Joe Kowal

Joseph Douglas Kowal (February 3, 1956 – July 25, 2023) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left wing who played 22 games in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres between 1976 and 1978. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1976 to 1981, was spent in the minor American Hockey League.

He was drafted in the second round, 33rd overall, by the Sabres in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft, after his performance as part of the 1975-76 OMJHL J. Ross Robertson Cup and the 1976 Memorial Cup Champion Hamilton Fincups, after previously playing junior in both OPJAHL Whitby and in Oshawa.

Kowal died on July 25, 2023, at the age of 67.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1973–74 Whitby Knob Hill Farms OPJAHL 38 12 13 25 47 — — — — — 1974–75 Oshawa Generals OMJHL 61 18 26 44 93 5 1 0 1 12 1975–76 Oshawa Generals OMJHL 4 0 2 2 13 — — — — — 1975–76 Hamilton Fincups OMJHL 52 32 45 77 100 10 5 4 9 39 1975–76 Hamilton Fincups M-Cup — — — — — 3 1 0 1 17 1976–77 Buffalo Sabres NHL 16 0 5 5 6 — — — — — 1976–77 Hershey Bears AHL 46 13 17 30 75 2 0 0 0 8 1977–78 Buffalo Sabres NHL 6 0 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 0 1977–78 Hershey Bears AHL 45 14 16 30 48 — — — — — 1978–79 Springfield Indians AHL 12 3 3 6 10 — — — — — 1978–79 Binghamton Dusters AHL 52 17 31 48 75 10 1 1 2 16 1979–80 Rochester Americans AHL 66 20 27 47 139 3 0 0 0 4 1980–81 Nova Scotia Voyageurs AHL 34 1 10 11 166 — — — — — AHL totals 255 68 104 172 513 15 1 1 2 28 NHL totals 22 0 5 5 13 2 0 0 0 0