Morris Lukowich
Encyclopedia
Eugene Morris Lukowich is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
player. He was a member of the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association
(WHA) and the National Hockey League
(NHL) from 1976 to 1985, and later played for the Boston Bruins
and Los Angeles Kings
of the NHL. Playing left wing, he played in a total of 582 NHL games, registering 199 goals and 219 assists for 418 points in eight NHL seasons.
Lukowich played junior hockey with the Medicine Hat Tigers
for three years. In his final season, he had a career year, scoring 65 times and accumulating 142 points in 72 games. This production got the attention of NHL scouts, and he was selected 47th overall in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft
by the Pittsburgh Penguins
. He was also selected by the Houston Aeros
in the 1976 World Hockey Association Amateur Draft, and he opted to turn pro in the WHA rather than the NHL. The opportunity to play with his idol, the legendary Gordie Howe
, in Houston was the deciding factor in this decision.
After two seasons in Houston, Lukowich moved on to Winnipeg for the 1978–79 season, the last for the financially troubled WHA. Morris had a terrific year with the high-flying Jets, scoring 65 goals and adding 34 assists for 99 points, and was named as the WHA's Second Team All Star. More importantly, Lukowich scored 8 goals and a team high 15 points en route to capturing the final WHA championship, the Avco Cup
.
When the WHA folded in 1979, the Jets were among four of its teams absorbed by the NHL. Under the NHL's admittance terms, these teams could only protect a fraction of their roster, and Lukowich was one of the few players Winnipeg managed to retain. The early NHL years were difficult for the Jets, but Lukowich quickly emerged as the team's star player, and his leadership led to his appointment as Winnipeg's team captain for the 1980–81 season. He scored 35 and 33 goals in his first two seasons respectively, before notching his best NHL numbers in 1981–82, scoring 43 goals and 92 points. He was invited to the NHL All Star game for the second year in a row, playing on a line with superstars Mike Bossy
and Bryan Trottier
.
Lukowich took a step back in 1982–83, struggling through injuries. He played in 69 games but only had 22 goals and 43 points. He rebounded somewhat in 1983–84, reaching the 30 goal plateau once again along with 25 assists. However a horrible start in 1984–85 lead to a trade to Boston in exchange for Jim Nill
.
Lukowich played in only 36 games over 2 seasons with the Bruins. He was placed on waivers early in the 1985–86 season and was picked up by the Los Angeles Kings, where he finished his NHL career. He played one additional season in Italy
in 1987–88 before retiring from professional hockey.
Lukowich represented Canada at the 1993 Spengler Cup
Tournament, and briefly re-emerged as a roller hockey player in 1994, playing several games with RHI's
Calgary Radz. He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, where he operates a hockey camp.
Ed Lukowich
and a cousin of hockey player Brad Lukowich
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He was a member of the Winnipeg Jets of the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
(WHA) and the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) from 1976 to 1985, and later played for the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
and Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the NHL. Playing left wing, he played in a total of 582 NHL games, registering 199 goals and 219 assists for 418 points in eight NHL seasons.
Biography
Lukowich was an explosive player, both in terms of speed and scoring. Though he was considered small for a professional hockey player, he also played with admirable grit.Lukowich played junior hockey with the Medicine Hat Tigers
Medicine Hat Tigers
The Medicine Hat Tigers are a junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League who play out of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. Established in 1970, the team has won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles. The Tigers play at the Medicine Hat Arena....
for three years. In his final season, he had a career year, scoring 65 times and accumulating 142 points in 72 games. This production got the attention of NHL scouts, and he was selected 47th overall in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft
1976 NHL Amateur Draft
The 1976 NHL Amateur Draft was held at the NHL office in Montreal, Quebec on June 1, 1976. It is notable as featuring one of the weakest first rounds in draft history, as only two players played more than 450 career NHL games. In 2002, Federko was elected into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame after...
by the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
. He was also selected by the Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
in the 1976 World Hockey Association Amateur Draft, and he opted to turn pro in the WHA rather than the NHL. The opportunity to play with his idol, the legendary Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
, in Houston was the deciding factor in this decision.
After two seasons in Houston, Lukowich moved on to Winnipeg for the 1978–79 season, the last for the financially troubled WHA. Morris had a terrific year with the high-flying Jets, scoring 65 goals and adding 34 assists for 99 points, and was named as the WHA's Second Team All Star. More importantly, Lukowich scored 8 goals and a team high 15 points en route to capturing the final WHA championship, the Avco Cup
Avco World Trophy
The Avco World Trophy, also known as the Avco Cup, was the championship trophy of the original World Hockey Association . The trophy's naming rights were sold to the former Avco Corporation , a defense contractor who bought the rights to advertise their consumer finance division...
.
When the WHA folded in 1979, the Jets were among four of its teams absorbed by the NHL. Under the NHL's admittance terms, these teams could only protect a fraction of their roster, and Lukowich was one of the few players Winnipeg managed to retain. The early NHL years were difficult for the Jets, but Lukowich quickly emerged as the team's star player, and his leadership led to his appointment as Winnipeg's team captain for the 1980–81 season. He scored 35 and 33 goals in his first two seasons respectively, before notching his best NHL numbers in 1981–82, scoring 43 goals and 92 points. He was invited to the NHL All Star game for the second year in a row, playing on a line with superstars Mike Bossy
Mike Bossy
Michael Dean Bossy is a former Canadian ice hockey player who played for the New York Islanders for his entire career and was part of their four-year reign as Stanley Cup champions in the early 1980s...
and Bryan Trottier
Bryan Trottier
Bryan John Trottier is a retired Canadian-American professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins. He won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders, two with the Penguins and one as an assistant coach with the...
.
Lukowich took a step back in 1982–83, struggling through injuries. He played in 69 games but only had 22 goals and 43 points. He rebounded somewhat in 1983–84, reaching the 30 goal plateau once again along with 25 assists. However a horrible start in 1984–85 lead to a trade to Boston in exchange for Jim Nill
Jim Nill
James Edward Nill is a former NHL right winger, currently the assistant General manager of the Detroit Red Wings.-Junior career:...
.
Lukowich played in only 36 games over 2 seasons with the Bruins. He was placed on waivers early in the 1985–86 season and was picked up by the Los Angeles Kings, where he finished his NHL career. He played one additional season in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1987–88 before retiring from professional hockey.
Lukowich represented Canada at the 1993 Spengler Cup
Spengler Cup
The Spengler Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is often cited as the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by the Swiss team HC Davos and played each year in Davos, Switzerland, between...
Tournament, and briefly re-emerged as a roller hockey player in 1994, playing several games with RHI's
Roller Hockey International
Roller Hockey International was a professional inline hockey league that operated in North America from 1993 to 1999. It was the first major professional league for inline hockey....
Calgary Radz. He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta, where he operates a hockey camp.
Personal
Morris Lukowich is the brother of curlerCurling
Curling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
Ed Lukowich
Ed Lukowich
Edward "Ed" Lukowich is a former champion curler. Lukowich is a two-time Brier champion. In 1986 his team won the World Curling Championship....
and a cousin of hockey player Brad Lukowich
Brad Lukowich
Brad Lukowich is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who plays for the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League. He has won the Stanley Cup once in his career, with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He was on the roster of the Dallas Stars when they won the cup in 1998–99 but did not...
.