Bowman Skates Around Retirement Query

DETROIT —  Although Detroit Red Wing Coach Scotty Bowman has won eight Stanley Cup rings--seven as a coach and one as an executive--he doesn’t consider himself even with all-time Cup coaching leader Toe Blake, who won eight Cups with the Montreal Canadiens from 1955-56 through 1967-68.

Bowman revered Blake, who was coaching the Canadiens when Bowman was a junior coach but took time to advise him then and after he was appointed coach of the Canadiens in 1971. “He coached 13 years and he won eight Cups. I don’t think anybody is going to do that,” said Bowman, who became the only coach in NHL history to win the Cup with three franchises--Detroit, Montreal and Pittsburgh. “In the era of six teams, there were always one or two teams that weren’t very good but there were always three or four that had a chance to win.”

Bowman invoked Blake’s name when asked if, as is widely rumored, he will step down. “My idol in coaching was Toe Blake and he won his last game,” Bowman said, referring to Blake’s retirement after winning the Cup in 1968. “I’ll have a tough decision in the next few weeks.”

If this was his farewell after 25 seasons, he found a unique way to exit: For the first time in his career, he laced on his skates to take a short lap with the Cup. “We all enjoyed that,” center Steve Yzerman said.

Said Bowman: “I always wanted to be a player in the NHL and skate with the Cup. How many chances do you get?”

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Flyer Coach Terry Murray tried to mend the damage he caused by describing his team as being “in a choking situation,” but his players seemed more sullen than motivated Saturday morning.

Although Murray attempted to clarify his meaning in talks with players such as alternate captain Eric Desjardins, his choice or words still rankled.

“I was very direct,” Desjardins said. “It’s basically true, but you [reporters] could say it. Coming from the coach, it’s difficult to take.”

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The Flyers were without center Dale Hawerchuk and defenseman Paul Coffey Saturday because both were still suffering from concussions.

Hawerchuk, injured on a hit by Vladimir Konstantinov in Game 3, skated briefly Friday and Saturday but was too dizzy to continue. Coffey, who was hurt in Game 2 and missed Game 3, flew to Detroit on Saturday and stood behind the bench to support his teammates.