April 15 Hockey Birthdays: Kovalchuk, Thomas, & Lowe

Today, we honor the 34 past and present NHL players celebrating birthdays on April 15. Whether you were a fan of 50-goal scorer Ilya Kovalchuk or loved watching Tim Thomas’ unorthodox saves, here’s a look at some notable players sharing birthdays on this day.

Kevin Lowe (1959)

Kevin Lowe is the only player born on April 15 in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Born in 1959 in Lachute, Quebec, he made his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers in 1979-80 and would be a part of five Stanley Cup championships, skating alongside Paul Coffey, Wayne Gretzky, and Mark Messier.

Kevin Lowe Edmonton Oilers — Kevin Lowe, Edmonton Oilers (Photo by Graig Abel/Getty Images)

The 1990 King Clancy Award winner moved to the New York Rangers in 1993. With former teammates Messier, Glenn Anderson, and Adam Graves, he won a sixth championship in 1994. Lowe finished his career with the Oilers in 1998, joining the coaching staff upon retirement.

In 2000, Lowe became general manager of the Oilers, eventually becoming President of Hockey Operations, a role he held until 2015. With 431 points in 1,254 games, he entered the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Ilya Kovalchuk (1983)

Kovalchuk was the top pick for the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 Entry Draft. He played eight seasons in Georgia, where he won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy in 2003-04 with 41 goals. In his first 594 games, he collected 328 goals, equalling a .55 goals-per-game pace.

The three-time All-Star collected 876 points with 443 goals in 926 games and was one of his generation’s top snipers. However, many remember Kovalchuk for the contract that he signed with the New Jersey Devils in 2010. Initially, he came to terms on a 17-year deal, which the NHL vetoed, claiming it circumvented the salary cap.

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Eventually, the sides agreed on a 15-year agreement valued at $100 million. After retiring from the NHL in 2013, Kovalchuk skated in the Kontinental Hockey League until 2018, returning briefly to the NHL to skate with the Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals.

Tim Thomas (1974)

Thomas became an NHL starting goalie at 32 years old, playing 66 games for the Boston Bruins in 2006-07. Within two seasons, he captured the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goalie twice, in 2009 and 2011. Over three seasons, from 2008 to 2011, Thomas earned an 88-40-24 record with a .930 save percentage (SV%) and 2.18 goals-against average (GAA).

In June 2011, he led the Bruins to their first Stanley Cup title in 39 years, compiling one of the greatest statistical postseason runs of all time with a .940 SV% and 1.98 GAA, winning in Game 7 three times, and capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. After Boston failed to defend their championship the following season, he left the club, which led the Bruins to trade him to the New York Islanders in February 2013.

Although Thomas never played for the Bruins again after a Game 7 defeat in April 2012, he also didn’t dress with the New York Islanders, who left him walk in free agency. He wrapped up his nine-season NHL career with the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars in 2013-14, earning a career record of 214-145-49.