Lucic: Bruins Wouldn't Have Won Stanley Cup In 2011 Without 2010 Collapse Vs. Flyers
BOSTON (CBS) -- Milan Lucic is coming back to Boston this week, and it's a road trip that means a lot for the bruising left winger who essentially grew up in the Bruins organization.
To commemorate the occasion, Lucic wrote an open letter to the city of Boston, in which he details his career, his maturation process, and how he learned to be a professional in the NHL.
As is the case with most of the pieces on The Players' Tribune, it's a worthwhile read for any fan of the Bruins and/or Lucic. But there's one part in particular that might not have ever been said before about the 2011 Stanley Cup-winning Bruins team.
"But to be honest, the Stanley Cup was just the culmination of years and years of memories," Lucic wrote. "Sometimes those memories were painful, like getting hurt and missing the Winter Classic at Fenway. Brutal. Or being up 3-games-to-none against the Flyers and somehow blowing the series. Still the saddest I've ever seen a locker room.
"It's crazy to say, but I really believe it: we don't lift the Stanley Cup in 2011 if we don't blow the Flyers series in 2010. It made us understand what it takes to win. When you think you've given everything, it takes just a little bit more."
While Bruins fans may never quite feel great about blowing that 3-0 series lead to Philly, Lucic's words should provide some solace that at least the loss might have inspired the end of the Boston Cup drought.
Kalman: Lucic's Return Should Remind B's Of What They're Missing
As for what he'll bring to the ice Tuesday night in Boston, Lucic said he may just have to engage in some fisticuffs.
"Coming back to the Garden for the first time this week, I'll be battling the butterflies for sure," Lucic said. "Who knows, maybe I'll just go out there and drop the mitts just to get the blood flowing. For old time's sake."
You can read the full story, which includes Lucic's initial ignorance as to the legend of Johnny Bucyk as well as his shoutout to the student section back in 2007, on The Players' Tribune.