# 1997–98 OHL season

The 1997–98 OHL season was the 18th season of the Ontario Hockey League. The Toronto St. Michael's Majors name was reactivated when they are awarded a franchise, to play in the east division. The Detroit Whalers became the Plymouth Whalers. Eighteen teams each played 66 games. The Guelph Storm won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67's.

## Expansion
### Toronto St. Michael's Majors

On August 15, 1996, the Ontario Hockey League announced that the Toronto St. Michael's Majors would join the league as an expansion team, beginning in the 1997–98 season. The Majors would play their home games at Maple Leaf Gardens, in which they shared the arena with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League. The Majors would join the East Division.
Previously, the Toronto St. Michael's Majors were a junior hockey franchise from 1906 to 1962, as they ceased operations at the conclusion of the 1961–62 season. The Majors won the Memorial Cup in 1934, 1945, 1947 and 1961.
The Majors were the first OHL franchise based out of Toronto in eight years, as their previous franchise, the Toronto Marlboros, relocated to Hamilton following the 1988-89 season.

## Rebranding
### Detroit Whalers to Plymouth Whalers

The Detroit Whalers rebranded their team as the Plymouth Whalers during the summer of 1997. The Whalers franchise moved to the Compuware Sports Arena in 1996-97, which is located in Plymouth. The team would retain their current team name and uniforms.

## Realignment

The newest Ontario Hockey League club, the Toronto St. Michael's Majors, joined the East Division. Due to the Majors joining the East, the OHL moved the North Bay Centennials from the East Division to the Central Division, while the Erie Otters moved from the Central Division to the West Division. This created three six-team divisions in the 18 team league.

## Regular season
### Final standings

Note: DIV = Division; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = earned first round bye

### East Division

| Rank | Team | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA |
| 1 | z-Ottawa 67's | 66 | 40 | 17 | 9 | 89 | 286 | 172 |
| 2 | x-Belleville Bulls | 66 | 41 | 22 | 3 | 85 | 315 | 239 |
| 3 | x-Kingston Frontenacs | 66 | 35 | 27 | 4 | 74 | 330 | 275 |
| 4 | x-Oshawa Generals | 66 | 26 | 32 | 8 | 60 | 214 | 247 |
| 5 | x-Peterborough Petes | 66 | 20 | 36 | 10 | 50 | 212 | 273 |
| 6 | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | 66 | 15 | 42 | 9 | 39 | 154 | 265 |

### Central Division

| Rank | Team | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA |
| 1 | z-Guelph Storm | 66 | 42 | 18 | 6 | 90 | 263 | 189 |
| 2 | x-Barrie Colts | 66 | 38 | 23 | 5 | 81 | 236 | 215 |
| 3 | x-Kitchener Rangers | 66 | 27 | 29 | 10 | 64 | 224 | 239 |
| 4 | x-Owen Sound Platers | 66 | 27 | 34 | 5 | 59 | 270 | 312 |
| 5 | x-Sudbury Wolves | 66 | 25 | 34 | 7 | 57 | 257 | 268 |
| 6 | North Bay Centennials | 66 | 15 | 45 | 6 | 36 | 213 | 291 |

### West Division

| Rank | Team | GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA |
| 1 | y-London Knights | 66 | 40 | 21 | 5 | 85 | 301 | 238 |
| 2 | x-Plymouth Whalers | 66 | 37 | 22 | 7 | 81 | 279 | 223 |
| 3 | x-Sarnia Sting | 66 | 32 | 21 | 13 | 77 | 253 | 227 |
| 4 | x-Erie Otters | 66 | 33 | 28 | 5 | 71 | 261 | 252 |
| 5 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | 66 | 20 | 39 | 7 | 47 | 232 | 296 |
| 6 | Windsor Spitfires | 66 | 19 | 42 | 5 | 43 | 261 | 340 |

### Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Peter Sarno | Windsor Spitfires | 64 | 33 | 88 | 121 | 18 |
| Jeremy Adduono | Sudbury Wolves | 66 | 37 | 69 | 106 | 40 |
| David Legwand | Plymouth Whalers | 59 | 54 | 51 | 105 | 56 |
| Maxim Spiridonov | London Knights | 66 | 54 | 44 | 98 | 52 |
| Colin Chaulk | Kingston Frontenacs | 60 | 34 | 52 | 96 | 118 |
| Rob Mailloux | Kingston Frontenacs | 65 | 55 | 40 | 95 | 53 |
| Jay Legault | London Knights | 61 | 39 | 56 | 95 | 87 |
| Chris Allen | Kingston Frontenacs | 66 | 38 | 57 | 95 | 91 |
| Jon Sim | Sarnia Sting | 59 | 44 | 50 | 94 | 95 |
| Justin Papineau | Belleville Bulls | 66 | 41 | 53 | 94 | 34 |

### Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
| Player | Team | GP | Mins | W | L | T | GA | SO | Sv% | GAA |
| Craig Hillier | Ottawa 67's | 46 | 2587 | 27 | 12 | 4 | 108 | 5 | 0.913 | 2.50 |
| Chris Madden | Guelph Storm | 51 | 2906 | 33 | 11 | 3 | 132 | 4 | 0.917 | 2.73 |
| Robert Esche | Plymouth Whalers | 48 | 2810 | 29 | 13 | 4 | 135 | 3 | 0.906 | 2.88 |
| Mike Gorman | Kitchener Rangers | 42 | 2136 | 15 | 13 | 5 | 104 | 1 | 0.924 | 2.92 |
| Brian Finley | Barrie Colts | 41 | 2154 | 23 | 14 | 1 | 105 | 3 | 0.917 | 2.92 |

## Playoffs

| Division quarterfinals | Division quarterfinals | Division quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| C1 | Guelph | bye | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | C1 | Guelph | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | C5 | Sudbury | 0 | | | | | | | |
| C2 | Barrie | 2 | C5 | Sudbury | 0 | | | | | | | |
| C5 | Sudbury | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| C5 | Sudbury | 4 | | | | C1 | Guelph | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | W2 | Plymouth | 0 | | | | |
| E2 | Belleville | 4 | | | | | | | W2 | Plymouth | 0 | | | | |
| E5 | Peterborough | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Peterborough | 0 | E2 | Belleville | 2 | | | | | | | |
| | | | W2 | Plymouth | 4 | | | | | | | |
| W2 | Plymouth | 4 | W2 | Plymouth | 4 | | | | | | | |
| W3 | Sarnia | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| W3 | Sarnia | 1 | | | | | | | | C1 | Guelph | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | E1 | Ottawa | 1 |
| E1 | Ottawa | bye | | | | | | | | | | | E1 | Ottawa | 1 |
| | | | E1 | Ottawa | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | C4 | Owen Sound | 1 | | | | | | | |
| C3 | Kitchener | 2 | C4 | Owen Sound | 1 | | | | | | | |
| C4 | Owen Sound | 4 | | | | | | | | | | |
| C4 | Owen Sound | 4 | | | | E1 | Ottawa | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | W1 | London | 0 | | | | |
| W1 | London | 4 | | | | | | | W1 | London | 0 | | | | |
| W4 | Erie | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| W4 | Erie | 3 | W1 | London | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | E3 | Kingston | 1 | | | | | | | |
| E3 | Kingston | 4 | E3 | Kingston | 1 | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Oshawa | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |

