Scotty Bowman, an 89-year old Hall of Famer who has won nine Stanley Cup championships over his long career, stepped away from his job with the Chicago Blackhawks a year ago. This season he found that not having any team to work for could be just as good. Now, he’s ready to move onto the next part of his life and when asked if he is retired or still working, he smiled and simply said “I’m retired”. Even though Bowman is retired now, it doesn’t mean he is slowing down!
Even though Scotty Bowman is no longer working for the Blackhawks, he still attends their games as an important off-ice official. He has won five Stanley Cups with them. Julien BriseBois from the Tampa Bay Lightning always gives Bowman a special parking spot in the player’s lot and a front row seat in the north press box when he visits their games.
The Boston Bruins’ Jim Montgomery, the Calgary Flames’ Darryl Sutter and the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper all actively seek out Scott Bowman for a pregame chat. These conversations occur in the media room, coach’s office and locker room hallway.
Cooper said that when coaches like him get the chance to meet with Scotty Bowman, they are very lucky. Scotty is known as the best coach in all of hockey, so it’s an exciting opportunity for them to hear his amazing wisdom and knowledge. Since he isn’t managing a team anymore, there is nothing stopping him from talking more openly.
Bowman said he felt good talking to the coaches and wanted to help them the way others had helped him. The Bruins, coached by Montgomery, broke two records set by Bowman’s teams: one of 62 wins which was shared with Cooper’s 2018-19 Lightning team, and 132 points set by Montreal Canadiens in the 1976-77 season.
“I’m old enough to understand that I don’t actually need my achievements to be remembered, so if someone else can keep track of them I’m totally okay with it,” Bowman said.
Bowman’s last year with Chicago was a hard one. He ultimately decided he needed to leave the team after 14 years there.
His son Stan stopped working as General Manager for the Blackhawks in 2021 after an investigation showed he was aware about a sexual assault committed back in 2010.
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