1996–97 Toronto Maple Leafs season

The Maple Leafs entered the 1996-1997 NHL season with the hopes of making the postseason for the fifth consecutive year. Mike Murphy was hired prior to the season as the head coach replacing interim coach Nick Beverley. The team played mediocre for most of the season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1992. The 1996-97 Toronto Maple Leafs season would be Cliff Fletcher’s final season as General Manager of the Maple Leafs. In one of his final moves, Fletcher traded Doug Gilmour to the New Jersey Devils. 
==Offseason==
===NHL Draft===
#	Player	Nationality 	NHL Team	College/Junior/Club Team
2	36 	Marek Posmyk 	 	Dukla Jihlava
2	50 	Francis Larivee 	 	Laval Titan
3	66 	Mike Lankshear 	 	Guelph Storm
3	68 	Konstantin Kalmikhov	 	Detroit Falcons
4	86 	Jason Sessa 	 	Lake Superior State
4	103 	Vladimir Antipov 	 	Yaroslavl Torpedo
5	110 	Peter Cava 	 	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
5	111 	Brandon Sugden 	 	London Knights
8	204 	Tomas Kaberle 	 	Kladno
 http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/nhl1996e.html
==Regular season==
===Season standings===
===Game log===
No.	R	Date 	Score 	Opponent 	Record
5 	L	October 17, 1996 	1–6 	@ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 	1–4–0
6 	L	October 19, 1996 	0–2 	@ Dallas Stars (1996–97) 	1–5–0
7 	W	October 22, 1996 	4–3 	San Jose Sharks (1996–97) 	2–5–0
8 	W	October 24, 1996 	2–1 	@ Boston Bruins (1996–97) 	3–5–0
9 	W	October 26, 1996 	5–2 	Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 	4–5–0
10 	L	October 29, 1996 	2–5 	Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 	4–6–0
11 	W	October 31, 1996 	5–3 	@ New York Islanders (1996–97) 	5–6–0
12 	W	November 2, 1996 	6–2 	Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 	6–6–0
13 	W	November 5, 1996 	6–3 	St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 	7–6–0
14 	L	November 7, 1996 	2–6 	@ Ottawa Senators (1996–97) 	7–7–0
15 	W	November 9, 1996 	7–3 	Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 	8–7–0
16 	L	November 10, 1996	1–3 	@ Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) 	8–8–0
17 	L	November 13, 1996	2–3 	@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97)	8–9–0
18 	L	November 14, 1996	1–4 	@ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 	8–10–0
19 	L	November 16, 1996	2–3 	@ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 	8–11–0
20 	W	November 19, 1996	4–3 	Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) 	9–11–0
21 	L	November 21, 1996	3–6 	@ Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) 	9–12–0
22 	L	November 23, 1996	3–4 	Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) 	9–13–0
23 	W	November 26, 1996	3–2 	Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 	10–13–0
24 	L	November 27, 1996	2–5 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 	10–14–0
25 	L	November 30, 1996	2–5 	@ Dallas Stars (1996–97) 	10–15–0
26 	W	December 3, 1996 	2–0 	St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 	11–15–0
27 	L	December 6, 1996 	5–6 	@ New York Rangers (1996–97) 	11–16–0
28 	L	December 7, 1996 	0–4 	New York Rangers (1996–97) 	11–17–0
29 	W	December 9, 1996 	3–1 	@ Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 	12–17–0
30 	L	December 10, 1996	2–5 	New Jersey Devils (1996–97) 	12–18–0
31 	L	December 14, 1996	3–5 	Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 	12–19–0
32 	L	December 15, 1996	1–3 	@ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 	12–20–0
33 	W	December 17, 1996	6–3 	@ San Jose Sharks (1996–97) 	13–20–0
