1997–98 NHL season
LeagueNational Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 1, 1997 – June 16, 1998
Number of games82
Number of teams26
TV partner(s)CBC, TSN, SRC (Canada)
ESPN, Fox (United States)
Draft
Top draft pickJoe Thornton
Picked byBoston Bruins
Regular season
Presidents' TrophyDallas Stars
Season MVPDominik Hasek (Sabres)
Top scorerJaromir Jagr (Penguins)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVPSteve Yzerman (Red Wings)
Stanley Cup
ChampionsDetroit Red Wings
  Runners-upWashington Capitals

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

League business

On June 25, 1997, the National Hockey League approved of four expansion franchises for Nashville, Atlanta, Columbus, and Saint Paul expanding the league to 30 teams by 2000. These franchises became the Nashville Predators in 1998, the Atlanta Thrashers in 1999, and the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild in 2000.

This was the first season for the Carolina Hurricanes, who were previously known as the Hartford Whalers. The Hurricanes played their home games at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, a temporary home while awaiting the construction of their permanent home arena in Raleigh. They would remain in the Northeast Division until realignment the following season. It would be another 14 years before another NHL team would relocate.

This was the first season for Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, who until the 2012–13 season was the longest-tenured NHL coach.

The controversial "FoxTrax" puck system was last used this season as well. In August 1998, the NHL signed a five-year, $600 million rights agreement with ABC Sports/ESPN. FOX elected not to use the system in the subsequent "lame duck" season.

This was the last season the Toronto Maple Leafs were a member of the Western Conference.

This was the last season of the four-division quasi-geographic alignment inherited from the traditional Adams/Patrick/Norris/Smythe set. The league would change the following season to a six-division, more purely geographic alignment.

For the first time since 1968–69 season, the Chicago Blackhawks missed the playoffs.

Due to the retirement of Craig MacTavish after the 1996–97 season, this was the first season in the League's history in which there were no helmetless players.

Regular season

The all-time record for most shutouts in a season, set at 127 just a year earlier,[1] was broken again as 160 shutouts were recorded, 13 of which were earned by Dominik Hasek,[2] who set a League record with 11 teams shut-out. He zeroed the New York Rangers three times, and Los Angeles, Anaheim, Tampa Bay, Boston, Calgary, Washington, Montreal, Ottawa, Pittsburgh and Edmonton once each. Only two teams, the St. Louis Blues and the Detroit Red Wings, averaged more than three goals scored per game.[3] In addition, only one player, Jaromir Jagr, reached the 100-point plateau during the regular season.[4]

Highlights

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

The Vancouver Canucks and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim opened the season with a two-game series in Tokyo, Japan, the first time the NHL played regular games outside of North America.

Final standings

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
No. CR GP W L T GF GA Pts
11New Jersey Devils82482311225166107
23Philadelphia Flyers8242291124219395
34Washington Capitals8240301221920292
410New York Islanders8230411121222571
511New York Rangers8225391819723168
612Florida Panthers8224431520325663
713Tampa Bay Lightning8217551015126944
Northeast Division
No. CR GP W L T GF GA Pts
12Pittsburgh Penguins8240241822818898
25Boston Bruins8239301322119491
36Buffalo Sabres8236291721118789
47Montreal Canadiens8237321323520887
58Ottawa Senators8234331519320083
69Carolina Hurricanes823341820021974
Eastern Conference[5]
R Div GP W L T GF GA Pts
1New Jersey DevilsATL82482311225166107
2Pittsburgh PenguinsNE8240241822818898
3Philadelphia FlyersATL8242291124219395
4Washington CapitalsATL8240301221920292
5Boston BruinsNE8239301322119491
6Buffalo SabresNE8236291721118789
7Montreal CanadiensNE8237321323520887
8Ottawa SenatorsNE8234331519320083
9Carolina HurricanesNE823341820021974
10New York IslandersATL8230411121222571
11New York RangersATL8225391819723168
12Florida PanthersATL8224431520325663
13Tampa Bay LightningATL8217551015126944

Divisions: ATL – Atlantic, NE – Northeast

bold – Qualified for playoffs

Western Conference
Central Division
No. CR GP W L T GF GA Pts
11Dallas Stars82492211242167109
23Detroit Red Wings82442315250196103
34St. Louis Blues824529825620498
46Phoenix Coyotes8235351222422782
59Chicago Blackhawks8230391319219973
610Toronto Maple Leafs823043919423769
Pacific Division
No. CR GP W L T GF GA Pts
12Colorado Avalanche8239261723120595
25Los Angeles Kings8238331122722587
37Edmonton Oilers8235371021522480
48San Jose Sharks8234381021021678
511Calgary Flames8226411521725267
612Mighty Ducks of Anaheim8226431320526165
713Vancouver Canucks8225431422427364
Western Conference[6]
R Div GP W L T GF GA Pts
1p – Dallas StarsCEN82492211242167109
2x – Colorado AvalanchePAC8239261723120595
3Detroit Red WingsCEN82442315250196103
4St. Louis BluesCEN824529825620498
5Los Angeles KingsPAC8238331122722587
6Phoenix CoyotesCEN8235351222422782
7Edmonton OilersPAC8235371021522480
8San Jose SharksPAC8234381021021678
9Chicago BlackhawksCEN8230391319219973
10Toronto Maple LeafsCEN823043919423769
11Calgary FlamesPAC8226411521725267
12Mighty Ducks of AnaheimPAC8226431320526165
13Vancouver CanucksPAC8225431422427364

