Wild prospect, Notre Dame grad Mario Lucia shifting focus to pro career

Mario Lucia completed his degree at Notre Dame in May. The commitment to finishing his education meant returning for his senior year of college and missing pieces of the Wild developmental camp during the past four summers.

This sort of focus impressed the Wild coaching staff and now the 2011 second-round pick (60th overall) is committed to taking the next step in his professional career.

Lucia will spend the whole week at this year's developmental camp at Xcel Energy Center along with 43 other prospects hoping to impress the organization's leadership. Thursday (2:30 p.m.) and Sunday's (5 p.m.) scrimmages are open to the public.

"It's a little different," knowing this is my job, Lucia said after Wednesday's workout. "Years past you know in the back of your mind you're going to go back to school, but now it's your job. So you have to keep that into account and make the good first impression here with the coaching staff."

Lucia signed a two-year contract with the Wild last March and finished out the AHL season in Iowa. In 2011, the Wild traded its third- and –fourth round picks to Vancouver so it could draft Lucia, the former Wayzata star. He is the youngest child of Gophers coach Don Lucia.

Director of player development Brad Bombardir is looking forward to having Lucia around more often.

"This might be his first full camp from start to finish and I thought it was important for him to come because now he's turned into a pro player," Bombardir said. "He's part of our organization and I think it's just a great experience for him all week to listen to the coaches and allow the coaches to see him and for him to kind of become part of our organization through and through now."

"The kid graduated Notre Dame. That's a pretty impressive feat on its own," Bombardir said. "He's a pretty focused kid. But we're all so happy to have him here now as a member of the Minnesota Wild and were eager to work with him throughout this year and moving on."

Lucia turns 23 in August and is among the veterans at this week's camp. He is also close to home and feels comfortable in his first chance to impress new head coach Bruce Boudreau and his coaching staff.

"I know all the guys and it makes it an easy transition," Lucia said. "You've lived it the last four or five years so you kind of know the drill and just do your thing.