Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Paul Wieland was with the Buffalo Sabres for 25 years, joining the organization from the beginning in 1970. He served as Director of Marketing for the team, but it was his practical jokes that everyone remembers.
It was on April Fools' Day in 1974 when Wieland announced at the National Hockey League Draft that the Sabres would use their 11th round pick for a player from Japan, Taro Tsujimoto. There was no such player that existed.
In 2019, Wieland looked back at the prank while appearing with Brian Duff and Marty Biron during a Sabres broadcast.
"I invented a player that we drafted. Taro Tsujimoto. He didn't exist," Wieland said. "The best part was that no one knew it was a joke. They took it seriously, including the owners of the Sabres."
It remained a hoax until the start of training camp.
The pranks didn't stop there, though.
Another April Fools' Day joke was Wieland's invention of plastic ice that ended up making national headlines.
Wieland had a role in hiring both Ted Darling and Rick Jeanneret to the broadcast teams.
He later went on to teach journalism at St. Bonaventure University, his alma mater until 2017.
It was on Thursday when St. Bonaventure's Jandoli School of Journalism tweeted the announcement of his passing.
"We lost one our best today. Paul Wieland, a 1959 graduate and longtime faculty member, died this morning. His practical jokes were legendary. We’ll miss the laughs, but cherish the memories."
Wieland is survived by his wife and three daughters. He was 84.