Boudreau reached the 500-win plateau in his 837th game behind the bench, taking just 12 more games than Bowman did. Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who was the second-fastest prior to Boudreau, got there in 895 games.
Perhaps the most impressive part of Boudreau's milestone is that it's come with three different teams -- two of which he took over midseason because those clubs had previously underachieved.
"I've been lucky enough to take over some teams that didn't have a good record when I took them over, but they had the potential to be really good," Boudreau said.
But as he is with just about everything concerned with his own personal statistics, Boudreau did his best to make sure few knew the number was coming.
Asked about it after the game Saturday, Wild forward Jason Zucker said he had no idea.
Eric Staal said knew the figure was on the horizon. A long-time adversary of Boudreau in the Southeast Division, when Boudreau coached the Washington Capitals and he captained the Carolina Hurricanes, Staal has been on the business end of more than a few of those 500 wins.
"He's got a passion for winning," Staal said. "He pushes guys to make sure they're at their best regardless of the night. I'm not surprised he's had as many wins as he has during his career because playing against him, his teams are always tough to play against."
Staal said he credits Boudreau for some of his career resurgence the past couple of years in Minnesota. Before he had ever coached a game for the Wild, Boudreau was a part of the team of people that helped recruit Staal to the club.
Part of his pitch was his belief that Staal still had the ability to be a top-line centerman, a belief that wasn't shared by many others around the NHL.
"I can't say enough good things," Staal said. "All around, talking to him that summer, signing and then adding myself to the mix with this team and then Bruce putting me in positions to help me be successful. He's been a huge help to put my career back on track to the way I wanted it to go."
Of course, Staal has done what Boudreau still dreams of one day doing; hoisting the Stanley Cup.
And while Boudreau and Bowman have had their names intertwined on any number of all-time wins lists, Boudreau admits the legendary bench boss of the Canadiens, Penguins and Red Wings still has him where it matters.
Bowman won a record nine Cups as a coach while Boudreau is still searching for No. 1. It's a quest that drives him every day when he comes to the rink.
"I would trade every one of the wins for a chance to win the Stanley Cup," Boudreau said. "That's my life's goal, so hopefully one of these days it'll come true."
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- Watch: Zucker scores 30th goal
- Watch: Niederreiter buries rebound try
- Watch: Eriksson Ek scores off scramble
- Bruce Bites: On Winnipeg, scoreboard watching and going stir crazy
