1996-97 NHL season

The 1996-97 NHL season was the 80th regular season of the National Hockey League. Twenty-six teams each played 82 games. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings, who swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games and won the Stanley Cup for the first time in 42 years.
==League Business==
This was the first season for the Phoenix Coyotes, who had relocated from Winnipeg, Manitoba and had previously been known as the Winnipeg Jets. 
On March 25, 1997, the Hartford Whalers announced that they would move from Connecticut following the 1996-97 season. Starting in the 1997-98 NHL season, they were known as the Carolina Hurricanes.
The 1996-97 season marked the retirement of Craig MacTavish, the last active NHL player who played without a protective helmet. He had been grandfathered under the old rule requiring them to be worn because he had signed a pro contract before the rule was established.
==Regular season==
The Boston Bruins recorded the league's worst record, missing the playoffs for the first time in thirty seasons and ending the longest consecutive playoff streak ever recorded in the history of North American professional sport.
===Final standings===
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
 Eastern Conference
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Team	W 	L 	T 	GF 	GA	Pts
Buffalo Sabres 	40 	30	12	237	208	92	
Pittsburgh Penguins	38 	36	8 	285	280	84	
Ottawa Senators 	31 	36	15	249	276	77	
Montreal Canadiens 	31 	36	15	249	276	77	
Hartford Whalers 	32 	39	11	226	256	75	
Boston Bruins 	26 	47	9 	234	300	61	
 Western Conference
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Team	W 	L 	T 	GF 	GA 	Pts
Dallas Stars 	48 	26	8 	252	198	104	
Detroit Red Wings 	38 	26	18	253	197	94 	
Phoenix Coyotes 	38 	37	7 	240	243	83 	
St. Louis Blues 	36 	35	11	236	239	83 	
Chicago Blackhawks 	34 	35	13	223	210	81 	
Toronto Maple Leafs	30 	44	8 	230	273	68 	
===Scoring leaders===
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	PTS
Mario Lemieux 	Pittsburgh 	76	50	72	122
Teemu Selanne 	Anaheim 	78	51	58	109
Paul Kariya 	Anaheim 	69	44	55	99
John LeClair 	Philadelphia 	82	50	47	97
Wayne Gretzky 	NY Rangers 	82	25	72	97
Jaromir Jagr 	Pittsburgh 	63	47	48	95
Mats Sundin 	Toronto 	82	41	53	94
Zigmund Palffy 	NY Islanders 	80	48	42	90
Ron Francis 	Pittsburgh 	81	27	63	90
Brendan Shanahan	Hartford/Detroit	81	47	41	88
==Stanley Cup playoffs==
===Playoff bracket===
===Conference quarterfinals===
====Eastern Conference====
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" 	Montreal vs. New Jersey 	Montreal vs. New Jersey 	Montreal vs. New Jersey 	Montreal vs. New Jersey
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 17 	Montreal 2 	5 New Jersey 	 	
April 19 	Montreal 1 	4 New Jersey 	 	
April 22 	New Jersey 6 	4 Montreal 	 	
April 24 	New Jersey 3 	4 Montreal 	3OT 	
April 26 	Montreal 0 	4 New Jersey 	 	
New Jersey wins series 4–1	New Jersey wins series 4–1	New Jersey wins series 4–1	New Jersey wins series 4–1	
====Western Conference====
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Chicago vs. Colorado 	Chicago vs. Colorado 	Chicago vs. Colorado 	Chicago vs. Colorado
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 16 	Chicago 0 	6 Colorado 	 	
April 18 	Chicago 1 	3 Colorado 	 	
April 20 	Colorado 3 	4 Chicago 	2OT 	
April 22 	Colorado 3 	6 Chicago 	 	
April 24 	Chicago 0 	7 Colorado 	 	
April 26 	Colorado 6 	3 Chicago 	 	
Colorado wins series 4–2	Colorado wins series 4–2	Colorado wins series 4–2	Colorado wins series 4–2	
===Conference semifinals===
 Eastern Conference
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" 	NY Rangers vs. New Jersey 	NY Rangers vs. New Jersey 	NY Rangers vs. New Jersey 	NY Rangers vs. New Jersey
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 2 	NY Rangers 0 	2 New Jersey 	 	
May 4 	NY Rangers 2 	0 New Jersey 	 	
May 6 	New Jersey 2 	3 NY Rangers 	 	
May 8 	New Jersey 0 	3 NY Rangers 	 	
May 11 	NY Rangers 2 	1 New Jersey 	OT 	
NY Rangers win series 4–1	NY Rangers win series 4–1	NY Rangers win series 4–1	NY Rangers win series 4–1	
 Western Conference
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Edmonton vs. Colorado 	Edmonton vs. Colorado 	Edmonton vs. Colorado 	Edmonton vs. Colorado
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 2 	Edmonton 1 	5 Colorado 	 	
May 4 	Edmonton 1 	4 Colorado 	 	
May 7 	Colorado 3 	4 Edmonton 	 	
May 9 	Colorado 3 	2 Edmonton 	OT 	
May 11 	Edmonton 3 	Colorado 4 	 	
Colorado wins series 4–1	Colorado wins series 4–1	Colorado wins series 4–1	Colorado wins series 4–1	
===Conference finals===
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" 	NY Rangers vs. Philadelphia 	NY Rangers vs. Philadelphia 	NY Rangers vs. Philadelphia 	NY Rangers vs. Philadelphia
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 16 	NY Rangers 1 	3 Philadelphia 	 	
May 18 	NY Rangers 5 	4 Philadelphia 	 	
May 20 	Philadelphia 6 	3 NY Rangers 	 	
May 23 	Philadelphia 3 	2 NY Rangers 	 	
May 25 	NY Rangers 2 	4 Philadelphia 	 	
