
Glass and Out Coaching Legend Scotty Bowman: A hockey history lesson, Dick Irvin practice tips and tactics for today's game
Mar 18, 2026
Scotty Bowman, legendary coach with nine Stanley Cups and NHL’s wins leader, shares hockey history and coaching lore. He recalls Forum nights, Dick Irvin practice drills, adapting tactics across eras, integrating Russian players, and rule changes that shaped today’s fast game. Short, vivid stories and practical practice tips bring old-school wisdom to modern strategy.
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Verdun Rinks Built A Hockey Lifelong Habit
- Growing up in Verdun gave Bowman four months of outdoor ice and daily pickup hockey from childhood through his teens.
- He skated every weekend from 8 a.m. until dark, won a provincial midget championship in 1947, and still keeps those early trophies.
Learning Practices By Watching Dick Irvin
- Scotty Bowman watched Dick Irvin's Montreal Canadiens practices three days a week, taking notes and copying drills into his own sessions.
- He brought his lunch to the Forum, sat alone behind the glass, and left early to get to his warehouse job, learning by observation while coaching juniors.
Copy Useful Drills From Better Teams
- Do copy and adapt effective drills you observe from higher-level teams into your own practices.
- Bowman routinely took a few Canadiens drills he watched and used them with his junior and park teams to improve practices quickly.





