Stanley Cup 1998 | Coaching

Spotlight on the Stanley Cup: Coaching

Detroit
Scotty Bowman could have never decided to coach in Detroit five years ago and he would right now be enshrined in the Hall of Fame. But he did, and now Bowman, arguably the greatest coach in NHL history, has his team on the verge of becoming the first repeat Stanley Cup champion since the Penguins accomplished the feat in 1992 - under Bowman's tutelage. Bowman has won cups with three teams and is gunning for his eighth overall, which would tie him with his coaching idol Toe Blake for tops on the NHL all-time list. He has done a masterful job stressing the importance of sacrificing points for defense to his star forwards and they have listened. Why shouldn't they?

Washington
Ron Wilson has been a master motivator in his first year as coach of the Washington Capitals. His laid-back, player-friendly style sometimes masks the fact that he is truly an expert in the X's and O's of the game. He has instilled an air of confidence in the Capitals, getting the team past its label as playoff choke artists, and has them believing in themselves and his system. Though he has no Stanley Cup wins on his resume, Wilson did lead the United States to its emotional win over Canada in the 1996 World Cup.

Advantage: Detroit