Rick Kowalsky

Rick Kowalsky enjoyed a 10-year playing career in the ECHL, appearing in 516 career games with Hampton Roads, Roanoke and Trenton. He is tied for 34th all-time in League history in games played while ranking 19th with 221 goals, 23rd with 329 assists and tied for 16th with 550 points. He participated in a pair of ECHL All-Star Games – in 1995 and 2003 – and enjoyed his best years late in his career, earning All-ECHL First Team honors with Roanoke in 2001-02 and earning a spot on the All-ECHL Second Team in 2002-03. Kowalsky also enjoyed considerable postseason success, scoring 32 goals, which is tied for seventh in ECHL playoff history, and adding 30 assists in 68 postseason games. He ended his playing career by captaining Trenton to the 2005 Kelly Cup title, then returned to the Titans in 2006-07 as the team’s head coach, going 138-122-28 over four seasons and winning the John Brophy Award as ECHL Coach of the Year in 2009. He was named head coach for Albany of the AHL in 2010-11, and in 2015-16, joined Claude Noel as the only two individuals to win Coach of the Year honors in both the ECHL and AHL. Prior to the 2018-19 season, Kowalsky was named an assistant coach with the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils.