Breaking: Lucic sends a strong message to fans and rivals to kick off training camp.

Say what you will about Edmonton Oilers forward Milan Lucic, but there's little doubt that he has been one of the most intimidating figures on the ice since joining the National Hockey League.

Lucic was the subject of much criticism after his production saw a slight dip from his time as a member of the Los Angeles Kings, understandable given the 7-year 42 million dollar deal he signed upon joining the Oilers, and it seems he may have taken that criticism to heart. 

On Thursday Lucic told reporters that he was entering this season in the best shape he has been in in the past four years, citing the fact that he had an uninterrupted summer of training. 

According to Sportsnet's Mark Spector Lucic is weighing in around the "low 230s" indicating that he comes in roughly 5 lbs lighter than he was last season. Needless to say given Lucic's comments it sounds like the 5 lbs he cut are not a result of dropping muscle pass, but rather merely a product of his offseason training regimen.

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