"And going back to McDavid, just getting an opportunity to play with one of the best players of this time. I know he missed a good chuck of the season last year with an injury (to his collarbone), but from what I saw and what he was able to do, he's definitely up there with the [Sidney] Crosbys of the world and his ability.
"To have that opportunity to play with a player like that doesn't come around so often, and I think having an opportunity to play with a guy like that, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel here."
The Oilers finished 29th in the NHL standings last season and failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th consecutive year. Chiarelli was hired by the Oilers on April 24, 2015, nine days after being fired by the Bruins, and has made major changes.
On Wednesday, Chiarelli traded all-star left wing Taylor Hall, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Adam Larsson. Chiarelli said he did not trade Hall because the Oilers were close to signing Lucic.
"That deal was being done, there was absolutely no connection to this," Chiarelli said. "Milan told me some of the teams -- there were 12 teams -- and he told me some of the teams that were the finalists, and there were good teams and good managers and good players and all that stuff. With Milan, he wants to win, and that's the biggest thing; I've seen him in winning situations, and he's what we need in that sense."
Lucic was the first of two free agent acquisitions by Edmonton. The Oilers signed goaltender Jonas Gustavsson to a one-year contract reportedly worth $800,000. He is expected to back up Cam Talbot.
Lucic became a highly sought unrestricted free agent after he did not re-sign with the Kings, who acquired him from the Bruins in June 2015 in a trade for goaltender Martin Jones, defenseman Colin Miller and their first-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.