1997–98 NHL season

The 1997–98 NHL season was the 81st regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings, who swept the Washington Capitals in four games.

Regular season
Highlights
Jari Kurri reached 600 goals in his career, finishing with 601.

The Vancouver Canucks and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim opened the season with two games in Tokyo, Japan; this was the first time the NHL played games outside of North America.

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 Pittsburgh Penguins  40  24  18  228  188  98 Boston Bruins  39  30  13  221  194  91 Buffalo Sabres  36  29  17  211  187  89 Montreal Canadiens  37  32  13  235  208  87 Ottawa Senators  34  33  15  193  200  83 Carolina Hurricanes  33  41  8  200  219  74+ Atlantic Division Team  W  L  T  GF  GA  Pts New Jersey Devils  48  23  11  225  166  107 Philadelphia Flyers  42  29  11  242  193  95 Washington Capitals  40  30  12  219  202  92 New York Islanders  30  41  11  212  225  71 New York Rangers  25  39  18  197  231  68 Florida Panthers  24  43  15  203  256  63 Tampa Bay Lightning  17  55  10  151  269  44

+ Western Conference+ Central Division Team  W  L  T  GF  GA  Pts Dallas Stars  49  22  11  242  167  109 Detroit Red Wings  44  23  15  250  196  103 St. Louis Blues  45  29  8  256  204  98 Phoenix Coyotes  35  35  12  224  227  82 Chicago Blackhawks  30  39  13  192  199  73 Toronto Maple Leafs  30  43  9  194  237  69+ Pacific Division Team  W  L  T  GF  GA  Pts Colorado Avalanche  39  26  17  231  205  95 Los Angeles Kings  38  33  11  227  225  87 Edmonton Oilers  35  37  10  215  224  80 San Jose Sharks  34  38  10  210  216  78 Calgary Flames  26  41  15  217  252  67 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim  26  43  13  205  261  65 Vancouver Canucks  25  43  14  224  273  64

Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
 Player Team GP G A PTS Jaromir Jagr  Pittsburgh  77  35  67  102 Peter Forsberg  Colorado  72  25  66  91 Pavel Bure  Vancouver  82  51  39  90 Wayne Gretzky  NY Rangers  82  23  67  90 John LeClair  Philadelphia  82  51  36  87 Zigmund Palffy  NY Islanders  82  45  42  87 Ron Francis  Pittsburgh  81  25  62  87 Teemu Selanne  Anaheim  73  52  34  86 Jason Allison  Boston  81  33  50  83 Jozef Stumpel  Los Angeles  77  21  58  79

Stanley Cup playoffs
Playoff bracket

Conference quarterfinals
Eastern Conference
 Ottawa vs. New Jersey Date  Away  Home April 22  Ottawa 2  1 New Jersey  OT April 24  Ottawa 1  3 New Jersey April 26  New Jersey 1  2 Ottawa  OT April 28  New Jersey 3  4 Ottawa April 30  Ottawa 1  3 New Jersey May 2  New Jersey 1  3 Ottawa Ottawa wins series 4–2 Montreal vs. Pittsburgh Date  Away  Home April 23  Montreal 3  2 Pittsburgh  OT April 25  Montreal 1  4 Pittsburgh April 27  Pittsburgh 1  3 Montreal April 29  Pittsburgh 6  3 Montreal May 1  Montreal 5  2 Pittsburgh May 3  Pittsburgh 0  3 Montreal Montreal wins series 4–2 Buffalo vs. Philadelphia Date  Away  Home April 22  Buffalo 3  2 Philadelphia April 24  Buffalo 2  3 Philadelphia April 27  Philadelphia 1  6 Buffalo April 29  Philadelphia 1  4 Buffalo May 1  Buffalo 3  2 Philadelphia  OT Buffalo wins series 4–1 Boston vs. Washington Date  Away  Home April 22  Boston 1  3 Washington April 24  Boston 4  3 Washington  2OT April 26  Washington 3  2 Boston  2OT April 28  Washington 3  0 Boston May 1  Boston 4  0 Washington May 3  Washington 3  2 Boston  OT Washington wins series 4–2

Western Conference
 San Jose vs. Dallas Date  Away  Home April 23  San Jose 1  4 Dallas April 24  San Jose 2  5 Dallas April 26  Dallas 1  4 San Jose April 28  Dallas 0  1 San Jose  OT April 30  San Jose 2  3 Dallas May 2  Dallas 3  2 San Jose  OT Dallas wins series 4–2 Edmonton vs. Colorado Date  Away  Home April 22  Edmonton 3  2 Colorado April 24  Edmonton 2  5 Colorado April 26  Colorado 5  4 Edmonton  OT April 28  Colorado 3  1 Edmonton April 30  Edmonton 3  1 Colorado May 2  Colorado 0  2 Edmonton May 4  Edmonton 4  0 Colorado Edmonton wins series 4–3 Phoenix vs. Detroit Date  Away  Home April 22  Phoenix 3  6 Detroit April 24  Phoenix 7  4 Detroit April 26  Detroit 2  3 Phoenix April 28  Detroit 4  2 Phoenix April 30  Phoenix 1  3 Detroit May 3  Detroit 5  2 Phoenix Detroit wins series 4–2 Los Angeles vs. St. Louis Date  Away  Home April 23  Los Angeles 3  8 St. Louis April 25  Los Angeles 1  3 St. Louis April 27  St. Louis 4  3 Los Angeles April 29  St. Louis 2  1 Los Angeles St. Louis wins series 4–0

