Thanks For Everything, Scotty Bowman

Its hard to imagine a Detroit Red Wings team without Scotty Bowman involved in some way, shape or form. After all, you'd have to go all the way back to the 1992-93 season.

How many of us were even Wings fans back then? How many of us really even cared?

Sure, Detroit had some fine pieces in place, and had even enjoyed some success at this point. Steve Yzerman was in his prime, they had a young Russian named Sergei Fedorov and some Swede named Nick Lidstrom. They even had a young, particularly nasty defenseman named Vladimir Konstantinov. Paul Coffey was recently acquired and the future looked rosy. Still, Detroit was missing something. The fans knew it too.

That offseason, Detroit made arguably the best move this franchise had ever made, and signed the top coach in hockey history.

Bowman was coming off a recent Cup win with the Pittsburgh Penguins—and if that wasn't enough, he had in the past won five Cups with the Montreal Canadiens. All in all, Bowman's seven Cups on his resume spoke enough about what he could do for Detroit.

In only Bowman's second season with the Wings, they made it to the Stanley Cup Finals. Carrying the burden of being heavy favorites to end the long Cup drought, they were swept by New Jersey.

More problems arose. The players didn't take too kindly to Bowman's stoic and stern attitude. Bowman didn't see much use for players like Keith Primeau and Dino Ciccarelli and promptly shipped them out.

In came Brendan Shanahan, possibly the best free-agent acquisition in Wings history. We didn't know that at the time, though.

Yzerman was one of the top forwards in the game, only overshadowed by the likes of Gretzky and Lemieux.  But Bowman thought he needed to work on his defense. Yzerman was skeptical to say the least.

Bowman soon grew tired of trying and failing to convince Yzerman to buy into his philosophy, and started shopping the captain. Ottawa soon emerged as a possible suitor.

This all took place in just one offseason. Then, at the start of the 1995-96 season, when Bud Lynch called Yzerman's name on the PA, Joe Louis erupted in a stampede of cheers. Even on television, it was a sight to see—every person in the arena standing and cheering for the captain.

Then, Scotty Bowman walked out—and all those cheers immediately turned to boos. 20,000 fans booing the greatest hockey coach of all-time.

Needless to say, Bowman took the hint and Yzerman stayed. It was the most effective show of fan support I have ever witnessed to this day.

From then on, it was nothing but good times for Detroit. Yzerman finally bought into Bowman's direction to work on his defense—and Cups in 1997 and 1998, plus a 2000 Selke trophy for Yzerman, vindicated Bowman.

Ken Holland was so impressed that he changed his entire drafting philosophy, emphasizing defense over flashy offensive numbers.

Bowman stepped down from coaching after winning his 10th cup in 2002, but his influence was felt throughout the organization, as Bowman remained with the team as a consultant for nearly six more years.

All good things however, must come to an end. The rumblings started during the season when Toronto came calling, persuading, begging for Bowman to help their team. Bowman denies any meeting ever took place. I have to believe he considered it now. 

Then a couple months ago, we heard rumors that Bowman's son Stan called with an offer to come to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Yes, the Blackhawks. A team that hasn't made the playoffs in years, a team that had been hampered by bad ownership and bad drafting. Those Blackhawks.

But Bowman saw what us Red Wings fans were hoping he didn't see. A chance to work with his son, a chance to help a developing team with some good young pieces—a team that maybe reminds him of the one he took over in Detroit 15 years ago.

We shouldn't be angry. We shouldn't scorn the name of Scotty Bowman. Detroit fans, we should thank him.

Bowman led Detroit's renaissance and made this organization what it is today, not the other way around. Bowman owes Detroit nothing at this point. Detroit owes Bowman almost everything.

Bowman stayed just long enough to see Mike Babcock grow into one of the top coaches in the game—and now, perhaps he realizes his job is done. So like a proud parent, he leaves his team solely in Babcock's hands.

Thanks for everything, Scotty Bowman.