Bowman’s Red Wings alumni team to face off vs. Quinn’s Leafs

Detroit, MI, United States (4E Sports) – Scotty Bowman, the winningest coach in NHL history, will coach the Detroit Red Wings alumni team as it goes up against the Toronto Maple Leafs alumni squad Dec. 31 during the NHL Winter Festival at Comerica Park.

Bowman, who has 1,244 career wins, and coached the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup wins in 1997, 1998 and 2002. He will have Barry Smith as his assistant against Pat Quinn and Red Kelly, who will coach the Maple Leafs.

A former Red Wing, Kelly won eight Stanley Cups and was the first recipient of the Norris Trophy as top defenseman. He coached the Maple Leafs to four consecutive playoff appearances from 1973-77.

Quinn, who coached the Maple Leafs from 1998 to 2004, is the NHL’s fourth winningest coach of all time with 684 victories in 1,400 games. He led Team Canada to a gold medal in the 2002 Olympics and a 2004 World Cup victory.

Earlier, Quinn said he hoping to get back into the NHL in a role similar to Bowman, who works for the Chicago Blackhawks as a senior advisor to hockey operations.

“I miss making a contribution somehow and I don’t know if that will happen again, but I would certainly be open-minded,” Quinn said. “I like what’s happening to Scotty because you still have to have that feeling of doing something of self-importance.”

Expected to see action for the Maple Leafs alumni are Mats Sundin, Tie Domi, Darryl Sittler, Rick Vaive, Darcy Tucker, Felix Potvin, Mike Palmateer, Dave Andreychuk, Doug Gilmour, Curtis Joseph, Johnny Bower, Wendel Clark, Jim McKenny, Kevin Maguire and Ron Ellis.

Red Wings alumni who plan to play include Mickey Redmond, John Ogrodnick, Luc Robitaille, Chris Chelios, Larry Murphy, Mark Howe, Chris Osgood and Mike Vernon, and all four members of Detroit’s infamous “Grind Line” — Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Darren McCarty and Joey Kocur. Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio and Gordie Howe are expected to make appearances but not play.

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