### Division quarter-finals
#### East Division
##### (2) Belleville Bulls vs. (5) Peterborough Petes

* Belleville wins series 4 – 0

##### (3) Kingston Frontenacs vs. (4) Oshawa Generals

* Kingston wins series 4 – 3

#### Central Division
##### (2) Barrie Colts vs. (5) Sudbury Wolves

* Sudbury wins series 4 – 2

##### (3) Kitchener Rangers vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers

* Owen Sound wins series 4 – 2

#### West Division
##### (1) London Knights vs. (4) Erie Otters

* London wins series 4 – 3

##### (2) Plymouth Whalers vs. (3) Sarnia Sting

* Plymouth wins series 4 – 1

### OHL quarter-finals
#### (C1) Guelph Storm vs. (C5) Sudbury Wolves

* Guelph wins series 4 – 0

#### (E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (C4) Owen Sound Platers

* Ottawa wins series 4 – 1

#### (W1) London Knights vs. (E3) Kingston Frontenacs

* London wins series 4 – 1

#### (E2) Belleville Bulls vs. (W2) Plymouth Whalers

* Plymouth wins series 4 – 2

### OHL semi-finals
#### (C1) Guelph Storm vs. (W2) Plymouth Whalers

* Guelph wins series 4 – 0

#### (E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (W1) London Knights

* Ottawa wins series 4 – 0

### OHL finals
#### (C1) Guelph Storm vs. (E1) Ottawa 67's

* Guelph wins series 4 – 1

### Playoff scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Daniel Cleary | Belleville Bulls | 10 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 10 |
| Harold Druken | Plymouth Whalers | 15 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 4 |
| David Legwand | Plymouth Whalers | 15 | 8 | 12 | 30 | 24 |
| Mark Cadotte | London Knights | 16 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 15 |
| Dan Tessier | Ottawa 67's | 14 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 12 |
| Mike Oliviera | Kingston Frontenacs | 12 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 8 |
| Jan Bulis | Kingston Frontenacs | 12 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 12 |
| Matt Zultek | Ottawa 67's | 14 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 20 |
| Troy Stonier | Ottawa 67's | 14 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 |
| Paul Mara | Plymouth Whalers | 15 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 30 |

### Playoff leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
| Player | Team | GP | Mins | W | L | GA | SO | Sv% | GAA |
| Chris Madden | Guelph Storm | 13 | 749 | 12 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 0.939 | 1.84 |
| Steve Valiquette | Erie Otters | 7 | 468 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 1 | 0.944 | 1.92 |
| Seamus Kotyk | Ottawa 67's | 8 | 392 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 0.925 | 2.29 |
| Craig Hillier | Ottawa 67's | 9 | 448 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 0.911 | 2.68 |
| Shawn Gallant | Belleville Bulls | 10 | 602 | 6 | 4 | 29 | 2 | 0.911 | 2.89 |

## All-Star teams
### First team

* David Legwand, Centre, Plymouth Whalers
* Rob Mailloux, Left Wing, Kingston Frontenacs
* Brian Willsie, Right Wing, Guelph Storm
* Chris Allen, Defence, Kingston Frontenacs
* Sean Blanchard, Defence, Ottawa 67's
* Bujar Amidovski, Goaltender, Toronto St. Michael's Majors
* Gary Agnew, Coach, London Knights

### Second team

* Jon Sim, Centre, Sarnia Sting
* Colin Pepperall, Left Wing, Erie Otters
* Maxim Spiridonov, Right Wing, London Knights
* Ric Jackman, Defence, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
* Chris Hajt, Defence, Guelph Storm
* Robert Esche, Goaltender, Plymouth Whalers
* George Burnett, Coach, Guelph Storm

### Third team

* Peter Sarno, Centre, Windsor Spitfires
* Jeremy Adduono, Left Wing, Sudbury Wolves
* Matt Bradley, Right Wing, Kingston Frontenacs
* Jeff Brown, Defence, London Knights
* Brian Campbell, Defence, Ottawa 67's
* Tyrone Garner, Goaltender, Oshawa Generals
* Lou Crawford, Coach, Belleville Bulls

## Awards

| J. Ross Robertson Cup: | Guelph Storm |
| Hamilton Spectator Trophy: | Guelph Storm |
| Leyden Trophy: | Ottawa 67's |
| Emms Trophy: | Guelph Storm |
| Bumbacco Trophy: | London Knights |
| Red Tilson Trophy: | David Legwand, Plymouth Whalers |
| Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy: | Peter Sarno, Windsor Spitfires |
| Matt Leyden Trophy: | Gary Agnew, London Knights |
| Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy: | Maxim Spiridonov, London Knights |
| Max Kaminsky Trophy: | Chris Allen, Kingston Frontenacs |
| OHL Goaltender of the Year: | Bujar Amidovski, Toronto St. Michael's Majors |
| Jack Ferguson Award: | Jay Harrison, Brampton Battalion |
| Dave Pinkney Trophy: | Craig Hillier and Seamus Kotyk, Ottawa 67's |
| OHL Executive of the Year: | Paul McIntosh, London Knights |
| Emms Family Award: | David Legwand, Plymouth Whalers |
| F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy: | Seamus Kotyk, Ottawa 67's |
| OHL Humanitarian of the Year: | Jason Metcalfe, London Knights |
| William Hanley Trophy: | Matt Bradley, Kingston Frontenacs |
| Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy: | Bujar Amidovski, Toronto St. Michael's Majors |
| Bobby Smith Trophy: | Manny Malhotra, Guelph Storm |

## 1998 OHL Priority Selection

On June 6, 1998, the OHL conducted the 1998 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection at the Barrie Molson Centre in Barrie, Ontario. The Brampton Battalion held the first overall pick in the draft, and selected Jay Harrison from the Oshawa Legionaires. Harrison was awarded the Jack Ferguson Award, awarded to the top pick in the draft.
The 1998 draft was the first draft for the newest OHL expansion teams, the Brampton Battalion and Mississauga IceDogs, who would begin to play during the 1998-99 season.
Below are the players who were selected in the first round of the 1998 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection.
| # | Player | Nationality | OHL Team | Hometown | Minor Team |
| 1 | Jay Harrison (D) | Canada | Brampton Battalion | Whitby, Ontario | Oshawa Legionaires |
| 2 | Lou Dickenson (LW) | Canada | Mississauga IceDogs | Orleans, Ontario | Ottawa South Canadians |
| 3 | Chris Eade (D) | Canada | North Bay Centennials | Oshawa, Ontario | Oshawa Legionaires |
| 4 | Mark Popovic (D) | Canada | Toronto St. Michael's Majors | Stoney Creek, Ontario | Mississauga Chargers |
| 5 | Dan Growden (D) | Canada | Windsor Spitfires | Bridgenorth, Ontario | Peterborough Petes Bantam |
| 6 | Derek Fox (D) | Canada | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | Thunder Bay, Ontario | Quinte Hawks |
| 7 | Aaron Molnar (G) | Canada | Peterborough Petes | Dorchester, Ontario | St. Thomas Stars |
| 8 | Corey Sabourin (D) | Canada | Sudbury Wolves | Orleans, Ontario | Cumberland Grads |
| 9 | Chris Minard (C) | Canada | Owen Sound Platers | Owen Sound, Ontario | Owen Sound Greys |
| 10 | Jonah Leroux (LW) | Canada | Oshawa Generals | Williamstown, Ontario | Char-Lan Rebels |
| 11 | Mike Wehrestedt (RW) | Canada | Kitchener Rangers | Thunder Bay, Ontario | Thunder Bay Kings |
| 12 | Brad Boyes (RW) | Canada | Erie Otters | Mississauga, Ontario | Mississauga Rebels |
| 13 | Brett Clouthier (RW) | Canada | Kingston Frontenacs | Arnprior, Ontario | Kanata Lasers |
| 14 | Ryan Hare (C) | Canada | Sarnia Sting | Sarnia, Ontario | Sarnia Legionnaires |
| 15 | Kristopher Vernarsky (C) | United States | Plymouth Whalers | Warren, Michigan | USA U18 |
| 16 | Darryl Bootland (RW) | Canada | Barrie Colts | Schomberg, Ontario | Orangeville Crushers |
| 17 | Bobby Turner (D) | Canada | London Knights | Stoney Creek, Ontario | Quinte Hawks |
| 18 | Kris Newbury (C) | Canada | Belleville Bulls | Brampton, Ontario | Brampton Capitals |
| 19 | Luke Sellars (D) | Canada | Ottawa 67's | Pickering, Ontario | Wexford Raiders |
| 20 | Matthew Rock (D) | Canada | Guelph Storm | Fergus, Ontario | Elmira Sugar Kings |