Philadelphia wins series 4–1and Prince of Wales Trophy	Philadelphia wins series 4–1and Prince of Wales Trophy	Philadelphia wins series 4–1and Prince of Wales Trophy	Philadelphia wins series 4–1and Prince of Wales Trophy	
===Stanley Cup final===
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" 	Detroit vs. Philadelphia 	Detroit vs. Philadelphia 	Detroit vs. Philadelphia 	Detroit vs. Philadelphia
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 31 	Detroit 4 	2 Philadelphia 	 	
June 3 	Detroit 4 	2 Philadelphia 	 	
June 5 	Philadelphia 1 	6 Detroit 	 	
June 7 	Philadelphia 1 	2 Detroit 	 	
Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup	Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup	Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup	Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup	
Mike Vernon (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Mike Vernon (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Mike Vernon (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Mike Vernon (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	
===Scoring leaders===
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
Player 	Team	GP	G 	A 	Pts
Eric Lindros 	Phi 	19	12	14	26
Joe Sakic 	Col 	17	8 	17	25
Claude Lemieux 	Col 	17	13	10	23
Valeri Kamensky 	Col 	17	8 	14	22
Rod Brind'Amour 	Phi 	19	13	8 	21
John LeClair 	Phi 	19	9 	12	21
Wayne Gretzky 	NYR 	15	10	10	20
Sergei Fedorov 	Det 	20	8 	12	20
Brendan Shanahan 	Det 	20	9 	8 	17
Peter Forsberg 	Col 	14	5 	12	17
Sandis Ozolinsh 	Col 	17	4 	13	17
Vyacheslav Kozlov	Det 	20	8 	5 	13
Paul Kariya 	Ana 	11	7 	6 	13
Steve Yzerman 	Det 	20	7 	6 	13
Janne Niinimaa 	Phi 	19	1 	12	13
==NHL Awards==
The NHL Awards presentation took place on June 19, 1997.
Presidents' Trophy: 	Colorado Avalanche
Prince of Wales Trophy: 	Philadelphia Flyers
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: 	Detroit Red Wings
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: 	Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:	Tony Granato, San Jose Sharks
Calder Memorial Trophy: 	Bryan Berard, New York Islanders
Conn Smythe Trophy: 	Mike Vernon, Detroit Red Wings
Frank J. Selke Trophy: 	Michael Peca, Buffalo Sabres
Hart Memorial Trophy: 	Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
Jack Adams Award: 	Ted Nolan, Buffalo Sabres
James Norris Memorial Trophy: 	Brian Leetch, New York Rangers
King Clancy Memorial Trophy: 	Trevor Linden, Vancouver Canucks
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: 	Paul Kariya, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Lester B. Pearson Award: 	Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
NHL Plus/Minus Award: 	John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers
Vezina Trophy: 	Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
William M. Jennings Trophy: 	Martin Brodeur/Mike Dunham, New Jersey Devils
Lester Patrick Trophy: 	Bill Cleary, Pat LaFontaine
===All-Star teams===
First Team 	  Position  	Second Team
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres 	G 	Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Brian Leetch, New York Rangers 	D 	Chris Chelios, Chicago Blackhawks
Sandis Ozolinsh, Colorado Avalanche	D 	Scott Stevens, New Jersey Devils
Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins 	C 	Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers
Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Mighty Ducks	RW 	Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins
Paul Kariya, Anaheim Mighty Ducks 	LW 	John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers
==Debuts==
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1996-97 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):
*Dwayne Roloson, Calgary Flames
*Marc Denis, Colorado Avalanche
*Roman Turek, Dallas Stars
*Tomas Holmstrom, Detroit Red Wings
*Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Hartford Whalers
*Tomas Vokoun, Montreal Canadiens
*Jay Pandolfo, New Jersey Devils
*Bryan Berard, New York Islanders
*Wade Redden, Ottawa Senators
*Janne Niinimaa, Philadelphia Flyers
*Vaclav Prospal, Philadelphia Flyers
*Patrick Lalime, Pittsburgh Penguins
==Last games==
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1996-97 (listed with their last team):
*Tim Cheveldae, Boston Bruins
*Charlie Huddy, Buffalo Sabres
*Denis Savard, Chicago Blackhawks
*Sergei Makarov, Dallas Stars
*Neal Broten, Dallas Stars
*Mike Ramsey, Detroit Red Wings
*Vladimir Konstantinov, Detroit Red Wings
*Dale Hawerchuk, Philadelphia Flyers
*Brad McCrimmon, Philadelphia Flyers
*Dan Quinn, Pittsburgh Penguins
*Joe Mullen, Pittsburgh Penguins
*Tim Hunter, San Jose Sharks
*Craig MacTavish, St. Louis Blues
*Gary Leeman, St. Louis Blues
*Jon Casey, St. Louis Blues
*Jay Wells, Tampa Bay Lightning
*Don Beaupre, Toronto Maple Leafs
*Nick Kypreos, Toronto Maple Leafs
*Mike Ridley, Vancouver Canucks
==Hat tricks==
==See also==
* List of Stanley Cup champions
* 1996 NHL Entry Draft
* 47th National Hockey League All-Star Game
* National Hockey League All-Star Game
* NHL All-Rookie Team
==References==
*Hockey Database
*http://nhl.com/