Divisions: CEN – Central, PAC – Pacific

bold – Qualified for playoffs; x – Won Division; p – Won Presidents' Trophy

Playoffs

Bracket

Conference quarterfinals Conference semifinals Conference finals Stanley Cup Finals
            
1 New Jersey 2
8 Ottawa 4
4 Washington 4
8 Ottawa 1
2 Pittsburgh 2
7 Montreal 4
4 Washington 4
Eastern Conference
6 Buffalo 2
3 Philadelphia 1
6 Buffalo 4
6 Buffalo 4
7 Montreal 0
4 Washington 4
5 Boston 2
E4 Washington 0
W3 Detroit 4
1 Dallas 4
8 San Jose 2
1 Dallas 4
7 Edmonton 1
2 Colorado 3
7 Edmonton 4
1 Dallas 2
Western Conference
3 Detroit 4
3 Detroit 4
6 Phoenix 2
3 Detroit 4
4 St. Louis 2
4 St. Louis 4
5 Los Angeles 0

Awards

The NHL Awards took place in Toronto, Ontario

Presidents' Trophy:Dallas Stars
Prince of Wales Trophy:
(Eastern Conference playoff champion)		Washington Capitals
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:
(Western Conference playoff champion)		Detroit Red Wings
Art Ross 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 Team
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres G Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings D Chris Pronger, St. Louis Blues
Rob Blake, Los Angeles Kings D Scott Niedermayer, New Jersey Devils
Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche C Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins RW Teemu Selanne, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers LW Keith Tkachuk, Phoenix Coyotes

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

Regular seasonPlayoffs
Player Team GP G A PTS
Jaromir JagrPittsburgh773567102
Peter ForsbergColorado72256691
Pavel BureVancouver82513990
Wayne GretzkyNY Rangers82236790
John LeClairPhiladelphia82513687
Zigmund PalffyNY Islanders82454287
Ron FrancisPittsburgh81256287
Teemu SelanneAnaheim73523486
Jason AllisonBoston81335083
Jozef StumpelLos Angeles77215879

Source: NHL.[7]
PlayerTeamGPGAPts
Steve YzermanDetroit2261824
Sergei FedorovDetroit22101020
Tomas HolmstromDetroit2271219
Nicklas LidstromDetroit2261319
Joe JuneauWashington2171017
Adam OatesWashington2161117
Martin LapointeDetroit219615
Larry MurphyDetroit2231215
Vyacheslav KozlovDetroit226814
Mike ModanoDallas1741014

Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Leading goaltenders

Regular season

Player Team GP MIN GA SO GAA SV%
Ed BelfourDallas65358111291.88.916
Martin BrodeurNew Jersey704128130101.89.917
Tom BarrassoPittsburgh63354212272.07.922
Dominik HasekBuffalo724220147132.09.932
Ron HextallPhiladelphia4626889742.17.911
Trevor KiddCarolina4726859732.17.922
Jamie McLennanSt. Louis3016586022.17.903
Jeff HackettChicago58344112682.20.917
Olaf KolzigWashington64378813952.20.920
Chris OsgoodDetroit64380714062.21.913

[4]

Coaches

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Milestones

Debuts

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1997–98 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

Last games

The following is a list of players of note who played their last game in the NHL in 1997–98 (listed with their last team):

Broadcasting

Canada

This was the tenth and final season that the league's Canadian national broadcast rights were split between TSN and Hockey Night in Canada on CBC. During the regular season, Saturday night games aired on CBC, while TSN primarily had Monday and Thursday night games. Coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs was primarily on CBC, with TSN airing first round all-U.S. series.

The league then signed a new deal with the fledgling CTV Sportsnet, replacing TSN as the national cable television partner.

United States

This was the fourth season of the league's five-year U.S. national broadcast rights deals with Fox and ESPN. Both ESPN and ESPN2 aired weeknight games throughout the regular season. Fox had the All-Star Game, and the network's weekly regional telecasts then expanded from six to 11 weekend afternoons between January and April. During the first two rounds of the playoffs, ESPN and ESPN2 aired selected games, while Fox had Sunday regional telecasts. Each U.S. team's regional broadcaster produced local coverage of first and second round games (except for those games on Fox). Fox's Sunday telecasts continued into the Conference Finals, while ESPN had the rest of the third round games. The Stanley Cup Finals were also split between Fox and ESPN.

See also

References

  • Diamond, Dan, ed. (2000). Total Hockey. Kingston, NY: Total Sports. ISBN 1-892129-85-X.
  • Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto, ON: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5.
  • Dryden, Steve, ed. (2000). Century of hockey. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. ISBN 0-7710-4179-9.
  • Fischler, Stan; Fischler, Shirley; Hughes, Morgan; Romain, Joseph; Duplacey, James (2003). The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League. Lincolnwood, IL: Publications International Inc. ISBN 0-7853-9624-1.
Notes
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