1996–97 NHL season

The 1996–97 NHL season was the 80th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings. They swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games. The Red Wings had not won the Stanley Cup for 42 years.

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 number of years in a row in the playoffs 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+ Northeast Division 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+ Atlantic Division Team  W  L  T  GF  GA  Pts New Jersey Devils  45  23  14  231  182  104 Philadelphia Flyers  45  24  13  274  217  103 Florida Panthers  35  28  19  221  201  89 New York Rangers  38  34  10  258  231  86 Washington Capitals  33  40  9  214  231  75 Tampa Bay Lightning  32  40  10  217  247  74 New York Islanders  29  41  12  240  250  70

+ Western Conference+ Central Division 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+ Pacific Division Team  W  L  T  GF  GA  Pts Colorado Avalanche  49  24  9  277  205  107 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim  36  33  13  243  231  85 Edmonton Oilers  36  37  9  252  247  81 Vancouver Canucks  35  40  7  257  273  77 Calgary Flames  32  41  9  214  239  73 Los Angeles Kings  28  43  11  214  268  67 San Jose Sharks  27  47  8  211  278  62

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
 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 5  4 Montreal April 24  New Jersey 3  4 Montreal  3OT April 26  Montreal 0  4 New Jersey New Jersey wins series 4–1 Ottawa vs. Buffalo Date  Away  Home April 17  Ottawa 1  3 Buffalo April 19  Ottawa 3  1 Buffalo April 21  Buffalo 3  2 Ottawa April 23   Buffalo 0  1 Ottawa  OT April 25  Ottawa 4  1 Buffalo April 27  Buffalo 3  0 Ottawa April 29  Ottawa 2  3 Buffalo  OT Buffalo wins series 4–3 Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia Date  Away  Home April 17  Pittsburgh 1  5 Philadelphia April 19  Pittsburgh 2  3 Philadelphia April 21  Philadelphia 5  3 Pittsburgh April 23  Philadelphia 1  4 Pittsburgh April 26  Pittsburgh 3  6 Philadelphia Philadelphia wins series 4–1 NY Rangers vs. Florida Date  Away  Home April 17  NY Rangers 0  3 Florida April 20  NY Rangers 3  0 Florida April 22  Florida 3  4 NY Rangers  OT April 23  Florida 2  3 NY Rangers April 25  NY Rangers 3  2 Florida  OT NY Rangers win series 4–1

Western Conference
 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 Edmonton vs. Dallas Date  Away  Home April 16  Edmonton 3  5 Dallas April 18  Edmonton 4  0 Dallas April 20  Dallas 3  4 Edmonton  OT April 22  Dallas 4  3 Edmonton April 25  Edmonton 1  0 Dallas  2OT April 27  Dallas 3  2 Edmonton April 29  Edmonton 4  3 Dallas  OT Edmonton wins series 4–3 St. Louis vs. Detroit Date  Away  Home April 16  St. Louis 2  0 Detroit April 18  St. Louis 1  2 Detroit April 20  Detroit 3  2 St. Louis April 22  Detroit 0  4 St. Louis April 25  St. Louis 2  5 Detroit April 27  Detroit 3  1 St. Louis Detroit wins series 4–2 Phoenix vs. Anaheim Date  Away  Home April 16  Phoenix 2  4 Anaheim April 18  Phoenix 2  4 Anaheim April 20  Anaheim 1  4 Phoenix April 22  Anaheim 0  2 Phoenix April 24  Phoenix 5  2 Anaheim April 27  Anaheim 3  2 Phoenix  OT April 29  Phoenix 0  3 Anaheim Anaheim wins series 4–3

Conference semifinals
+ Eastern Conference 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 Philadelphia vs. Buffalo Date  Away  Home May 3  Philadelphia 5  3 Buffalo May 5  Philadelphia 2  1 Buffalo May 7  Buffalo 1  4 Philadelphia May 9  Buffalo 5  4 Philadelphia  OT May 11  Philadelphia 6  3 Buffalo Philadelphia wins series 4–1

+ Western Conference 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 Anaheim vs. Detroit Date  Away  Home May 2  Anaheim 1  2 Detroit  OT May 4  Anaheim 2  3 Detroit  3OT May 6  Detroit 5  3 Anaheim May 8  Detroit 3  2 Anaheim  2OT Detroit wins series 4–0

Conference finals
+ Eastern Conference 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+ Western Conference Detroit vs. Colorado Date  Away  Home May 15  Detroit 1  2 Colorado May 17  Detroit 4  2 Colorado May 19  Colorado 1  2 Detroit May 22  Colorado 0  6 Detroit May 24  Detroit 0  6 Colorado May 26  Colorado 1  3 Detroit Detroit wins series 4–2 and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl

Stanley Cup final
 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 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 TeamDominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres GMartin Brodeur, New Jersey DevilsBrian Leetch, New York Rangers DChris Chelios, Chicago BlackhawksSandis Ozolinsh, Colorado Avalanche DScott Stevens, New Jersey DevilsMario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins CWayne Gretzky, New York RangersTeemu Selanne, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim RWJaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh PenguinsPaul Kariya, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim LWJohn LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers

First games
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1996–97 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start 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

References
Hockey Database
NHL.com

Category:National Hockey League seasons