Lucic joins Springfield Thunderbirds on AHL PTO to pursue comeback

Milan Lucic has been released from his National Hockey League professional tryout with the St. Louis Blues and will continue his comeback with the Blues organization on a professional tryout with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, the team announced on Tuesday. The 37-year-old veteran winger will report to Springfield in hopes of regaining game form and earning a contract that could return him to the NHL.

Lucic signed a tryout with St. Louis in August and appeared in four preseason games, recording one goal and one assist, before a lower-body injury late in camp sidelined him. The Blues kept him on a series of short-term PTO extensions while he rehabilitated, but the club decided not to add him to the NHL roster to start the regular season. The move to Springfield keeps Lucic in the organization while giving him an opportunity for game action and to showcase his health and readiness.

If he skates for the Thunderbirds, it will be the first AHL action of Lucic’s professional career. He moved directly from major junior into the NHL in 2007 and has not previously played in the AHL. It will also mark his first on-ice competition since 2023, when he...