DETROIT, July 17 (UPI) -- The defending Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings Wednesday promoted long-time assistant Dave Lewis to coach to replace legendary coach Scotty Bowman, who won a record nine Stanley Cup titles, including three with Detroit.
"Nine years as an assistant under Scotty is like getting a degree from Harvard," said Red Wings All-Star defenseman Chris Chelios. "I think it would have been tough to bring in somebody from the outside with the group of guys we have, and with Lewie, we won't have to change the system. I think it's going to work out fine."
The 49-year-old Lewis started his coaching career as an assistant with the Red Wings in 1987 under Jacques Demers, followed by Bryan Murray and Bowman. He has no previous experience as a head coach, excluding a five-game stint at the start of the 1998-99 season that he co-coached with Barry Smith while Bowman recovered from surgery.
Despite waiting more than a month to name a coach, Red Wings general manager Ken Holland acknowledged that the decision on a coach was always between Lewis and Smith, a Red Wings assistant for the last nine seasons.
"I just felt Dave was the man for our hockey club," Holland said. "He knows our team. He knows our players."
Smith will remain as an associate coach and former Red Wings player Joey Kocur was named as an assistant by Lewis.
With most of the key players back from last season, the Red Wings are expected to contend for another Stanley Cup title. The one major change will be in goal where free agent Curtis Joseph replaces the retired Dominik Hasek.
After a 15-year NHL career as a defenseman, Lewis primarily focused on the Red Wings' defensive corps as an assistant. His other duties included video work in scouting opponents. Lewis and Smith often were in charge of running practices the last few years for Bowman.
Lewis played in 1,008 NHL games with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles, New Jersey and Detroit and had 36 goals, 187 assists and 953 penalty minutes.
