Hockey Rants

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Milan Lucic, Captain Canada

by Jes

If you happen by this blog at least once a month, you ought to know that I am bullish on Vancouver Giants forward Milan Lucic, a guy who could punch a hole through a defense, or a fighter's skull.

You can be forgiven if you weren't all that excited back when the Bruins drafted 50th overall in the 2006 Entry Draft. After putting up just 19 points in 62 games, Lucic appeared to be more of a Travis Moen type, albeit with superior puglistic skills.

Well, we know that last season was a coming-out party for the big Serb. With 68 points in 70 Regular season games, and then a Memorial Cup MVP, few players improved as much as Big Looch. I wish the Canucks had drafted him rather than Sergei Berezin II.

The good times continue to roll for Lucic as he's been named Captain Canada for the upcoming Summer Series.

Not long after putting on a Team Canada jersey for the first time in his life — one that just happened to have a C emblazoned on the upper chest — Milan Lucic looked down and, with his familiar watermelon-size smile, said: “It’s a long way from a chicken suit.”

It was a sly, self-referential nod to just how far this immigrants’ son, who was born and raised in Vancouver, has come in the three years since he donned a beak.

Lucic has been winning a lot lately.

The Memorial Cup, that tournament’s MVP, the hearts of anybody who has ever heard his story.

And he’s about to try to win over one more thing — Canada.

The Super Series officially became From Russia with Luch when head coach Brent Sutter gave Team Canada an instant identity Saturday with a bold move: He announced that Lucic was going to be his captain, his dressing-room leader, his on-ice bull, his Phil Esposito.

Lucic, so magnetic and good-natured off the ice and so fierce on it, doesn’t take his new position lightly. He understands this job brings more expectations from an entire country of hockey fans.

“There’s a lot of pressure with being the captain,” Lucic said. “Now, all the guys are looking up to me, all of Canada is looking for me to lead this team to victory. I have to accept that and I have to enjoy it.

Lucic has overcome a lot to get where he is, including a birth defect (That makes him appear a bit hunchbacked, being undrafted after playing in bantams, and growing up in a family that struggled financially. More and more, Lucic is a guy that gets me excited in that manly-sports-kinda-way.

Labels: Milan Lucic, Team Canada