Bruins re-sign Milan Lucic to 3-year, $18M US deal

The Boston Bruins continued their flurry of pre-lockout deadline signings Saturday, inking power forward Milan Lucic to a three-year, $18 million US extension.

Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli made the announcement.

Lucic, a native of Vancouver, B.C., suited up in 81 games last year for Boston and scored 26 goals to go along with a career-high 35 assists.

"I have spent five great years here in Boston and I've really embraced the city and the Boston Bruins, and they have embraced me," Lucic in a conference call. "I'm really excited for this and happy to be remaining a Bruin. There is no other team in the NHL I'd rather play for."

The 24-year-old Lucic is another Bruin to receive a new deal with an NHL lockout looming. In less than two weeks, Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli has also re-signed forward Tyler Seguin to a new six-year, $34.5 million contract and inked Brad Marchand to a four-year, $18 million deal.

"We have been winning and we will continue to use this approach. A guy like Milan is a perfect example," Chiarelli said. "He marks the end of three signings that we've done over the course of a couple of weeks," Chiarelli said. "I am very happy to have completed them. I think it shows commitments from Milan and the other players and a commitment from our owners."

Lucic has noticed.

"Him keeping all the core guys, all the guys I have built really good relationships with here, that's obviously makes me want to stay more. He believes in all of us as players, and we believe in him and what he is trying to build here," he said. "Peter definitely has done a good job of finding guys who are willing to sacrifice and be on the same page. That is why we're a real competitive team. We achieved our ultimate goal in 2011 and we plan to do the same heading into the future."

The six-foot-four winger was the team's top scorer two years ago with 30 goals and had 121 penalty minutes that season in helping to lead Boston to the Stanley Cup title.

He would have become a restricted free agent after the 2012-13 campaign, when his three-year, $12.25 million deal is set to expire. 

In 359 career regular season games, the 220-pound winger has 90 goals and 122 assists to go along with 17 game winners and a plus-43. Lucic has 15 goals and 35 points in 62 career playoff games with the team.

He was the Bruins' second-round draft pick in 2006 (50th overall).