On Oct. 5, 2007, a 19-year-old Western Hockey League product named Milan Lucic made his National Hockey League debut playing for the Boston Bruins against the Dallas Stars. Now 13 and a half years later, Lucic will appear in his 1,000th game, playing for the Calgary Flames against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
A product of scenic Vancouver, Lucic played minor hockey in the area and came up in junior hockey with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League. He was a second round pick by the Boston Bruins in the 2006 NHL Draft, and his two full WHL seasons saw him play in two Memorial Cup tournaments – once as WHL champion, once as host.