Brad Lotocki

As a token of appreciation to the players that laced them up for the Jenkins Cup Champion Red Army team this late fall and early winter, the blog will be highlighting each player's season and doing a brief recap of a few defining moments that the player made to help Mother Russia dance her way to greatness.

Brad Lotocki
Regular Season: 12 GP: 9 G, 15 A, 24 P
Post Season: 4 GP: 1 G, 4 A, 5 P
(All stats per Hendricksmemoryability)

The man synonymous with grizzly bears, hiking, and beards helped take Mother Russia to the top of the mountain last season. Yes, Brad Lotocki, one of the four remaining original Comrades to lace them up for the Red Army in its inaugural season some six years ago, enjoyed the fruits of his labor when he donned that championship t shirt a few weeks ago.

Lotocki has always been a staple of the defense. His ability to be a top tier shut down defensman while also chipping in offensively made him a hot commodity in the open market when he became an unrestricted free agent two summers ago, but his commitment to the team was evident when he signed a three year extension.

We could go on and on about how the Mountain Man has helped Mother Russia improve in leaps and bounds, but as everyone knows, we're highlighting the top moment or moments of players' season, not career. So, what stood out most to us about Lotocki's play last season? How about a fight?

Yeah, let's do the fight.

Quite rarely do members of the Red Army drop the mittens (though some are under the impression that it does happen quite often, and that we also pad stats) but when a fight does occur, it's important to understand the reasoning behind it to decipher if violence was necessitated. In Lotocki's case, the jury voted 12-0 in favor of ass kicking.

Perhaps, because I know the assaulted victim (he wears #18 for the team I cover) in the crime that led to the fight, my judgment is clouded. Still, never, in any level of hockey, is it legal to take a baseball swing with a hockey stick to the head of another player. It just shouldn't happen. There's no mitigating circumstances that could arise where said action is even remotely defensible. Don't hurt yourself racking your brain-- such a scenario does not exist in the entire Milky Way.

After a member of the Cryptic Stench swung at Hendricks, Lotocki was quick to jump to the aid of his stunned/confused/thankful-he-had-a-cage-on-his-helmet comrade. The tussle was brief, and with the referees already swarming the scene not many punches were thrown and even less landed. The two players were both ejected and consequently suspended. Lotocki served a one game sentence while Babe Ruth got three (one wonders if homicide is the only penalty warranting a league ban).

The moment was brief: the tempers flared, simmered, and cooled. In the heat of it all, without hesitation, Lotocki assessed the situation and acted. Sure, championships can't be won in the regular season, but statements can be made. Lotocki made one.

Then the team made one.

Here's to you, Bear Cavalier.

Regular Season: A+
Post Season Rounds 1 & 2: A+
Championship Series: A+