Milan Lucic signs PTO as he eyes return to hockey.

Disgraced former National Hockey League enforcer Milan Lucic is looking to work his way back into the mix and continue his professional hockey career.

Although things have largely been quiet on the Lucic front since his highly publicized arrest in November of 2024 when he was arrested on suspicion of assault and battery on a family member, charges which would later be dismissed. Since that time Lucic has not been signed to an NHL deal, although he did sign a professional tryout offer earlier this year prior to being sidelined with an injury.

This past week, the St. Louis Blues officially announced that Lucic had agreed to a professional tryout offer with Lucic set to join their American Hockey League affiliate team, the Springfield Thunderbirds. Lucic had previously signed a PTO with the Blues but failed to secure an NHL contract after he was sidelined by a lower body injury during the preseason, with this latest PTO appearing to be something of a second chance for the veteran enforcer.

Lucic is however several years removed from being a full time NHL player, with his most recent NHL experience being just 4 games as a member of the Boston Bruins during the 2023-24 season, a season that was cut short by the aforementioned arrest and the Bruin's decision to move on from the player following that arrest.

It is unclear if the plan is for Lucic to eventually earn an NHL contract and join the Blues if he can show that he has successfully recovered from his latest injury, but it certainly seems like that would be the case given how the Blues have been keeping Lucic in the loop and close to the organization this season.