Boston Bruins forward Milan Lucic was arrested last weekend and charged with assault and battery of a family member. Following his arraignment, Lucic will be entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, per Steve Conroy of The Boston Herald.
The Player Assistance Program is a resource available to all players battling mental health, substance abuse or other personal issues. The program offers players privacy and security as they work through whatever personal issues they are facing.
More details have since emerged about the alleged domestic altercation between Lucic and his wife. According to CBS News Boston, police were called to Lucic's apartment around 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 18. Lucic's wife told the 911 operator that he had tried to choke her during a dispute about his missing phone.
Lucic's wife said the Bruins forward couldn't find his phone after a night out and believed she had hidden it from him. She told police that Lucic pulled her hair and said that she was "not going anywhere" when she tried to walk away. However, she told officers on the scene that Lucic had not tried to strangle her during the altercation.
Police noted a broken lamp and broken glass in Lucic's bedroom. They also observed "redness" on his wife's chest, but she did not accept medical assistance.
Lucic was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court on Tuesday, and he pleaded not guilty to the assault and battery charge. After the proceedings, Lucic was released and ordered not to consume alcohol. His next court appearance will be a Zoom hearing on Jan. 19.
