League National Hockey League Presidents' Trophy Dallas Stars Eastern runners-up Buffalo Sabres Start date 1997 Number of teams 26 | Sport Ice hockey Eastern champions Washington Capitals Champion Detroit Red Wings Number of games 82 | |
Duration October 1, 1997 – June 16, 1998 Top scorer Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins) Season MVP Dominik Hašek (Buffalo Sabres) Similar 1998–99 NHL season, 1991–92 NHL season, 2001–02 NHL season, 2003–04 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.
Contents
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 Complex, a temporary home while awaiting the construction of their permanent home arena in Raleigh. They would remain in the Northeast Division. It was the last time for 14 years an NHL team would move.
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 in 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.
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, the first time the NHL played games outside of North America.
Final standings
Divisions: ATL – Atlantic, NE – Northeast
bold – Qualified for playoffs
Divisions: CEN – Central, PAC – Pacific
bold – Qualified for playoffs; x – Won Division; p – Won Presidents' Trophy
Stanley Cup Final
The 1998 Stanley Cup Final was 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, Head Coach Scotty Bowman and goaltender Chris Osgood. The Capitals were led by captain Dale Hunter, Head Coach Ron Wilson and goaltender Olaf Kolzig. Detroit swept the series in four games and Steve Yzerman won the Conn Smythe Trophy.
Playoff bracket
Awards
The NHL Awards took place in Toronto, Ontario
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
Leading goaltenders
Regular season
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 that played their last game in the NHL in 1997–98 (listed with their last team):