Holy Mackinaw! Son of Leafs announcer Joe Bowen, begins broadcast career in Sudbury

This September, the unmistakable voice of another Bowen will be ringing out across Ontario airwaves.

David Bowen, son of legendary Toronto Maple Leafs announcer Joe Bowen, will be calling the shots from the broadcaster's booth when the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League hit the ice for their 50th season.

Bowen, 22, is expected to provide play-by-play for more than 30 games in the Wolves' 68-game schedule on community radio station CKLU-FM. 

It's a similar path that his father took. Joe Bowen honed his skills calling Wolves games in the 1970s on now-defunct CKSO, a community radio station based out of Sudbury, before landing a role with the Leafs.

The elder Bowen, who was born and raised in Sudbury, has called Leafs games since 1982, earning the moniker "the voice of the Maple Leafs."

"The 12-year-old me wouldn't believe that I'm pursuing the same career that my dad is in, but I'm enjoying every minute of it so far," Bowen said. 

After a stint as goalie with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)– Bowen logged seven games with the Wolves between 2017-21– and an opportunity with the Laurentian University Voyageurs that never panned out.

The younger Bowen said he's ready to bring his own perspective to the game. 

"My perspective of what goes on the ice is a little different than anyone that hasn't been in my position," Bowen said. "So I think that that gives me a bit of a leg up."

"The other thing is both me and my dad are goalies, and for some reason goalies tend to be the better broadcasters," he said. "All I've done my whole life is just watch the game unfold in front of me and I could tell you what's going to happen next, every time."

Although he has no plans on emulating his dad's style, he