League National Hockey League Presidents' Trophy Buffalo Sabres Champion Anaheim Ducks Dates 4 Oct 2006 – 6 Jun 2007 | Sport Ice hockey Eastern champions Ottawa Senators Number of games 82 Number of teams 30 | |
Duration October 4, 2006 – June 6, 2007 Season MVP Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh) Top scorer Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) Goals Zach Parise, Henrik Zetterberg Similar 2005–06 NHL season, 2003–04 NHL season, 2004–05 NHL season, 1993–94 NHL season, 1992–93 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.
Contents
League business
National Hockey League 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 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.
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 being the defending Stanley Cup Champions.
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.
P- Clinched Presidents Trophy; Y- Clinched Division; X- Clinched Playoff spot
Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime/shootout loss; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PIM = Penalties in minutes; Pts = Points
Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.
bold - qualified for playoffs, y - division title, z - best conference record
CE - Central Division, NW - Northwest Division, PA - Pacific Division
Source:Yahoo Sports.
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:
- The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).
- The greater number of games won.
- The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs.
- The greater differential between goals for and against.
Final
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 Final, 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.
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: