Former Red Wings Coach Bowman Saddened by Mnatsakanov Death

Scotty Bowman would coach the Detroit Red Wings to a trio of Stanley Cup titles. Of the three, perhaps his best work came during the 1997-98 season.

He was able to keep the team in focus and driven to repeat as champions even after the loss of all-star defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov and team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov to brain injuries. Both were badly injured in a limousine crash that took place just days after Detroit won the 1996-97 Stanley Cup.

Mnatsakanov died recently in Florida at the age of 71. Bowman, who spends his winters in the Sunshine State, remained good friends with Mnatsakanov following the accident.

The Detroit Red Wings are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former team masseur Sergei Mnatsakanov. Sergei was a member of the 1997 Stanley Cup Championship team that brought the first Stanley Cup to Hockeytown in 42 years.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife,… pic.twitter.com/AaPYjJjM4X

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) August 24, 2024

“It’s very sad,” Bowman told writer Igor Rabiner of Russian website Sport-Express. “I had a lot of affection for Sergei and I have a lot of affection for his wonderful family, who (after the 1997 car accident) had a difficult life. They are good friends of mine.

“He leaves behind two sons, one who still lives in Detroit (Artem) and the other (Max), I believe, who teaches hockey to kids in Florida.”

Artem Mnatsakanov would serve as assistant coach of the Detroit Jr. Red Wings team at the 2023-24 Quebec Peewee Tournament. The head coach of that club was former Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood.

“Sergei was a great massage therapist, all the players loved him, and he always had a smile on his face,” Bowman said. “He was a happy man at the Red Wings.”

Red Wings Limousine Tragedy Could’ve Been Worse

As tragic as the loss of Konstantinov and Mnatsakanov was to the team, the fact of the matter is that the carnage could’ve been even more devastating.

Defenseman Slava Fetisov was also in the limousine, which was leaving a Red Wings golf outing. He would suffer non-life threatening injuires. Fetisov would return to the ice with the 1997-98 Red Wings.

“(Sergei) and Vladi Konstantinov were sitting on one side of that limousine, Slava Fetisov – on the other,” Bowman explained, before exclaiming with horror while pondering what might have been.

“Oh my God . . . Igor Larionov was also going to go with them to play golf, and in that case he could have ended up in the same limousine.”

Instead, Larionov’s children would convince their dad to take them swimming. He took a pass on attending the team golf outing.