prowess that teams across the league still highly valued. The Oilers, led by then-General Manager Peter Chiarelli, wasted no time in targeting the hulking winger. Chiarelli had a long-standing relationship with Lucic from their days together in Boston, where Lucic helped power the Bruins to a Stanley Cup in 2011. Banking on that familiarity and the belief that Lucic’s game would perfectly complement McDavid’s electrifying speed and playmaking vision, the Oilers signed him to a seven-year, \$42 million deal — a contract that sent shockwaves throughout the NHL.
In Edmonton, the move was viewed as symbolic. The Lucic signing wasn’t just about adding another body to the top six; it was the first blockbuster move of the McDavid era, a declaration that the Oilers were no longer rebuilding — they were ready to contend. It was a throwback to a different era of hockey, a bet that size, snarl, and playoff experience still mattered in a game increasingly dominated by speed and skill. Lucic was expected to bring protection for McDavid, leadership in the dressing room, and reliable secondary scoring to a lineup that sorely needed it. In theory, the fit seemed ideal. Lucic’s straight-line game and punishing forecheck would open space for McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, giving the Oilers a more physically intimidating presence that they had lacked for years.
The 2016–17 season began with cautious optimism, but it quickly gave way to genuine excitement. Lucic was immediately slotted into the top six and saw significant time alongside McDavid. While his foot speed was noticeably below the team’s young stars, he managed to keep pace mentally and physically, producing 23 goals and 50 points over the full 82-game slate. More importantly, he brought an edge that helped the Oilers stand up to more established playoff contenders. Lucic’s performance down the stretch and into the playoffs proved his worth. He added six points in 13 playoff games as the Oilers won their first playoff series since 2006, pushing the Anaheim Ducks to seven games in the second round. For a fan base starved for postseason relevance, Lucic’s contributions — both tangible and intangible — played a key role in Edmonton’s breakout.
However, as the calendar turned to 2017 and beyond, the Lucic experiment began to sour. As McDavid and Draisaitl continued to ascend into elite territory, the pace of the game around them accelerated. Lucic, always more of a north-south player, began to struggle with the transition. The NHL was evolving faster than many anticipated, and Lucic’s style started to look increasingly out of sync with the modern game. His scoring touch diminished drastically, culminating in just 10 goals during the 2017–18 season, and a mere six the year after. His foot speed, already a concern, became a glaring weakness. Once a menacing power forward who could change the tone of a game with a hit or a goal, Lucic became an expensive anchor in the Oilers’ top-nine.
The contract, which had initially symbolized ambition and progress, morphed into one of the league’s most burdensome deals. With a cap hit of \$6 million per year and a no-movement clause attached, Lucic’s declining performance became a major headache for Edmonton’s front office. Fans, initially excited by his arrival, grew increasingly frustrated with his lack of production and the implications his contract had on the team’s flexibility. It became a lightning rod for criticism — not necessarily of Lucic the player, but of the vision that led to such a long-term commitment for someone whose game didn’t age well in a league speeding up by the minute.
Despite the decline, Lucic’s work ethic and professionalism remained unquestioned. He was a respected figure in the locker room and a valuable mentor for some of the younger Oilers, but his on-ice impact continued to diminish. The organization finally made the difficult decision to move on, orchestrating a rare one-for-one trade with the Calgary Flames in 2019 that sent Lucic south in exchange for James Neal. It was a classic change-of-scenery swap, one designed more to mitigate salary cap woes than to rejuvenate careers. Ironically, both players would continue to see their roles reduced, but the move signified a final chapter in one of the most polarizing contracts in recent team history.
Looking back, the Lucic signing can be interpreted through multiple lenses. On one hand, it was a calculated swing by an organization desperate to accelerate its rebuild and provide immediate support for its generational centerpiece. On paper, Lucic checked many of the boxes — physicality, experience, offensive capability, and leadership. In practice, the NHL’s evolving style of play outpaced Lucic’s ability to adapt, and the length and value of his contract became a millstone as the Oilers sought to build a contender around McDavid.
Yet, it would be unfair to label the Lucic era as a total failure. His first season in Edmonton coincided with the team’s most promising run in over a decade. He delivered in the short term, bringing an element of toughness and playoff savvy that helped change the team’s culture. The 2016–17 campaign stands out as a rare bright spot in a turbulent era of Oilers hockey, and Lucic’s fingerprints are undeniably a part of it. Moreover, his presence sent a message across the league that Edmonton was once again a destination for premier talent — that with McDavid in the fold, stars would consider donning the orange and blue again.
The lessons from the Lucic signing have echoed in subsequent years. Edmonton has become more cautious about the kinds of players they commit to long term, particularly when it comes to skating ability and age. The Lucic experience underscored how quickly the game can pass players by, and how contracts that look logical in one moment can age poorly as systems and styles shift.
Milan Lucic’s tenure with the Oilers was ultimately defined by the hope he represented and the hard truths he exposed. He arrived as the first marquee signing of the Connor McDavid era, a physical cornerstone meant to signal the franchise’s rebirth. For a brief moment, that vision held true. But as time wore on, the realities of a fast-paced NHL rendered Lucic’s style and contract increasingly obsolete. Even so, his arrival remains a milestone in the McDavid era — the first major move that showed Edmonton was ready to swing for the fences again. It may not have ended the way fans or the organization hoped, but it remains a defining chapter in the modern story of the Oilers.
