Ken Hitchcock and Barry Trotz met, naturally, at a coaching symposium. It was “sometime in the 198os,” Hitchcock says, at the University of Calgary. A couple of young coaches looking to learn and move up the ladder.



“Couldn’t have imagined we’d be where we are now,” Hitchcock said. Of the old friends, Hitchcock reached the 800-win mark first, doing so last season with the Stars. As of Tuesday, in an ugly 5-4 shootout win over the Senators, Trotz has joined the most exclusive coaching club.



There’s Hitchcock just ahead at 843 and counting, the 67-year-old having come out of retirement to try and right the ship of his hometown Oilers. Next is Joel Quenneville, on hiatus now after his successful run with the Hawks that has him at 890 wins for the moment.



Scotty Bowman, of course, sits alone. He has 1,244 wins and nine Stanley Cups as a coach, the man who set the standard for modern coaching and sustained...