(Photo: S. Babineau) Milan Lucic

Everyday for the next couple of weeks, Thehubofhockey.net will be breaking down each member of the 2010-11 NHL Stanley Cup Champions, Boston Bruins, in order of jersey number.

In Day 3 of of daily report cards, we’ll be taking a look at left-wing Milan Lucic.

Name: Milan Lucic
Position: Left-wing
Shoots: Left
Age: 23
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 220
Contract: $4,083,333 through 2012-13 NHL season

Line combinations (dobberhockey.com)
Even strength: David Krejci, Nathan Horton 51.54%, and 53.7% in post season
Power play: Krejci, Horton 28.73%, and 48.41& in post season

2010-11 NHL regular season stats: 79 GP, 30-32–62, plus-28, 121 PIM, 171 SOG
2010-11 NHL playoffs: 5-7–12, plus-11, 63 PIM, 56 SOG

Anthony’s take: After nearly completing an entire NHL season unscathed, Lucic impressed and really earned him $4M salary with his play this season. Only one of two players to reach 30 goals and 100 penalty minutes this season (the other Corey Perry..pretty nice company I’d say), No. 17 also reached the 30/30 club.

Riding the first-line all season, Lucic excelled with David Krejci as the play-making-pivot, and another big, physical winger on the other side in Nathan Horton (whose report card will be handed out tomorrow).  The two big forwards, particularly Looch, really stretched out the ice and made nearly every opposing looking over their shoulders for the barreling Vancouver native.

Final grade: A-

Marino’s grade: This year was definitely a break-out year for big ‘ol No. 17 in terms of offense. Despite cashing-in on a handful of empty-netters, Lucic finished the season on top of the Bruins ranks as the only 30-goal scorer on the club. He remained physical, leading the team with 167 hits, but also kept his cool — limiting himself to just seven fighting majors this season. I would have liked to have seen him use his size to his advantage more often and become almost like a Holstrom-esque cog on the power play this past season, but he did finish with a respectable five PP goals.

Now that the truth is exposed, we know why Lucic posted just two assists in jsut the first nine playoff games this year, as he battled through a sinus infection. And just before Game 2 against Tampa Bay, Lucic took a Tyler Seguin shot off the foot which broke his toe. But the hulking forward still posted 3-4–7 with the broken toe — and even more impressive — he missed no playing time during the Bruins’ Stanley Cup run. Although he looked lost at times (then again, the first-line as a whole took their time getting it together throughout Round 1) he once again led the team with 71 hits and 63 penalty minutes.

Final Grade: A-

Other report cards:
Tomas Kaberle
Gregory Campbell