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Lucic happy to get rough 2014 behind him

Nashville Predators v Boston Bruins

BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 23: Milan Lucic #17 of the Boston Bruins skates against the Nashville Predators at the TD Garden on December 23, 2014 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

NHLI via Getty Images

There were lots of people celebrating on New Year’s Eve. In a way Milan Lucic was among them, but not for the conventional reasons. By the sounds of it, he wasn’t in the mood to rejoice over the start of a new year so much as he was simply glad to be rid of the last one.

“It wasn’t a good 2014,” Lucic said, per the Boston Globe. “I’m happy it’s over. I’m looking forward to 2015 and hopefully we can turn things around.”

When 2014 start, the Boston Bruins were leading the Atlantic Division and seemed poised for another lengthy playoff run after making it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2013. Instead they lost in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the rival Montreal Canadiens and cap problems forced them to principally subtract over the summer. They entered the 2014-15 campaign without forwards Jarome Iginla and Shawn Thornton as well as defenseman Johnny Boychuk and those losses have taken their toll as the Bruins are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

This hasn’t been a particularly good stretch for Lucic either, who has made headlines over personal rivalries, but has just six goals and 18 points in 37 contests this season.

“Not much good things happened in 2014 for myself and for the team,” said Lucic. “Just looking forward to 2015 and turning things around, and hopefully it will be better than this year.”

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