Rick Kowalsky

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Rick Kowalsky
Born (1972-03-20) March 20, 1972 (age 53)
Simcoe, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for AHL
Cornwall Aces
Portland Pirates
Norfolk Admirals
ECHL
Hampton Roads Admirals
Trenton Titans
Roanoke Express
BIHS
Cardiff Devils
NHL draft 227th overall, 1992
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 19932005

Rick Kowalsky (born March 20, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the 10th round (227th overall) of the 1992 NHL Entry Draft.

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Kowalsky played four seasons (19891993) of major junior hockey with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, scoring 54 goals and 100 assists for 144 points, while earning 259 penalty minutes, in 209 games played. He went on to play 12 seasons of professional hockey, including 183 games played in the American Hockey League and 516 games in the ECHL. Kowalsky retired as a player following the 2004–05 season during which he helped the Trenton Titans capture the Kelly Cup as the 2005 ECHL Champions. In 2017, he was elected into the ECHL Hall of Fame. [1]

Kowalsky spent 15 seasons as a coach in the New Jersey Devils organization of the National Hockey League (NHL), including spent eight seasons as the head coach of their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Albany Devils and the Binghamton Devils. As the head coach for Albany in 2015–16, Kowalsky was named AHL Coach of the Year after leading the Devils to the second round of the playoffs. [2] In 2021, he was hired by the New York Islanders, and his former boss Lou Lamoriello when he was with the Devils, as an assistant coach for their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders. Upon head coach Brent Thompson’s departure to the Anaheim Ducks Rick Kowalsky was promoted to be the head coach of the Bridgeport Islanders in July 2023. [3] He was relieved as head coach of the Bridgeport Islanders on May 29, 2025. [4]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
1989–90 Thessalon Flyers NOJHL 824646
1989–90 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 4310123
1990–91 Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL465914591344817
1991–92 Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL66254469119196101639
1992–93 Sault Ste. Marie GreyhoundsOHL542347705818761335
1993–94 Cornwall Aces AHL 65981786
1994–95 Hampton Roads Admirals ECHL 4929245311440444
1994–95 Cornwall AcresAHL921338
1995–96 Hampton Roads AdmiralsECHL52212950121
1996–97 Hampton Roads AdmiralsECHL5214264094954916
1996–97 Portland Pirates AHL22781510
1997–98 Hampton Roads AdmiralsECHL2411162772
1997–98 Portland PiratesAHL3911253678105278
1998–99 Portland PiratesAHL476152185
1999–00 Hampton Roads AdmiralsECHL672347701091071820
2000–01 Trenton Titans ECHL12710172213841212
2001–02 Roanoke Express ECHL7035488311241120
2001–02 Norfolk Admirals AHL10000
2002–03 Roanoke ExpressECHL6827558213240116
2003–04 Roanoke ExpressECHL6731457612241236
2004–05 Roanoke ExpressECHL55232952812010132326
AHL totals183355792297105278
ECHL totals5162213295509796832306290

References

  1. "Rick Kowalsky, a familiar name to Trenton hockey fans, enters ECHL Hall of Fame". The Trentonian . January 18, 2017.
  2. Dougherty, Pete (April 8, 2016). "Albany's Rick Kowalsky voted AHL coach of the year". Times Union. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  3. "Kowalsky Named Bridgeport Assistant Coach". OurSports Central. August 3, 2021.
  4. "Darche Announces Changes to Islanders Coaching Staff | New York Islanders". www.nhl.com. May 29, 2025. Retrieved May 29, 2025.