Bradley J. Lukowich (born August 12, 1976) is a
Canadian
Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
defenceman
Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the l ...
and former assistant coach of the
Lethbridge Hurricanes
The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Lethbridge, Alberta. The Hurricanes play in the Central Division of the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference, and play their home games at the VisitLethbridge.com Are ...
of the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
. He has won the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
twice in his career, with the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
in
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
and
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
in
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
. He was on the roster of the Stars when they won the cup in
1998–99, but did not play enough games to get his name on the Cup. He is currently coaching hockey.
Playing career
Lukowich played major junior in the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
(WHL) with the
Kamloops Blazers
The Kamloops Blazers are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Kamloops, British Columbia. The team plays in the B.C. Division of the Western Hockey League's Western Conference and plays its home games at the Sandman Centre. The Blaze ...
for three seasons. On December 5, 1993, he scored the goal in the first recorded
teddy bear toss that prompted fans to throw a few hundred bears onto the ice.
With Kamloops, Lukowich won back-to-back
Memorial Cup
The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a consortium of three Junior ice hockey, major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tou ...
championships in
1994
The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations.
In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
and
1995
1995 was designated as:
* United Nations Year for Tolerance
* World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War
This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...
.
[ Following his rookie season with the Blazers,][ he was selected in the fourth round, 90th overall, by the ]New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.
After graduating from junior, Lukowich was traded from the Islanders to the Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
for a third round pick in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft on June 1, 1996. He played in the Stars' system with the Michigan K-Wings
Michigan ( ) is a peninsular state in the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are ...
of the International Hockey League (IHL) in his first three professional seasons, earning NHL call-ups with the Stars in 1997–98 and 1998–99. Lukowich participated in the Stars' 1999 Stanley Cup championship win, appearing in eight games during the playoffs, but did not qualify to have his name added to the Cup. In 1999–2000, he remained with the Stars full-time and recorded four points over 60 games in his NHL rookie season, averaging nearly 12 minutes of ice time.[
In the off-season, on June 12, 2000, he was traded along with goaltender Manny Fernandez to the ]Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
for a third round pick in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft ( Joel Lundqvist) and a fourth round pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft ( Aaron Rome).[ However, just under two weeks later, on June 25, 2000, he was traded back to the Stars, along with third and ninth round picks in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft for Aaron Gavey, Pavel Patera and Dallas' eighth round pick in the 2000 draft ( Eric Johansson).][ In his second full season with the Stars, he improved to 14 points.
On June 22, 2002, Lukowich was traded with Dallas' seventh round pick in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft ( Jay Rosehill) to the ]Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
for Tampa Bay's second round pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft ( Tobias Stephan).[ Following a five-goal, 19-point season in 2003–04, Lukowich earned his second ]Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...
championship, helping the Lightning to their first title with a seven-game victory over the Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
in the finals
Final, Finals or The Final may refer to:
*Final examination or finals, a test given at the end of a course of study or training
*Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which d ...
.
Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play.
The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
, Lukowich signed as a free agent with the Fort Worth Brahmas
The Fort Worth Brahmas were a professional ice hockey team in the Central Hockey League, and previously the Western Professional Hockey League. The team originally played at the Fort Worth Convention Center but played their final six seasons, i ...
of the Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 until 2014. It was founded by Ray Miron and Bill Levins and later sold to Global Entertainment Corporation, which opera ...
(CHL) on September 21, 2004.[ However, he played just 16 games with the minor-league team, notching eight points. With the NHL set to resume with the 2005–06 season, he became an unrestricted free agent and signed with the team that originally drafted him, the New York Islanders, on August 11, 2005.][ In his only season with the Islanders, he was dealt away at the trade deadline on March 9, 2006, to the ]New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
for New Jersey's third round draft pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft ( Jonas Ahnelov).[ He scored a combined career-high 21 points between the two teams. He completed a full season with the Devils in 2006–07, notching 12 points.
On July 3, 2007, Lukowich returned to the Lightning, signing as an unrestricted free agent.][ He scored a goal and seven points in his season back. The following off-season, on July 4, 2008, Lukowich was traded with defenceman Dan Boyle from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the ]San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...
in exchange for Matt Carle
Matthew Carle (born September 25, 1984) is an American former professional ice hockey Defenceman, defenseman. Carle played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Pred ...
and Ty Wishart
Ty Wishart (born May 19, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently playing with the Melbourne Mustangs in the AIHL.
Wishart grew up in Comox, British Columbia, playing minor hockey there until his midget years.
...
and San Jose's first round choice in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and San Jose's fourth round choice in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Lukowich scored eight points in his only season with the Sharks before being traded once more, along with defenceman Christian Ehrhoff
Christian Ehrhoff (born 6 July 1982) is a German professional ice hockey defenceman for Krefeld Pinguine of the German DEL2. In 2018, he won silver at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics. He played more than 800 games in the National Hocke ...
on August 28, 2009, to the Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
in exchange for prospects Daniel Rahimi and Patrick White
Patrick Victor Martindale White (28 May 1912 – 30 September 1990) was an Australian novelist and playwright who explored themes of religious experience, personal identity and the conflict between visionary individuals and a materialistic, co ...
.
With 10 defencemen on the Canucks with one-way contracts, however, Lukowich was assigned by the Canucks to the Texas Stars
The Texas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Cedar Park, Texas. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Dallas Stars. They play their homes games at the H-E-B Center.
History
In ...
of the American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL). He was recalled on January 1, 2010, due to an injury to defenceman Kevin Bieksa. He subsequently scored his first goal as a Canuck, as well as his first in 111 NHL games overall, on January 25, a game-winner in a 3–2 win against the Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
.
In June 2013, Lukowich signed a contract with the Western Hockey League's Lethbridge Hurricanes to become the team's assistant coach. He was dismissed in February 2014, which led to a wrongful dismissal suit launched in April. The suit was settled in August 2014, with the Hurricanes issuing a statement that Lukowich had not been fired with cause.
Personal life
Lukowich and his wife Cara have two daughters. His father, Bernie Lukowich, played two seasons in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
and Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...
, as well as 21 games with the Calgary Cowboys
The Calgary Cowboys were an ice hockey team that played two seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1975 to 1977. The Cowboys played at the Stampede Corral in Calgary. The franchise was founded in 1972 as the Miami Screaming Eagles ...
of the World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association () was a professional ice hockey major league that operated in North America from 1972–73 WHA season, 1972 to 1978–79 WHA season, 1979. It was the first major league to compete with the National Hockey League (N ...
(WHA), while his cousin Morris Lukowich played 582 games in the NHL and 228 games in the WHA.
Lukowich resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, where he is in charge of hockey programs at local StarCenter ice rinks.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Awards
*Won the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
in 1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
and the Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
in 2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lukowich, Brad
1976 births
Canadian ice hockey defencemen
Dallas Stars players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Kalamazoo Wings (1974–2000) players
Kamloops Blazers players
Living people
New Jersey Devils players
New York Islanders draft picks
New York Islanders players
Ice hockey people from Cranbrook, British Columbia
San Jose Sharks players
Stanley Cup champions
Tampa Bay Lightning players
Texas Stars players
Vancouver Canucks players