Scotty Bowman leaves Wings for Blackhawks
Last Updated: Thursday, July 31, 2008 | 3:55 PM ET
CBC Sports
Scotty Bowman has spent nearly 15 years with the Detroit Red Wings. (Associated Press)Scotty Bowman is leaving the Detroit Red Wings to join the Chicago Blackhawks as a senior adviser.
An inductee to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a coach and as a builder, Bowman told a news conference on Thursday that it was a "dream" to be able to work with his son, Stan, who is Chicago's assistant general manager under Dale Tallon.
Bowman, 74, had been working as a special consultant for the Red Wings for the past several years. He retired from coaching after Detroit's Stanley Cup in 2002, the ninth Cup victory of his career and third with the Red Wings.
He first joined the Red Wings in 1993.
Bowman described himself as "another set of eyes" and said his role with the Blackhawks would be very similar to what he's been doing in recent years..
"Dale wants me to give opinions when asked," said Bowman. "I watch [NHL] games every night. I'll go to training camp, I'll make trips with the team."
Bowman coached Montreal to five Stanley Cup wins in the 1970s and Pittsburgh to the championship in 1992. He has also been coach and general manager with St. Louis and Buffalo in an NHL career that spans over four decades.
The Toronto Maple Leafs met with Bowman last summer to discuss a possible senior role within the organization.
Bowman told Hockey Night in Canada this season he had productive meetings with the Maple Leafs, but was never presented with an offer.
Chicago has made the playoffs just once in the past 10 seasons but has and made a splash in the free agency market this summer by signing defenceman Brian Campbell and goaltender Cristobal Huet.
Team president John McDonough said that the hiring of one of the most successful men in hockey history is another step towards building a winning culture with the Blackhawks, who won the last of their three Stanley Cups in 1961.
