Kevin Lowe
Defensive defenceman, six-time Stanley Cup champion, Hall of Fame inductee.
Kevin Hugh Lowe (born April 15, 1959) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, coach, and executive. He played for the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers from 1979 to 1998, winning the Stanley Cup six times. In 1990, he received the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020, and was named to the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2021.
Lowe began his junior career in 1976 with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. As an Anglophone, he learned French with the team and became its first English captain in 1978. Over 201 games, he recorded 42 goals and 131 assists for 173 points, plus 245 penalty minutes. He had considered signing with the WHA’s Birmingham Bulls, but the team never joined the NHL. The Edmonton Oilers selected him 21st overall in the first round of the 1979 NHL entry draft—their first-ever draft pick.
Lowe spent 13 full seasons in his first stint with Edmonton, helping the Oilers win five Stanley Cups. During the 1988 playoffs, he played with a broken wrist in a cast and, as Wayne Gretzky revealed after the Cup win, also hid broken ribs. He served as the main narrator for Bob McKeown’s 1987 documentary *The Boys on the Bus*. After Mark Messier was traded, Lowe became team captain for the 1991–92 season, leading the Oilers to a 36-34-10 record after a rough 1-5-1 start. He was traded to the New York Rangers in December 1992 as a restricted free agent. In 1994, he won his sixth Stanley Cup alongside six other former Oilers: Glenn Anderson, Jeff Beukeboom, Adam Graves, Craig MacTavish, Mark Messier, and Esa Tikkanen. He returned to the Oilers as a free agent in 1996, playing a full season, but an inner-ear virus affecting his balance forced him to retire after just seven games in 1997–98.
In 1,254 regular-season games, Lowe scored 84 goals and 347 assists for 431 points, with 1,498 penalty minutes. He added 214 playoff games, tallying 10 goals and 48 assists for 58 points, plus 192 penalty minutes. He holds Oilers franchise records for most regular-season and playoff games played (1,037 and 172). He scored the team’s first NHL goal—a power-play tally assisted by Wayne Gretzky and Brett Callighen (Gretzky’s first NHL point)—though Gretzky believed he tipped the puck. Lowe never played a minor-league game, and his teams missed the playoffs only once.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Defence
- Played For
- Edmonton Oilers / New York Rangers
- Coached For
- Edmonton Oilers
- Career Start Coach
- 1998
- Career End Coach
- 2000
- Shoots
- Left
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 2
- Weight Lb
- 200
- Ntl Team
- Canada
- Birth Date
- 1959-04-15
- Birth Place
- Lachute, Quebec, Canada
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Lowe played 13 full seasons in his first stint with the Oilers and helped lead them to five Stanley Cup championships. During the Oilers' run to the 1988 Stanley Cup, Lowe played with a broken wrist and a full cast, yet he didn't miss a single playoff game; Wayne Gretzky later revealed Lowe was also hiding broken ribs. Lowe became team captain for the 1991–92 season after Mark Messier was traded to the New York Rangers. He was traded to the Rangers in December 1992 and won the Stanley Cup in 1994 with six other ex-Oilers, bringing his total to six. He re-joined the Oilers as a free agent in 1996 and played another full season, but was forced to retire in 1997–98 after only 7 games due to an inner-ear virus that affected his balance. Lowe played more regular season and playoff games in an Oilers uniform than anyone in franchise history (1037 and 172). He was the team's first NHL draft pick and scored their first NHL goal.
Reader's Guide
Lowe's significance lies in his role as a foundational defensive defenceman for the Edmonton Oilers dynasty, winning five Stanley Cups with the team and a sixth with the New York Rangers. He was the first defensive defenceman inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame since Rod Langway in 2002, and the final member of the Oilers' 'Group of Seven' to be inducted. His durability and toughness were exemplified by playing through a broken wrist and ribs during the 1988 playoffs. After his playing career, Lowe served as head coach and general manager of the Oilers, and later as President of Hockey Operations. He also contributed to Canadian national teams, including the management team for the 2002 Winter Olympics gold medal team. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League created the Kevin Lowe Trophy in 2005, awarded annually to the best defensive defenceman. His No. 4 was retired by the Oilers in 2021.
Did You Know?
- Lowe was the first English captain in Quebec Remparts history, named captain in 1978.
- He played with a broken wrist and a full cast during the 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs, and also hid broken ribs.
- Lowe scored the Edmonton Oilers' first NHL goal, assisted by Wayne Gretzky and Brett Callighen.
- He never played a single game in the minor leagues during his professional hockey career.
More in Hockey Hall of Fame Defencemen 1-24
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