By trading Hall, the Oilers acquired a right-shot defenseman they think can solidify their top pair, and by acquiring Lucic, they have filled Hall's spot at left wing on the top line and added more size and toughness.
The Oilers already have forward Matt Hendricks, 6 feet, 207 pounds; Zack Kassian, 6-3, 217; and Pat Maroon, 6-3, 230. Their latest top draft pick has some size, too: Forward Jesse Puljujarvi, the fourth pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, is 6-3, 203.
Lucic stands 6-3. He weighs 233 pounds. With his hunched back and bent nose, he is one of the most intimidating players in the League.
"I think the Oilers have been missing a little bit of attitude and a little bit of swagger over the last couple years, and that's something I bring to a team," Lucic told Sportsnet.
That matters. It sets a tone. It gives the team confidence. It opens space for teammates like McDavid and Nugent-Hopkins. But it matters only if Lucic can play, and Lucic can play. Nathan Horton, Lucic's buddy and linemate in Boston, used to call him "Ultimate" because he could do it all: skate, score, hit, pass.
Lucic is not the speediest forward in the League, and speed is in vogue after the way the Pittsburgh Penguins just won the Cup. Power forwards tend to decline in their mid-30s, which Lucic will reach in the later years of this contract.
But as long as he's in shape, Lucic skates well for a man his size, and he can think with elite players. He knows where to go. He knows when to go there. When his center puts the puck on his stick, he has the hands to put it in the net.
He has scored between 18 and 30 goals in each of his past five full seasons, and he has missed 10 games in the past six seasons. Hall has ranged between 14 and 27 goals over his six NHL seasons, partly because he has missed 77 games because of injuries.
"My abilities go further than just the intimidation factor," Lucic told Sportsnet. "I've played with such high-end centermen. That's something I wanted to continue doing moving forward.
"I've always been a give-and-go type of player. I feel like I've been able to adjust to what the centerman's doing. I feel like the centermen, they control a lot of what's going on, and as wingers, we need to be there to support them as best we can.
"I've always been able to find a way to support these guys."
McDavid might like the Lucic factor.