As Milan Lucic trade rumors pick up steam prior to the annual deadline, there’s a good reason why the Bruins fans and media are discussing his name at length.

Outside of that, there appears to be little interest in the eighth year power forward.

During his radio appearance on SportsNet 960 in Calgary on Monday morning, Hockey Night in Canada’s Elliotte Friedman discussed the possibility of Lucic being available in trade talks. He also discusses Loui Eriksson’s name being on the block and the B’s pursuing Arizona Coyotes forward Antoine Vermette as well.

Here’s what Friedman had to say (via Nichols on Hockey)

“The only thing I’ve heard about Lucic I think there’s at least one team, I believe, that’s asked about him and I don’t think there was a deal to be made there.”

“Lucic, I mean if you trade him. Here’s the thing with Boston. I think the question with Lucic is he’s not a $6 million player right now, but he can be one. He is a guy who emotionally controls a team. When Boston was at its best, Lucic was very much their emotional core. He can play a major role. I think the question is – there’s two questions. No. 1, is something wrong with his body that it’s finally breaking down because of the role he’s played? No. 2, are they trying to get him to play whistle-to-whistle and he’s simply lost his effectiveness.”

Statistically, Lucic is on pace for his lowest point total since an injury plagued third season in 2009-10 where he tallied just 20 points (9 goals, 11 assists) in 50 games. Through 39 games of the 2014-15 season, the Vancouver-born winger has a measly 18 points (6 goals, 12 assists) and had difficulty fitting in with other linemates while David Krejci was nursing a hip injury.

For a forward making $6 million a year, Lucic is clearly not playing up to his salary. Because he’s so hot and cold, he has worn out his welcome with many Bruins fans.

Still, there’s a risk in trading Lucic. For one, Peter Chiarelli would likely not get much in return for the underperforming Lucic, who has two years remaining on his contract – and a no-trade clause. Other GM’s would take a big risk in acquiring the first line forward, and his salary alone would turn many teams away.

The other risk in trading Lucic is taking away part of their identity. From Puck Daddy’s own Greg Wyshynski:

“But if you take Lucic off the Bruins, you fundamentally change the Bruins. People said that when Shawn Thornton left, which was nonsensical, but it’s reality for Lucic’s departure. Best case scenario, the Bruins flip him for essential pieces to reload on the fly and then open up the money to make sure Dougie Hamilton and Torey Krug remain on that blue line for years.

Worst case scenario, it leads to an identity crisis and they spend the next decade trying to recapture what it was Lucic gave them.

Given his age, his style, the annual value of his next contract and his value on the trade market … would a trade that fundamentally changes the Bruins make sense?”

The risks are certainly noted by Wyshynski and your’s truly. There are some benefits to trading Lucic as well.

Lucic’s $6 million would be off the boards, and depending on the return, Chiarelli would have more cap space to work with for A) more potential trades and B) more room to sign pending restricted free agents Torey Krug, Dougie Hamilton and Reilly Smith to long-term deals.

Realistically, Lucic would have to be part of a package that involves multiple players and maybe a draft pick or two outside of the first round. But a fresh start could be good for both Lucic and the Bruins.

Thus, trading the polarizing Milan Lucic would do more good than harm.