Regular season
The Boston Bruins recorded the league's worst record, missing the playoffs for the first time in thirty seasons and ending the longest number of years in a row in the playoffs ever recorded in the history of North American professional sport.
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
Stanley Cup playoffsPlayoff bracketConference quarterfinalsEastern Conference
Montreal vs. New Jersey
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Date |
Away |
Home
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April 17 |
Montreal 2 |
5 New Jersey
| April 19 |
Montreal 1 |
4 New Jersey
| April 22 |
New Jersey 5 |
4 Montreal
| April 24 |
New Jersey 3 |
4 Montreal |
3OT
| April 26 |
Montreal 0 |
4 New Jersey
| New Jersey wins series 4–1
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Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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April 17 |
Pittsburgh 1 |
5 Philadelphia
| April 19 |
Pittsburgh 2 |
3 Philadelphia
| April 21 |
Philadelphia 5 |
3 Pittsburgh
| April 23 |
Philadelphia 1 |
4 Pittsburgh
| April 26 |
Pittsburgh 3 |
6 Philadelphia
| Philadelphia wins series 4–1
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NY Rangers vs. Florida
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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April 17 |
NY Rangers 0 |
3 Florida
| April 20 |
NY Rangers 3 |
0 Florida
| April 22 |
Florida 3 |
4 NY Rangers |
OT
| April 23 |
Florida 2 |
3 NY Rangers
| April 25 |
NY Rangers 3 |
2 Florida |
OT
| NY Rangers win series 4–1
|
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Western Conference
Chicago vs. Colorado
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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April 16 |
Chicago 0 |
6 Colorado
| April 18 |
Chicago 1 |
3 Colorado
| April 20 |
Colorado 3 |
4 Chicago |
2OT
| April 22 |
Colorado 3 |
6 Chicago
| April 24 |
Chicago 0 |
7 Colorado
| April 26 |
Colorado 6 |
3 Chicago
| Colorado wins series 4–2
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St. Louis vs. Detroit
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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April 16 |
St. Louis 2 |
0 Detroit
| April 18 |
St. Louis 1 |
2 Detroit
| April 20 |
Detroit 3 |
2 St. Louis
| April 22 |
Detroit 0 |
4 St. Louis
| April 25 |
St. Louis 2 |
5 Detroit
| April 27 |
Detroit 3 |
1 St. Louis
| Detroit wins series 4–2
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Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference
NY Rangers vs. New Jersey
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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May 2 |
NY Rangers 0 |
2 New Jersey
| May 4 |
NY Rangers 2 |
0 New Jersey
| May 6 |
New Jersey 2 |
3 NY Rangers
| May 8 |
New Jersey 0 |
3 NY Rangers
| May 11 |
NY Rangers 2 |
1 New Jersey |
OT
| NY Rangers win series 4–1
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Philadelphia vs. Buffalo
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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May 3 |
Philadelphia 5 |
3 Buffalo
| May 5 |
Philadelphia 2 |
1 Buffalo
| May 7 |
Buffalo 1 |
4 Philadelphia
| May 9 |
Buffalo 5 |
4 Philadelphia |
OT
| May 11 |
Philadelphia 6 |
3 Buffalo
| Philadelphia wins series 4–1
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Western Conference
Edmonton vs. Colorado
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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May 2 |
Edmonton 1 |
5 Colorado
| May 4 |
Edmonton 1 |
4 Colorado
| May 7 |
Colorado 3 |
4 Edmonton
| May 9 |
Colorado 3 |
2 Edmonton |
OT
| May 11 |
Edmonton 3 |
Colorado 4
| Colorado wins series 4–1
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Anaheim vs. Detroit
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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May 2 |
Anaheim 1 |
2 Detroit |
OT
| May 4 |
Anaheim 2 |
3 Detroit |
3OT
| May 6 |
Detroit 5 |
3 Anaheim
| May 8 |
Detroit 3 |
2 Anaheim |
2OT
| Detroit wins series 4–0
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Conference finals
Eastern Conference
NY Rangers vs. Philadelphia
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Date |
Away |
Home
|
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May 16 |
NY Rangers 1 |
3 Philadelphia
| May 18 |
NY Rangers 5 |
4 Philadelphia
| May 20 |
Philadelphia 6 |
3 NY Rangers
| May 23 |
Philadelphia 3 |
2 NY Rangers
| May 25 |
NY Rangers 2 |
4 Philadelphia
| Philadelphia wins series 4–1 and Prince of Wales Trophy
| |
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Stanley Cup finalNHL Awards
The NHL Awards presentation took place on June 19, 1997.
Presidents' Trophy: |
Colorado Avalanche
|
Prince of Wales Trophy: |
Philadelphia Flyers
|
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: |
Detroit Red Wings
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Art Ross Memorial Trophy: |
Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
|
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: |
Tony Granato, San Jose Sharks
|
Calder Memorial Trophy: |
Bryan Berard, New York Islanders
|
Conn Smythe Trophy: |
Mike Vernon, Detroit Red Wings
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Frank J. Selke Trophy: |
Michael Peca, Buffalo Sabres
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Hart Memorial Trophy: |
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
|
Jack Adams Award: |
Ted Nolan, Buffalo Sabres
|
James Norris Memorial Trophy: |
Brian Leetch, New York Rangers
|
King Clancy Memorial Trophy: |
Trevor Linden, Vancouver Canucks
|
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: |
Paul Kariya, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
|
Lester B. Pearson Award: |
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
|
NHL Plus/Minus Award: |
John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers
|
Vezina Trophy: |
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
|
William M. Jennings Trophy: |
Martin Brodeur/Mike Dunham, New Jersey Devils
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Lester Patrick Trophy: |
Bill Cleary, Pat LaFontaine
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All-Star teams
First Team |
Position |
Second Team
|
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Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres
|
G
|
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
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Brian Leetch, New York Rangers
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D
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Chris Chelios, Chicago Blackhawks
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Sandis Ozolinsh, Colorado Avalanche
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D
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Scott Stevens, New Jersey Devils
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Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
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C
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Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers
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Teemu Selanne, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
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RW
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Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins
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Paul Kariya, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
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LW
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John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers
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First games
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1996–97 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start in playoffs):
- Dwayne Roloson, Calgary Flames
- Marc Denis, Colorado Avalanche
- Roman Turek, Dallas Stars
- Tomas Holmstrom, Detroit Red Wings
- Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Hartford Whalers
- Tomas Vokoun, Montreal Canadiens
- Jay Pandolfo, New Jersey Devils
- Bryan Berard, New York Islanders
- Wade Redden, Ottawa Senators
- Janne Niinimaa, Philadelphia Flyers
- Vaclav Prospal, Philadelphia Flyers
- Patrick Lalime, Pittsburgh Penguins
Last games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1996–97 (listed with their last team):
- Tim Cheveldae, Boston Bruins
- Charlie Huddy, Buffalo Sabres
- Denis Savard, Chicago Blackhawks
- Sergei Makarov, Dallas Stars
- Neal Broten, Dallas Stars
- Mike Ramsey, Detroit Red Wings
- Vladimir Konstantinov, Detroit Red Wings
- Dale Hawerchuk, Philadelphia Flyers
- Brad McCrimmon, Philadelphia Flyers
- Dan Quinn, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Joe Mullen, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Tim Hunter, San Jose Sharks
- Craig MacTavish, St. Louis Blues
- Gary Leeman, St. Louis Blues
- Jon Casey, St. Louis Blues
- Jay Wells, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Don Beaupre, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Nick Kypreos, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Mike Ridley, Vancouver Canucks
References