http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=508983
Lucic sees himself at 30 RockMonday, 12.07.2009 / 3:01 PM / 2010
Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic - Flyers v. Bruins By Adam Kimelman - NHL.com Staff Writer -- Adam KimelmanNEW YORK --
Milan Lucic grew up in Vancouver and has spent his first three NHL seasons in Boston, so big advertising campaigns in big cities aren't going to surprise him.
But when Lucic saw his face as part of the street-level window advertisement at the NBC Store at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, promoting the 2010 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, even he was impressed.
The ad features the faces of Lucic and two of his Bruins teammates -- Zdeno Chara and Tim Thomas -- and three from the Bruins' New Year's Day opponents, the Philadelphia Flyers -- Mike Richards, Chris Pronger and Scott Hartnell. Behind them is the logo for the game, centered on an outdoor pond-hockey scene.
Lucic was impressed, especially of the picture of himself -- playoff beard in full form, intense look on his face.
"Mouth open, looks like I'm pretty intense, pretty excited," he told NHL.com. "Got the beard going so that was probably last year in the playoffs, against Carolina, an intense series. I think it looks good. I can't wait (for the game)."
Lucic's participation in the Winter Classic remains up in the air, however, after he suffered a high ankle sprain Nov. 25 against Minnesota. He's wearing a brace and working hard to recover in time for the big game, but a sprained ankle can be a tricky injury to rehabilitate.
"It looks pretty good right now," he said while walking four blocks up the Avenue of the Americas from the NHL offices at 47th Street. "I'm almost two weeks into the injury. It's unfortunate for me this year, going from breaking my finger to having a high ankle sprain. Usually it's like a 4-5 week injury and so far it's going really well. Hopefully I'll be back for the big event.
"I haven't started skating yet. I think that's going to start next week and we'll see how that goes. This type of injury is a sensitive injury. I have to be real careful with it and take all the right precautions. We're doing the right things and I'm hoping for a quick recovery."
Lucic said after watching the first two Winter Classics, he's looking forward to lacing up his skates Jan. 1 for the game at Boston's historic Fenway Park.
"I watched both of them, real good games," he said. "The first one was a great one, the snow started to fall in the third period, they had to Zamboni the ice every 10 minutes. Last year was such a success. It looked really cool and something as a player you want to be a part of it. The fact that I get to be a part of it so early in my career is great. I had a lot of fun watching it."
Lucic vs. Pronger
Milan Lucic couldn't help but notice one of the faces across from his on the window advertisement for the Winter Classic at the NBC Store at Rockefeller Center was Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger.
A full-speed meeting in the corner between Lucic (6-foot-4, 220 pounds) and Pronger (6-6, 214) could shake the 98-year-old ballpark to its foundation.
"He's a big guy and he plays hard, that's for sure," Lucic told NHL.com when asked about Pronger. "I think he's a very competitive guy and he plays with that edge and that's why he's such a great player. He does whatever it takes for his team to win. He's been in the League for a long time. There's a reason why he's been one of the best defensemen of his time.
"For a guy like me, he matches up against you so well. For me, a guy who I feel like is strong on the forecheck, those types of things, he's a guy that will push back just as hard and I think that's what makes him such a good player."
Lucic said he's played against Pronger twice, both times when Pronger was with the Anaheim Ducks. In the first game they rarely were on the ice together because it was Lucic's third NHL game, and in the second one he suffered a concussion halfway through. Lucic missed the first Flyers-Bruins game this season while recovering from a broken finger.
They also were on opposing sides at the Red vs. White game at Canada's Olympic orientation camp, but there was no hitting.
"I haven't played against him yet, being out," Lucic said. "It'll make things more interesting for myself going up against a guy like him."
