Joe Kowal

{{Short description|Canadian ice hockey player (1956–2023)}}

{{inline|date=February 2020}}

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| position = Left wing

| shoots = Left

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 5

| weight_lb = 212

| birth_date = {{birth date|1956|2|3|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|7|25|1956|2|3|mf=y}}

| death_place =

| career_start = 1976

| career_end = 1981

| draft = 33rd overall

| draft_year = 1976

| draft_team = Buffalo Sabres

| wha_draft = 64th overall

| wha_draft_year = 1976

| wha_draft_team = Indianapolis Racers

| played_for = Buffalo Sabres

}}

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. [https://www.bladeofsteel.com/Former-Buffalo-Sabres-forward-passes-away-at-67-years-old-259687 Former Buffalo Sabres forward passes away at 67-years-old]