Gary Bettman bans Milan Lucic from returning to the NHL

This summer, Milan Lucic was training in New Jersey in hopes of getting back into the NHL. However, he's currently barred from returning due to his arrest in Boston last November. He faced two charges but pleaded not guilty. The charges were dropped in February 2024 after his wife invoked marital privilege and refused to testify.

Lucic took an indefinite leave of absence from his NHL team after his arrest and decided not to return. When his contract ended on June 30th, he became an unrestricted free agent, but he has yet to sign with a new team.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman must approve Lucic's return, and it seems he has no intention of doing so, which could mean the end of Lucic's career. Lucic is also now in the NHLPA Player Assistance program.

We'll provide more updates as new information becomes available.

Source:
Frank Seravalli on X