Centre Adolph Kukulowicz used his 6'3" frame to fight off many checkers and win more than his share of face-offs. He played four games for the New York Rangers in the 1950s but was best known later as a top sniper in the IHL.
The native of Winnipeg, Manitoba was a top scorer in junior with the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Quebec Citadels. Unlike most players of his time, Kukulowicz started his pro career in the NHL by scoring a goal in three games with the Rangers in 1952-53. The next year he played his first of six seasons in the WHL with the Saskatoon Quakers. He later played for the Brandon Regals, New Westminster Royals, and Seattle Totems and was considered an excellent playmaker.
Kukulowicz put up his most dramatic numbers with the St. Paul Saints and Minneapolis Millers of the IHL. He began by scoring 118 points for St. Paul in 1959-60 and helping the team win the league championship. Following the season he was placed on the league's second all-star team. The next two years he topped the 85-point mark and led St. Paul to a second straight IHL title in 1961.
Kukulowicz returned to western Canada in 1962 to play senior hockey. He suited up for the Winnipeg Maroons and Yorkton Terries before retiring as a player in 1965. Before leaving the game for good, Kukulowicz got in touch with his roots while coaching the GKS Katowice team in Poland during the 1965-66 season. Fluent in Russian, he later acted as Team Canada's interpreter during the 1972 Summit Series.
