# 1997–98 IHL season

The 1997–98 IHL season was the 53rd season of the International Hockey League, a North American minor professional league. 18 teams participated in the regular season, and the Chicago Wolves won the Turner Cup. Gordie Howe came out of retirement to play one shift for the Detroit Vipers in the middle of this season.

## Regular season
### Eastern Conference

| Central Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts |
| Fort Wayne Komets | 82 | 47 | 29 | 0 | 6 | 270 | 243 | 100 |
| Cincinnati Cyclones | 82 | 40 | 30 | 0 | 12 | 275 | 254 | 92 |
| Indianapolis Ice | 82 | 40 | 36 | 0 | 6 | 245 | 261 | 86 |
| Cleveland Lumberjacks | 82 | 35 | 37 | 0 | 10 | 228 | 262 | 80 |
| Michigan K-Wings | 82 | 36 | 39 | 0 | 7 | 223 | 261 | 79 |
| Northeast Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts |
| Detroit Vipers | 82 | 47 | 20 | 0 | 15 | 267 | 232 | 109 |
| Orlando Solar Bears | 82 | 42 | 30 | 0 | 10 | 258 | 251 | 94 |
| Grand Rapids Griffins | 82 | 38 | 31 | 0 | 13 | 225 | 242 | 89 |
| Québec Rafales | 82 | 27 | 48 | 0 | 7 | 211 | 292 | 61 |

### Western Conference

| Midwest Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts |
| Chicago Wolves | 82 | 55 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 301 | 258 | 113 |
| Kansas City Blades | 82 | 41 | 29 | 0 | 12 | 269 | 258 | 94 |
| Milwaukee Admirals | 82 | 43 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 267 | 262 | 91 |
| Manitoba Moose | 82 | 39 | 36 | 0 | 7 | 269 | 254 | 85 |
| Southwest Division | GP | W | L | T | OTL | GF | GA | Pts |
| Long Beach Ice Dogs | 82 | 53 | 20 | 0 | 9 | 282 | 210 | 115 |
| Houston Aeros | 82 | 50 | 22 | 0 | 10 | 268 | 214 | 110 |
| Utah Grizzlies | 82 | 47 | 27 | 0 | 8 | 276 | 234 | 102 |
| Las Vegas Thunder | 82 | 33 | 39 | 0 | 10 | 260 | 305 | 76 |
| San Antonio Dragons | 82 | 25 | 49 | 0 | 8 | 233 | 334 | 58 |

## Awards

1998 IHL awards :
| Turner Cup | Chicago Wolves |
| Fred A. Huber Trophy: (Best regular-season record) | Long Beach Ice Dogs |
| Frank Gallagher Trophy: (Eastern Conference playoff champion) | Detroit Vipers |
| Ken Ullyot Trophy: (Western Conference playoff champion) | Chicago Wolves |
| Comeback Player of the Year Award: | Mike Tomlak, Milwaukee Admirals |
| Commissioner's Trophy: (Best coach) | John Torchetti, Fort Wayne Komets |
| Gary F. Longman Memorial Trophy: (Best first-year player) | Todd White, Indianapolis Ice |
| Governor's Trophy: (Best defenceman) | Dan Lambert, Long Beach Ice Dogs |
| I. John Snider, II Trophy: (Leadership and humanitarian contribution) | Rod Miller, Utah Grizzlies |
| Ironman Award: (Best two-way player over 82 games) | Doug Ast, Long Beach Ice Dogs |
| James Gatschene Memorial Trophy: (Most valuable player, regular season) | Patrice Lefebvre, Las Vegas Thunder |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: (Goaltenders with lowest GAA) | Mike Buzak and Kay Whitmore, Long Beach Ice Dogs |
| Ken McKenzie Trophy: (Best U.S.-born first-year player) | Eric Nickulas, Orlando Solar Bears |
| Leo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy: (Player with most points) | Patrice Lefebvre, Las Vegas Thunder |
| Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy: (Most valuable player, playoffs) | Alexander Semak, Chicago Wolves |

## Turner Cup-Playoffs

| Turner Cup-1/8 Finals | Turner Cup-1/8 Finals | Turner Cup-1/8 Finals | | | Turner Cup-Quarterfinals | Turner Cup-Quarterfinals | Turner Cup-Quarterfinals | Turner Cup-Semifinals | Turner Cup-Semifinals | Turner Cup-Semifinals | | Turner Cup-Final | Turner Cup-Final | Turner Cup-Final |
| E1 | Detroit Vipers | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E8 | Michigan K-Wings | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E8 | Michigan K-Wings | 1 | | | E1 | Detroit Vipers | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E4 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 2 | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 3 | | | E4 | Cincinnati Cyclones | 2 | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Grand Rapids Griffins | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Grand Rapids Griffins | 0 | | | | | | E1 | Detroit Vipers | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E1 | Detroit Vipers | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E3 | Orlando Solar Bears | 2 | | | | |
| E3 | Orlando Solar Bears | 3 | | | | | | | | | E3 | Orlando Solar Bears | 2 | | | | |
| E6 | Indianapolis Ice | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E6 | Indianapolis Ice | 2 | | | E3 | Orlando Solar Bears | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E7 | Cleveland Lumberjacks | 2 | | | | | | | |
| E2 | Fort Wayne Komets | 1 | | | E7 | Cleveland Lumberjacks | 2 | | | | | | | |
| E7 | Cleveland Lumberjacks | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E7 | Cleveland Lumberjacks | 3 | | | | | | | | | | E1 | Detroit Vipers | 3 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | W2 | Chicago Wolves | 4 |
| W1 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | W2 | Chicago Wolves | 4 |
| W8 | Las Vegas Thunder | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W8 | Las Vegas Thunder | 1 | | | W1 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | W5 | Kansas City Blades | 3 | | | | | | | |
| W4 | Utah Grizzlies | 1 | | | W5 | Kansas City Blades | 3 | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Kansas City Blades | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Kansas City Blades | 3 | | | | | | W1 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | 2 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W1 | Long Beach Ice Dogs | 2 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W2 | Chicago Wolves | 4 | | | | |
| W2 | Chicago Wolves | 3 | | | | | | | | | W2 | Chicago Wolves | 4 | | | | |
| W7 | Manitoba Moose | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W7 | Manitoba Moose | 0 | | | W2 | Chicago Wolves | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | W6 | Milwaukee Admirals | 2 | | | | | | | |
| W3 | Houston Aeros | 1 | | | W6 | Milwaukee Admirals | 2 | | | | | | | |
| W6 | Milwaukee Admirals | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |