Bowman Wants Time Before Deciding Whether to Return

Scotty Bowman would have a chance to break the record for most Stanley Cup titles in NHL history if he returned as coach of the Detroit Red Wings next season.

But Wednesday, a day after his Red Wings had swept the Washington Capitals to give Bowman a record-tying eighth Stanley Cup championship, he was unwilling to guarantee he would be back.

Bowman has a year remaining on his contract and almost the entire Red Wing team is expected to return next season. But he is 64 years old and has strong family ties that could be tugging him home. Plus, if there were ever a good time to leave the game, riding out on a high note, this might be it.

General Manager Ken Holland thinks Bowman will stay. Bowman, when asked, said he was undecided.

“I’m going to talk it over with Kenny Holland, the manager, who I made a deal with to sign for two years, and also the owner, Mr. Illitch,” Bowman said. “It’s going to be a tough decision not to come back, I realize that. But I’ve got to leave sometime.”

Still, Bowman would have Detroit standouts Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan and Sergei Fedorov returning for an attempt at a third consecutive Red Wing Stanley Cup title if he came back.

The only key player who might not be back is defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov, who is 40. But even Fetisov has hinted at another year or two.

And with Yzerman, the captain, Bowman knows he won’t have any locker-room rebellions. Yzerman plans on being around at least five more years.

“After last season I thought about how much longer I wanted to play and that was my 15th season in the league and I want to play 20,” said Yzerman, the most valuable player of the finals. “So I would like to play five more.”

Whatever his decision, Bowman’s achievements are extraordinary. He has a 1,057-483-278 record in 26 seasons and a 194-111 mark in the playoffs. He has won five titles with Montreal, two with Detroit and one with Pittsburgh.

The coach’s methods are not always fun for his players. He can be manipulative, distant and infuriating.

“He uses a different way, and guys understand that,” forward Martin Lapointe said. “He’s always keeping you on the edge. He forces you to challenge yourself.”

So would Bowman come back for a Red Wing three-peat attempt? Don’t bet against it.

“I want to make sure that I leave at the right time when I do leave,” Bowman said.

Meanwhile, the city of Detroit has scheduled a parade for this morning to honor the Red Wings.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins traded backup goalie Ken Wregget and left wing Dave Roche to the Calgary Flames for centers German Titov and Todd Hlushko.

Wregget, 34, was 3-6-2 with a 2.75 goals-against average in 15 games last season. He spent 6 1/2 seasons with the Penguins following a 1992 trade with the Philadelphia Flyers.

“At the conclusion of the season we said that goaltending was an area that we needed to address immediately,” Flames General Manager Al Coates said. “The acquisition of Ken Wregget provides us with more options and more importantly, with a proven goalie who has won consistently in the NHL.”

Roche spent last season with Syracuse in the American Hockey League, finishing with 12 goals, 20 assists and 307 penalty minutes in 72 games. He appeared in 132 NHL games with Pittsburgh the previous two seasons.

Titov, a native of Russia, had 18 goals and 22 assists in 68 games for Calgary last season.

Hlushko had an assist in 13 games with Calgary, and 10 goals and 14 assists with St. John of the AHL.