1997–98 NHL season

The 1997–98 NHL season was the 81st regular season of the National Hockey League. Twenty-six teams each played 82 games. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings, who swept the Washington Capitals in four games. 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. 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.

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 2008–09 season is 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 in the Western Conference.

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"

coring leaders

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

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Conference semifinals

Conference finals

tanley Cup final

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.

coring leaders

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

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

1998 Trading Deadline

* Trading Deadline: MARCH 24, 1998 [ [http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/3969 NHL trade deadline: Deals since 1980 | Habs Inside/Out ] ]
*March 24, 1998: D David Babych traded from Vancouver to Philadelphia for Philadelphia’s 3rd round pick in 1998 Entry Draft. Vancouver also returns the conditional pick previously acquired from Philadelphia in the Mike Sillinger trade dated Feb. 5, 1998.
*March 24, 1998: D Dmitri Mironov traded from Anaheim to Detroit for D Jamie Pushor and Detroit’s 4th round pick in 1998 Entry Draft.
*March 24, 1998: G Kirk McLean traded from Carolina to Florida for RW Ray Sheppard.
*March 24, 1998: D Jeff Brown traded from Toronto to Washington for D Sylvain Cote.
*March 24, 1998: RW Jason Dawe traded from Buffalo to NY Islanders for D Jason Holland and LW Paul Kruse.
*March 24, 1998: D Dan McGillis and Edmonton’s 2nd round pick in 1998 Entry Draft traded from Edmonton to Philadelphia for D Janne Niinimaa.
*March 24, 1998: C Mark Janssens traded from NY Islanders to Phoenix for Phoenix’s 9th round pick in 1998 Entry Draft.
*March 24, 1998: LW Warren Rychel and a conditional pick in 1999 Entry Draft traded from Anaheim to Colorado for C Josef Marha.
*March 24, 1998: C Sean Pronger traded from Anaheim to Pittsburgh for the rights to G Patrick Lalime.
*March 24, 1998: D Todd Gill traded from San Jose to St. Louis for RW Joe Murphy.
*March 24, 1998: RW Andrei Nazarov and future considerations traded from San Jose to Tampa Bay for D Bryan Marchment, D David Shaw and a conditional exchange of 1st round picks in 1998 Entry Draft.
*March 24, 1998: C Mike Eastwood traded from NY Rangers to St. Louis for C Harry York.
*March 24, 1998: RW Mike Kennedy traded from Toronto to Dallas for Dallas’ 8th round pick in 1998 Entry Draft.
*March 24, 1998: RW Sandy McCarthy, Calgary’s 3rd round pick in 1998 Entry Draft and a 5th round pick in 1998 Entry Draft traded from Calgary to Tampa Bay for LW Jason Wiemer.
*March 24, 1998: RW Todd Harvey, LW Bob Errey and a 4th round pick in 1998 Entry Draft traded from Dallas to NY Rangers for C Brian Skrudland, RW Mike Keane and a conditional pick in either the 1998 or 1999 Entry Draft.
*March 24, 1998: RW Tom Fitzgerald traded from Florida to Colorado for the rights to LW Mark Parrish and Anaheim’s 3rd round pick in 1998 Entry Draft (previously acquired).
*March 24, 1998: D Rich Brennan traded from San Jose to NY Rangers for G Jason Muzzatti.
*March 24, 1998: D Ryan Risidore traded from Chicago to NY Rangers for RW Ryan Vandenbussche.
*March 24, 1998: D Jamie Macoun traded from Toronto to Detroit for Tampa Bay’s 4th round pick in 1998 Entry Draft (previously acquired)

ee also

* List of Stanley Cup champions
* 1997 NHL Entry Draft
* 48th National Hockey League All-Star Game
* National Hockey League All-Star Game
* NHL All-Rookie Team
* Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics
* 1997 in sports
* 1998 in sports

References

* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/nhl1927.html Hockey Database]
* [http://nhl.com/ NHL.com]