Conference semifinals
+ Eastern Conference Ottawa vs. Washington Date  Away  Home May 7  Ottawa 2  4 Washington May 9  Ottawa 1  6 Washington May 11  Washington 3  4 Ottawa May 13  Washington 2  0 Ottawa May 15  Ottawa 0  3 Washington Washington win series 4–1 Montreal vs. Buffalo Date  Away  Home May 8  Montreal 2  3 Buffalo  OT May 10  Montreal 3  6 Buffalo May 12  Buffalo 5  4 Montreal  2OT May 14  Buffalo 3  1 Montreal Buffalo wins series 4–0

+ Western Conference Edmonton vs. Dallas Date  Away  Home May 7  Edmonton 1  3 Dallas May 9  Edmonton 2  0 Dallas May 11  Dallas 1  0 Edmonton  OT May 13  Dallas 3  1 Edmonton May 16  Edmonton 1  2 Dallas Dallas wins series 4–1 St. Louis vs. Detroit Date  Away  Home May 8  St. Louis 4  2 Detroit May 10  St. Louis 1  6 Detroit May 12  Detroit 3  2 St. Louis  2OT May 14  Detroit 5  2 St. Louis May 17  St. Louis 3  1 Detroit May 19  Detroit 6  1 St. Louis Detroit wins series 4–2

Conference finals
+ Eastern Conference Buffalo vs. Washington Date  Away  Home May 23  Buffalo 2  0 Washington May 25  Buffalo 2  3 Washington  OT May 28  Washington 4  3 Buffalo  OT May 30  Washington 2  0 Buffalo June 2  Buffalo 2  1 Washington June 4  Washington 3  2 Buffalo  OT Washington wins series 4–2and Prince of Wales Trophy+ Western Conference Detroit vs. Dallas Date  Away  Home May 24  Detroit 2  0 Dallas May 26  Detroit 1  3 Dallas May 29  Dallas 3  5 Detroit May 31  Dallas 2  3 Detroit June 3  Detroit 2  3 Dallas  OT June 5  Dallas 0  2 Detroit Detroit wins series 4–2 and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl

Stanley Cup final
 Washington vs. Detroit Date  Away  Home June 9  Washington 1  2 Detroit June 11  Washington 4  5 Detroit OT June 13  Detroit 2  1 Washington June 16  Detroit 4  1 Washington Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup Steve Yzerman (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy

Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
 Player  Team  GP  G  A  Pts Steve Yzerman  Detroit  22  6  18  24 Sergei Fedorov  Detroit  22  10  10  20 Tomas Holmstrom  Detroit  22  7  12  19 Nicklas Lidstrom  Detroit  22  6  13  19 Joe Juneau  Washington  21  7  10  17 Adam Oates  Washington  21  6  11  17 Martin Lapointe  Detroit  21  9  6  15 Larry Murphy  Detroit  22  3  12  15 Vyacheslav Kozlov  Detroit  22  6  8  14 Mike Modano  Dallas  17  4  10  14

NHL Awards
The NHL Awards took place in Toronto, Ontario
 Presidents' Trophy:  Dallas Stars Prince of Wales Trophy:  Washington Capitals Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:  Detroit Red Wings Art Ross Memorial Trophy:  Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy:  Jamie McLennan, St. Louis Blues Calder Memorial Trophy:  Sergei Samsonov, Boston Bruins Frank J. Selke Trophy:  Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars Hart Memorial Trophy:  Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres Conn Smythe Trophy:  Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings Jack Adams Award:  Pat Burns, Boston Bruins James Norris Memorial Trophy:  Rob Blake, Los Angeles Kings King Clancy Memorial Trophy:  Kelly Chase, St. Louis Blues Lady Byng Memorial Trophy:  Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Penguins Lester B. Pearson Award:  Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres Lester Patrick Trophy:  Peter Karmanos, Max McNab, Neal Broten, John Mayasich NHL Plus/Minus Award:  Chris Pronger, St. Louis Blues Vezina Trophy:  Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres William M. Jennings Trophy:  Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils

All-Star teams
 First Team    Position    Second TeamDominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres GMartin Brodeur, New Jersey DevilsNicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings DChris Pronger, St. Louis BluesRob Blake, Los Angeles Kings DScott Niedermayer, New Jersey DevilsPeter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche CWayne Gretzky, New York RangersJaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins RWTeemu Selanne, Anaheim Mighty DucksJohn LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers LWKeith Tkachuk, Phoenix Coyotes

First games
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1997–98 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start in playoffs):
Joe Thornton, Boston Bruins
Sergei Samsonov, Boston Bruins
Derek Morris, Calgary Flames
Olli Jokinen, Los Angeles Kings
Brendan Morrison, New Jersey Devils
Sheldon Souray, New Jersey Devils
Zdeno Chara, New York Islanders
Marc Savard, New York Rangers
Chris Phillips, Ottawa Senators
Marian Hossa, Ottawa Senators
Daniel Briere, Phoenix Coyotes
Marco Sturm, San Jose Sharks
Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks
Pavel Kubina, Tampa Bay Lightning
Danny Markov, Toronto Maple Leafs
Mattias Ohlund, Vancouver Canucks

Last games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1997–98 (listed with their last team):
Brent Sutter, Chicago Blackhawks
Jari Kurri, Colorado Avalanche
Slava Fetisov, Detroit Red Wings
Kevin Lowe, Edmonton Oilers
Andy Moog, Montreal Canadiens
Bruce Driver, New York Rangers
Pat LaFontaine, New York Rangers
Joel Otto, Philadelphia Flyers
Michel Petit, Phoenix Coyotes
Mike Gartner, Phoenix Coyotes
Al Iafrate, San Jose Sharks
Kelly Hrudey, San Jose Sharks
Jeff Brown, Washington Capitals

References
Hockey Database
NHL.com

Category:National Hockey League seasons