34 	L	December 20, 1996	2–5 	@ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 	13–21–0
35 	W	December 21, 1996	6–2 	@ Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 	14–21–0
36 	L	December 23, 1996	5–6 	Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) 	14–22–0
37 	W	December 27, 1996	3–2 	@ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 	15–22–0
38 	W	December 28, 1996	5–4 	Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 	16–22–0
39 	W	December 30, 1996	2–0 	New York Islanders (1996–97) 	17–22–0
40 	L	January 3, 1997 	3–4 	@ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 	17–23–0
41 	L	January 4, 1997 	3–7 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 	17–24–0
42 	L	January 7, 1997 	3–4 OT	@ Calgary Flames (1996–97) 	17–25–0
43 	L	January 11, 1997 	2–3 	Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 	17–26–0
44 	L	January 13, 1997 	3–6 	@ Washington Capitals (1996–97) 	17–27–0
45 	L	January 15, 1997 	2–3 	Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 	17–28–0
46 	L	January 20, 1997 	1–3 	@ Hartford Whalers (1996–97) 	17–29–0
47 	W	January 22, 1997 	5–3 	Calgary Flames (1996–97) 	18–29–0
48 	W	January 24, 1997 	2–1 OT	@ Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 	19–29–0
49 	L	January 25, 1997 	1–5 	Dallas Stars (1996–97) 	19–30–0
50 	L	January 27, 1997 	2–5 	Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 	19–31–0
51 	L	January 29, 1997 	0–4 	St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 	19–32–0
52 	T	January 31, 1997 	3–3 OT	@ New Jersey Devils (1996–97) 	19–32–1
53 	L	February 1, 1997 	1–2 	Ottawa Senators (1996–97) 	19–33–1
54 	W	February 5, 1997 	4–2 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 	20–33–1
55 	W	February 8, 1997 	4–2 	Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 	21–33–1
56 	L	February 12, 1997	2–5 	@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97)	21–34–1
57 	T	February 13, 1997	4–4 OT	@ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 	21–34–2
58 	L	February 15, 1997	0–3 	@ Calgary Flames (1996–97) 	21–35–2
59 	W	February 18, 1997	6–5 	@ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 	22–35–2
60 	L	February 19, 1997	5–6 	@ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 	22–36–2
61 	W	February 22, 1997	5–1 	@ Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) 	23–36–2
62 	L	February 26, 1997	1–3 	Washington Capitals (1996–97) 	23–37–2
63 	W	March 1, 1997 	3–2 	San Jose Sharks (1996–97) 	24–37–2
64 	W	March 3, 1997 	4–2 	Boston Bruins (1996–97) 	25–37–2
65 	T	March 5, 1997 	4–4 OT	Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 	25–37–3
66 	T	March 8, 1997 	1–1 OT	Hartford Whalers (1996–97) 	25–37–4
67 	T	March 10, 1997 	3–3 OT	Dallas Stars (1996–97) 	25–37–5
68 	L	March 12, 1997 	2–3 	Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 	25–38–5
69 	T	March 15, 1997 	3–3 OT	@ Florida Panthers (1996–97) 	25–38–6
70 	W	March 16, 1997 	3–1 	@ Tampa Bay Lightning (1996–97) 	26–38–6
71 	L	March 19, 1997 	3–6 	Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) 	26–39–6
72 	L	March 20, 1997 	3–6 	@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) 	26–40–6
73 	L	March 22, 1997 	0–3 	Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 	26–41–6
74 	W	March 26, 1997 	2–1 	@ San Jose Sharks (1996–97) 	27–41–6
75 	T	March 27, 1997 	1–1 OT	@ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 	27–41–7
76 	W	March 29, 1997 	3–2 	@ Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 	28–41–7
77 	W	April 2, 1997 	3–1 	Florida Panthers (1996–97) 	29–41–7
78 	T	April 3, 1997 	2–2 OT	@ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 	29–41–8
79 	L	April 5, 1997 	2–4 	Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 	29–42–8
80 	L	April 9, 1997 	2–3 	@ Dallas Stars (1996–97) 	29–43–8
81 	L	April 10, 1997 	1–5 	@ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 	29–44–8
82 	W	April 12, 1997 	4–1 	Calgary Flames (1996–97) 	30–44–8
==Player stats==
===Forwards===
Note: GP= Games played; G= Goals; AST= Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Points
Player 	GP	G 	AST	PTS	PIM
Mats Sundin 	82	41	53 	94 	59
Doug Gilmour 	61	15	45 	60 	46
Wendel Clark 	65	30	19 	49 	75
Sergei Berezin 	73	25	16 	41 	2
Kirk Muller 	66	20	17 	37 	85
Todd Warriner 	75	12	21 	33 	41
Ralph Intranuovo 	3 	0 	1 	1 	0
Scott Pearson 	1 	0 	0 	0 	2
Kelly Chase 	2 	0 	0 	0 	27
Shayne Toporowski	3 	0 	0 	0 	7
Brian Wiseman 	5 	0 	0 	0 	0
John Craighead 	5 	0 	0 	0 	10
Mark Kolesar 	7 	0 	0 	0 	0
 	 	0 	0 	0 	
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000381997.html
===Defencemen===
Note: GP= Games played; G= Goals; AST= Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Points
Player 	GP	G	AST	PTS	PIM
Larry Murphy 	69	7	32 	39 	20
Dave Ellett 	56	4	10 	14 	34
Dmitri Yushkevich	74	4	10 	14 	56
Rob Zettler 	48	2	12 	14 	51
D.J. Smyth 	8 	0	1 	1 	7
Greg Smyth 	2 	0	0 	0 	0
Yannick Tremblay 	5 	0	0 	0 	0
Jeff Ware 	13	0	0 	0 	6
===Goaltending===
Note: GP= Games played; W= Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals Against
Player 	GP	MIN 	W 	L 	T	SO	GAA
Felix Potvin 	74	4271	27	36	7	0 	3.15
Marcel Cousineau	13	566 	3 	5 	1	1 	3.29
Don Beaupre 	3 	110 	0 	3 	0	0 	5.45
==Transactions==
The Maple Leafs have been involved in the following transactions during the 1996-97 season.
===Trades===
October 10, 1996 	To New York Islanders5th round pick in 1998 - Jiri Dopita 	To Toronto Maple LeafsDarby Hendrickson
January 31, 1997 	To Tampa Bay Lightning3rd round pick in 1998 - Alex Henry 	To Toronto Maple LeafsCraig Wolanin
February 25, 1997	To New Jersey DevilsDoug Gilmour Dave Ellett 3rd round pick in 1999 - Andres Lakos	To Toronto Maple LeafsJason Smith Alyn McCauley Steve Sullivan
March 18, 1997 	To Detroit Red WingsLarry Murphy 	To Toronto Maple LeafsFuture Considerations
March 18, 1997 	To Florida PanthersKirk Muller 	To Toronto Maple LeafsJason Podollan
March 18, 1997 	To Hartford Whalers8th round pick in 1998 - Jaroslav Svoboda 	To Toronto Maple LeafsKelly Chase
June 12, 1997 	To Florida PanthersMike Lankshear 	To Toronto Maple LeafsPer Gustafsson
===Waivers===
September 30, 1996	From Edmonton OilersRalph Intranuovo
October 25, 1996 	To Edmonton OilersRalph Intranuovo
===Free agents===
{|class="wikitable"	
Player 	Former Team
John Craighead	Detroit Vipers (IHL)
Scott Pearson 	Buffalo Sabres
Brian Wiseman 	Chicago Wolves (IHL)
Daniel Marois 	Dallas Stars
Greg Smyth 	Los Angeles Ice Dogs (IHL)
David Cooper 	Buffalo Sabres
Tom Pederson 	San Jose Sharks
Mike Johnson 	Undrafted Free Agent
==Playoffs==
*The Maple Leafs failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 1991-92 season.
==Roster==
						
Goaltenders
* 
* 
*		
Defensemen
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
*		
Wingers
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
*		
Centres
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* 
* - C
*GM: Cliff Fletcher
*Coach: Mike Murphy
==Awards and records==
==Farm Teams==
The Maple Leafs farm team was the St. John's Maple Leafs, based in St. John's, Newfoundland. 
==References==
* Maple Leafs on Hockey Database
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs seasons
Toronto Maple Leafs season, 1996–97
Toronto Maple Leafs season, 1996–97