Scotty Bowman

Red Fisher, the Living Legend of Sports Journalism, is tanned, rested and ready to offer some thoughts on Scotty Bowman joining the Chicago front office:

"... while the Sundin story is all about money, Bowman's is all about family. It's about what really matters. It's about Scotty's son, Stan, 35, who's entering his second season as assistant general manager in Chicago. It's about a father supporting his son on the ice - and a lot more off it."

•  •  •

Jack's back. 

Todd advises Canadiens fans to temper their enthusiasm if they think the addition of Mats Sundin would clinch the Cup. But he thinks the team will be better regardless.

Even without Sundin, the Canadiens are, on paper, one of the top five or six teams in the league - and they do need another impact forward to get over the hump and stage another parade. (It says here that they also need another stud defenceman and they will have to pray that Carey Price's psyche wasn't permanently damaged by the roughing-up he suffered in the playoffs but that's another story.)

How do you spell relief?

N-O-L-E-A-F-S

Better Saturdays may be in store for long-suffering Hockey Night in Canada viewers who yearn to see teams not wearing blue and white jerseys.

William Houston reports in the Globe and Mail that Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson are moving east to become HNIC's primary broadcast crew, and the national telecast "will not always involve the Toronto Maple Leafs, as it has in the past. If the Leafs struggle through a losing season, which is expected, the CBC's distribution of their games could be limited to Ontario.

"Hughson and Simpson would call a national game involving the Ottawa Senators or Montreal Canadiens. Cole and Millen would announce the Leafs' telecast in Ontario."

•  •  •

Well, it's August 1 and this just in from Stockholm:

One of the most astute men in the history of hockey is bringing his smarts to the Windy City.

In another step in the ongoing revival of one of the NHL's great franchises, Scotty Bowman has been hired by the Blackhawks, who also employ Bowman's son, Stan.

"This is a great day," said Chicago general manager Dale Tallon. "It's an historic day for our franchise. (Scotty's) arguably the greatest coach in the history of the game and a great man. He'll take us where we need to go."