The Vancouver Giants may be losing the player who most gave the team its identity.
Milan Lucic, Vancouver’s golden boy, unexpectedly made the opening-night roster for the NHL’s Boston Bruins. As a result, it’s possible the Giants will have to learn to live without their biggest impact player.
“Everybody here wants to be an NHL player, so we’re all happy for him,” Giants right wing Spencer Machacek told the Vancouver Province. “We can’t worry about him not coming back. That’s selfish.
“We have to move on without him and we’ve been pretty good at moving on with things we can’t control.”
Lucic had a whirlwind past five months. Before sticking with the Bruins, the 19-year-old left wing was the MVP of the Memorial Cup in May, then captained Team Canada during the Canada-Russia Super Series in August and September.
He was expected to return to the Western Hockey League this season to captain the Giants. He could have become that rare player who is both the league’s biggest goal-scoring threat as well as the league’s toughest enforcer.
Lucic could still end up back with Vancouver. He can play up to nine games with Boston before his contract kicks in. That happened with the Giants two seasons ago when former star Gilbert Brule made Columbus’ team, but was sent back after repeated injury problems. Brule returned to lead the Giants to the league title.
With Lucic gone, Machacek was named the team’s new captain.
Around the WHL: Sticking with Vancouver, the Giants received center Mario Bliznak back from the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. The Giants made a trade the previous week to open up both overage and European roster spots to accommodate Bliznak’s return. … Seattle unveiled its most-recent present as center Jim O’Brien made his debut with the team. O’Brien, who came to the T-birds from the University of Minnesota, had been rehabilitating a shoulder injury with his parent club, the NHL’s Ottawa Senators. Seattle also dealt 17-year-old center Cody Hanson, the team’s first-round pick in the 2005 bantam draft, to Regina for a conditional bantam draft pick. … Kelowna acquired 20-year-old right wing Brady Leavold from Swift Current for a conditional draft pick. The Rockets also signed 18-year-old left wing Jamie Benn, a high-scoring forward who was the British Columbia Hockey League’s Rookie of the Year last season. … Edmonton acquired 17-year-old defenseman Adrian Van de Mosselaer from Medicine Hat for a sixth-round pick in 2008. … Prince Albert settled its overage situation by sending 20-year-old defenseman John Flatters to Saskatoon for 18-year-old left wing Dustin Cameron.
League leaders: Points — Kruise Reddick (Tri-City) 15; goals — Tyler Ennis (Medicine Hat) 7; assists — Michael Wilson (Swift Current) 11; penalty minutes — Kyle Beach (Everett) 47; wins — Chet Pickard (Tri-City) 6; goals against average — James Priestner (Kamloops) 0.00; save percentage — Priestner 1.000.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
