Lucic: 'I would love nothing more than to remain a King'

Milan Lucic hopes his time with the Los Angeles Kings is fixed, not fleeting.

A free agent at season's end, the bruiser spoke candidly Wednesday to ESPN's Pierre LeBrun, expressing a fervent desire to stay with the organization that traded for him last summer.

"I hope (my future's) here, just because of how great everything has gone and good the transition has gone," Lucic said. "I truly, truly deep down in my heart hope that I do get to remain a King after this season.

"Obviously there haven't really been any (contract) talks yet. They've had a lot on their plate with the (Anze) Kopitar contract, but we'll just wait and see what it's going to look like moving forward.

"I would love nothing more than to remain a King."

It was tumultuous summer for the big man, who in addition to being uprooted, lost his father to suicide. But after playing in L.A. with the first-place Kings and spending time with his wife and family, Lucic's in a very positive state of mind.

"I feel like I'm in a good place mentally and I just want to stay there," he said.

Lucic is aware it might be difficult for the Kings - who just cut Kopitar a $10-million annual salary - to squeeze the winger under their label, but it sounds as though he'd make concessions in order to stay put.