The 1997-98 NHL season was the 81st regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL). Twenty-six teams each played 82 games. The season lasted from October 1, 1997 to June 16, 1998.
The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings , who swept the Washington Capitals in four games.
League Business [ ]
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 .
This was the first season for Buffalo Sabres coach Lindy Ruff , who as of the 2006–07 NHL season is the longest-tenured NHL coach.
The controversial "FoxTrax " puck system was last used this season as well. In August of 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 that the Toronto Maple Leafs were in the Western Conference.
Regular season [ ]
The all-time record for most shutouts in a season, set at 127 just a year earlier was broken again as 160 shutouts were recorded, 13 of which were earned by Dominik Hasek , 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.
In addition, only one player, Jaromir Jagr reached the 100-point plateau during the 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 a two game series in Tokyo, Japan; this was the 1st 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
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 [ ]
Template:NHLBracket
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 [ ]
Main article: 1998 Eastern Conference Finals (NHL)
Main article: 1998 Western Conference Finals (NHL)
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 4–2 and 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 andClarence S. Campbell Bowl
Stanley Cup final [ ]
Main article: 1998 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1998 Stanley Cup Finals were played in the 105th year of the Stanley Cup . The series was played between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals . The Red Wings were led by Captain Steve Yzerman , Coach Scotty Bowman , and Goalie Chris Osgood . The Capitals were led by Captain Dale Hunter , Coach Ron Wilson , and Goalie Olaf Kolzig .
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 4–0 and 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 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 , Anaheim Mighty Ducks
John LeClair , Philadelphia Flyers
LW
Keith Tkachuk , Phoenix Coyotes
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):
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
See also [ ]
References [ ]