DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings have stayed within the organization to replace the retired Scotty Bowman, promoting Dave Lewis to succeed him as coach of the Stanley Cup champions, a source close to the situation said Monday.

Lewis, who has been an assistant coach with the Red Wings since retiring as a player in 1987, has had the primary responsibility of handling Detroit's defensemen, including two-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom.

Lewis will be formally introduced at a news conference Wednesday, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Bowman ended one of the most successful coaching careers in professional sports when he retired immediately after winning his record ninth Stanley Cup on June 13.

"It's my last game as a coach,'' Bowman said on the ice after the Red Wings beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 in Game 5 to win their third Cup in six years.

Bowman, 68, won five Cups with Montreal and one with Pittsburgh.

Lewis has worked with three head coaches in Detroit. He began in 1987 with Jacques Demers, followed by Bryan Murray and continued with Bowman.

He was a defenseman for 15 years with the New York Islanders, Los Angeles, New Jersey and Detroit.

At the beginning of the 1998-99 season, Lewis shared the head coaching responsibilities with Barry Smith through training camp and the first five regular-season games while Bowman recovered from off-season knee surgery. The Lewis-Smith combination produced a 4-1 record.

A native of Kindersley, Saskatchewan, Lewis was the Islanders' second pick (33rd overall) in the 1973 NHL Entry Draft. He was selected by current Red Wings vice president Jim Devellano, who then served as the Islanders' chief scout.

He played 1,008 regular-season games and recorded 36 goals, 187 assists and 953 penalty minutes. He also appeared in 91 playoff games with one goal, 20 assists and 143 penalty minutes.