Out at Country Hills early Wednesday morning, over six years removed from that unbelievable comeback at TD Garden, Lucic - for years one of the toughest hombres in the game - is naturally garnering the lion's share of attention before the shotgun tee-off at annual Flames' Celebrity Charity Golf Classic.
"He brings an element we didn't really have," is how GM Brad Treliving describes his acquisition from Edmonton in exchange for James Neal. "Building a team, you need different parts.
"It's like planning a great meal. You need different kinds of tastes, different kinds of ingredients, in order to make the meal stand out from the rest.
"(Lucic) gives you a special ingredient that I believe is still important in today's game.
"Sometimes when things don't go well somewhere, whatever the reasons may be, the best thing is to have a change of scenery, a re-boot, a refresh. I know he's done everything possible to put himself in the best position possible from the work he's done this summer.
"You need to be able to contribute, to play, but that ingredient we mentioned, that he brings, is understated, but invaluable."
Helping, as it does, everyone around him play with more sense of ease.
"I remember when we had (Krzysztof) Oliwa come in here (in 2003)," recalls assistant GM Craig Conroy. "He was tough. So right away, that sets a tone. Then we get Chris Simon. I was thinking about that the other day. Our first game after we got Chris, in Denver, we're standing on the blueline for the national anthems and (Simon) yells over to their bench: 'It's your worst nightmare come true, boys! I'm on the first line again! You touch Conroy or Iginla and you are dead!'
"He's got that deep voice.
"And you're kinda going: 'O … K …'
"We'd always struggled with Colorado. That night, we crushed them. I remember turning to Jarome, after Simon had yelled at their bench, and I'm like: 'Did you hear that?' And he said: 'Yeah. I was getting a little nervous over on this side, too!'
"There are guys on the other bench going: 'Whoa!' And your guys are going 'Whoa!', too, but in a different way, a good way.
"You bring in a guy like Looch, with that presence, and it can make such a difference.
"With a guy like Looch, people are respectful. They won't do it. Gives Johnny (Gaudreau), gives everyone, more room.
"The key is putting him in good positions. I read all the articles when he went to Edmonton and the expectations for him there were crazy.
"Here, all we want him to do is play and be part of the group.
"Geoff knows him and that's going to help, too. I think we're a great fit for him."
