Lucic hopeful to play beyond 7-year contract

After Steven Stamkos opted to stay put in Tampa Bay prior to July 1, Milan Lucic became the biggest - literally and figuratively - character in the free-agent market.

The 28-year-old wound up signing a seven-year, $42-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers, and while he's expected to make an immediate impact, Lucic is now facing questions as to the kind of player he will be in the later stages of the contract and beyond.

The winger has nothing but confidence in himself to play well over the next seven years, and hopes he will continue his career even after the deal expires.

"I’m looking forward to these next seven years, and I plan on playing them out to the best of my ability and, hopefully, I can add another year or two once this contract is done," Lucic told Steve Ewen of The Province. "Hopefully things are going well and I can play as long as I want to play. There’s maybe one or two percent of guys who get to do that."

Despite his bruising style of play, Lucic has managed to compete in at least 72 games in all but one - lockout excused - of his nine NHL seasons. He was limited to 50 contests in 2009-10 with the Boston Bruins.