Bowman became the league's most successful coach over his 30 years of coaching with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the playoffs.

He won a record 9 Stanley Cups with Montreal Canadiens (1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979), Pittsburgh Penguins (1992) and Detroit Red Wings (1997, 1998 and 2002).

He won the Jack Adams Award in 1977 and 1996. In the 1976-1977 season he won a record 60 games then, in 1996, won 62, breaking his own record for regular season wins.

Bowman decided in February 2002 that he would retire at the end of the season and he went out as a winner as his Red Wings won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. It was after the presentation of the Cup on the ice that Bowman publicly announced his retirement from coaching. 

In 2012, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada" for his contributions to hockey as a coach and mentor".