"I’m going to kill you" - When Milan Lucic was severely criticized for issuing death threats to Canadiens players

Milan Lucic experienced a surge of emotions during a post-series handshake in May 2014. The disappointment of a 3-1 defeat to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 at the TD Garden added tension to the encounter.

As the players lined up for the customary handshake, Lucic's emotions seemed to get the better of him, leading to a controversial incident.

Known for his physical and aggressive style of play, Lucic didn't shy away from continuing his prickly demeanor even after the hard-fought series had concluded. During the post-game handshake, the 35-year-old from Vancouver had heated exchanges with Canadiens players Dale Weise and Alexei Emelin.

The situation escalated further when the hashtag #WhatLucicToldWeise began trending on Twitter in Canada the following day. Reports surfaced that Lucic issued death threats to Weise, making the situation even more alarming.

Lucic had reportedly said:

"I’m going to kill you next year," (with an F-Bomb).

Lucic's unapologetic stance in the locker room only added fuel to the fire. However, he brushed off the incident, stating:

"It’s said on the ice so it’ll stay on the ice. So If he (Weise) wants to be a baby about it — he can make it public."

On allegations by some Canadiens players that Lucic disrespected them during the series, the winger said:

"Disrespect? I don’t know what they’re talking about. Disrespect? Having a goal celebration, what kind of disrespect is that? I’m not going to say anything. I’ve got nothing to say about that."

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Dale Weise on Milan Lucic's behavior

Dale Weise later confirmed that Milan Lucic indeed had some strong words for him during the handshake.

"You look at a guy like Shawn Thornton who has been around the league and he plays hard and he plays that role and he had good things to say to everybody," Weise said. "He won with class and Milan Lucic just couldn’t do that. Well, I won’t get into what he said, it’s just a poor, it’s just a poor way to lose."

The incident drew swift reactions from the hockey community. Critics condemned Lucic's actions, pointing out that the post-series handshake is a time-honored tradition symbolizing sportsmanship and respect. Adam Kaufman, writing for boston.com, emphasized that Lucic needed to apologize for his error in judgment.

The controversy also reached the public and even garnered the attention of Canada's then Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, who took to Twitter to express his satisfaction at seeing the Canadiens eliminate the Bruins in Game 7.