"Travelling's even worse for guys like me": 91-year-old Scotty Bowman set to attend Game 1 of Stanley Cup Final to support his son

By ARJUN B

Modified Jun 04, 2025 06:36 GMT

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At 91 years old, NHL legend Scotty Bowman is set to attend Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday to support his son Stan, general manager of the Edmonton Oilers. Although traveling is difficult at his age, Scotty hitched a ride to Toronto and caught a flight to Edmonton to watch at least one game in person.

"He wanted me to watch one game," Scotty Bowman said of Stan's encouragement to have his father there. "You never know when you're going to be back at these situations. Traveling's not easy for anybody. It's even worse for guys like me."

The Bowmans have built a remarkable legacy with 17 Stanley Cup wins to their name. Scotty secured 14 titles through his storied career behind the bench and in the front office, while Stan captured three more as Chicago’s GM, with guidance from his father, who served as a senior advisor.

Now they look to add to that total as Edmonton faces the Florida Panthers in a rematch of last year's Final.

Scotty has watched every game of this year's playoffs and sees a tight series ahead between two evenly matched teams.

"I've seen all the games that both teams have played, and it's pretty tight," Scotty Bowman assessed. "I think that you've got a real tough series coming up."

Though he's been through this many times before, Scotty acknowledges this Cup Final is still exciting for the Bowman family.

“Naturally, I’ve been through it a lot. But his brothers and sisters and my wife, they get excited… Some are young enough that they weren’t around when I was still in the game. It’s exciting for the family.” Scotty said.

Scotty's wife and Stan's siblings are eager to watch history unfold and support their accomplished father and brother.

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Stan Bowman reflects on his father Scotty Bowman

Stan Bowman has the rare privilege of having his father by his side for the Stanley Cup Final. Stan spent his childhood at the rink, learning the game by watching his dad in action and hearing his insights.

"He's like a walking encyclopedia of just so many things. His memory is incredible for the detail of the game, so that's something that I've enjoyed my whole life, and I've been fortunate," said Stan.

Stan said that Scotty has likely watched more hockey than anyone and still catches every game. While he doesn’t give feedback on every match, their conversations provide valuable insights that Stan reflects on and shares with the coaches.