2006–07 NHL season
The 2006–07 NHL season was the 90th season of operation (89th season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The 2007 Stanley Cup Playoffs began on April 11, 2007, and concluded on June 6, with the Anaheim Ducks defeating the Ottawa Senators to win their first Stanley Cup, becoming the first team from California to do so. League business. The NHL announced that the regular season salary cap rise after the initial season. The 2006–07 salary cap was increased by $5,000,000 (US) per team to bring the salary cap up to $44,000,000 (US). While  the 2006–07 salary floor was increased by $8,000,000 (US) per team to $28,000,000 (US). This is the only year where the NHL salary floor raised faster than the NHL salary cap. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim officially shortened their name to the Anaheim Ducks prior to the season, introducing a new logo, uniforms and color scheme. This reflected a clean break from their original owners, The Walt Disney Company, who originally named the team after the movie, "The Mighty Ducks" upon their formation in 1993. No NHL player had worn the jersey number 84 until Guillaume Latendresse of  the Montreal Canadiens began doing so at the start of this season. Regular season. The NHL All-Star Game returned after a two-year absence when the Dallas Stars hosted the 55th National Hockey League All-Star Game at the American Airlines Center on January 24, 2007. Dallas hosted the All-Star Game for the first time, and it was the first time the Stars franchise had hosted the game since 1972, when it was hosted by the-then Minnesota North Stars. The West defeated the East by a score of 12–9, with Danny Briere of the Buffalo Sabres being  named MVP of the game. Fewer penalties were called than in 2005–06 (an average of 398 per team). This led to fewer goals scored overall (7,082) and more shutouts (150). However, more even-strength goals were scored (4,715) than in 2005–06 (4,579). This season would have an intense battle between Martin Brodeur and Roberto Luongo for the Vezina Trophy and a piece of NHL history. Both goaltenders were vying to break Bernie Parent's NHL record 47 wins in a single season. On April 3, 2007, Brodeur tied the NHL record for most wins in a single season with 47 , set by Parent in 1973–74, in a 2–1 shootout victory against the Ottawa Senators. Two days later, he broke the thirty-three-year-old record with his 48th win in a 3–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, which helped the Devils clinch their seventh Atlantic Division title and the second seed in the Eastern Conference. Luongo finished with a career-high 47 wins, one shy of Brodeur, and consequently finished runner-up in a close race for the Vezina. Luongo and Brodeur are considered, however, to have been given an advantage to Parent with the inauguration of the shootout that  season by the NHL, allowing more games to be decided with wins, as opposed to ties. The Carolina Hurricanes became the first team since the 1995–96 New Jersey Devils to miss the playoffs after winning the Stanley Cup the previous season. The inter-conference division play had the Northeast visit the Central, the Central visit the Atlantic, the Atlantic visit the Pacific, the Pacific visit the Southeast, the Southeast visit the Northwest, and the Northwest visits the Northeast. Final standings. "Buffalo Sabres won the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs." For the purpose of conference rankings, division  leaders are automatically ranked 1–3. These three, plus the next five teams in the conference standings, earn playoff berths at the end of the season. Tiebreaking procedures. If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the standing of the clubs is determined in the following order: Playoffs. Stanley Cup Finals. Anaheim Ducks vs. Ottawa Senators Playoff bracket. In each round, the highest remaining seed in each conference is matched against the lowest remaining seed. The higher-seeded team is awarded home ice advantage, which gives them a maximum possible four games on their home ice , with the other team getting a maximum possible three. In the Stanley Cup Finals, home ice is determined based on regular season points, giving the Anaheim Ducks home ice for this year's series. Each best-of-seven series follows a 2–2–1–1–1 format. This means that the higher-seeded team will have Games 1 and 2, plus 5 and 7 if necessary, played on their home ice, while the lower-seeded team will be at home for the other games. The format ensures that the team with home ice advantage will always have home ice for the "extra" game if  there are an odd number of games in a series. Player statistics. Scoring leaders. "Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes" Source: NHL. Leading goaltenders. "Note: GP = Games Played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/Shootout Losses; GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average" Events and milestones. Several former players had their jersey numbers retired during this season: Numerous players reached major milestones during the season: The NHL 's youth movement continued: Numerous other milestones, events, and happenings occurred as well: Debuts. The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 2006–07: Last games. The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2006–07, listed with their team: