1996–97 Detroit Red Wings season


The 1996–97 Detroit Red Wings season was the 71st National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The highlight of the Red Wings season was winning the Stanley Cup, their first since 1955.

Off-season

On July 23, 1996, Detroit Red Wings President Bill Evo resigned his position after serving just ten months at the team's helm. The Nickname "Hockeytown" was coined to launch the start of a five-year marketing campaign.

Regular season

The "HOCKEYTOWN" logo, a Red Wings logo overlapped with the term "HOCKEYTOWN," was shown over center ice starting this season and was still there.
A season highlight was Sergei Fedorov's five-goal performance on December 26, 1996, in a game against the Washington Capitals. The Red Wings won 5–4 in overtime. Fedorov's fifth goal of the game came at 2:39 of the overtime period.
On March 26, 1997, the Red Wings–Avalanche brawl continued to fuel the rivalry between the teams. Detroit won that game 6–5 in overtime.

Season standings

Schedule and results

October

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
1October 5Detroit1 – 3New JerseyOsgood18,6220–1–00
2October 9Edmonton0 – 2DetroitOsgood19,9831–1–02
3October 11Calgary2 – 1DetroitOsgood19,9831–2–02
4October 12Detroit6 – 1BuffaloVernon18,5952–2–04
5October 15Detroit1 – 3DallasVernon15,9832–3–04
6October 17Detroit1 – 2ChicagoOsgood18,2612–4–04
7October 19NY Islanders2 – 4DetroitVernon19,9833–4–06
8October 21Los Angeles0 – 3DetroitOsgood19,8494–4–08
9October 23Dallas1 – 4DetroitOsgood19,9835–4–010
10October 25Chicago2 – 2Detroit*Hodson19,9835–4–111
11October 26Detroit2 – 1BostonOsgood17,0126–4–113
12October 30Montreal3 – 5DetroitOsgood19,9837–4–115

November

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
13November 1Detroit2 – 2Ottawa*Osgood14,1587–4–216
14November 2Detroit2 – 6TorontoVernon15,7267–5–216
15November 4Hartford1 – 5DetroitOsgood19,9838–5–218
16November 6New Jersey2 – 0DetroitOsgood19,9838–6–218
17November 8Detroit4 – 1HartfordVernon14,6609–6–220
18November 10Tampa Bay2 – 4DetroitOsgood19,98310–6–222
19November 13Colorado4 – 1DetroitOsgood19,98310–7–222
20November 15San Jose1 – 5DetroitVernon19,98311–7–224
21November 18Detroit2 – 2Phoenix*Osgood15,43611–7–325
22November 21Detroit6 – 1San JoseVernon17,44212–7–327
23November 23Detroit6 – 0Los AngelesOsgood16,00513–7–329
24November 24Detroit1 – 3AnaheimVernon17,17413–8–329
25November 27Toronto2 – 5DetroitOsgood19,98314–8–331

December

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
26December 1Florida4 – 2DetroitOsgood19,98314–9–331
27December 3Vancouver2 – 2Detroit*Osgood19,92114–9–432
28December 4Detroit2 – 0WashingtonHodson16,11715–9–434
29December 10Edmonton0 – 0Detroit*Osgood19,98315–9–535
30December 12Chicago2 – 6DetroitOsgood19,98316–9–537
31December 15Toronto1 – 3DetroitOsgood19,98317–9–539
32December 17Detroit3 – 4ColoradoVernon16,06117–10–539
33December 18Detroit3 – 3Calgary*Osgood16,23717–10–640
34December 20Detroit2 – 3VancouverHodson18,42217–11–640
35December 22Detroit6 – 2EdmontonOsgood16,72418–11–642
36December 26Washington4 – 5Detroit*Osgood19,98319–11–644
37December 28Detroit7 – 1NY IslandersVernon16,29720–11–646
38December 30Phoenix5 – 3DetroitOsgood19,98320–12–646

January

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
39January 3Dallas2 – 1DetroitVernon19,98320–13–646
40January 5Detroit5 – 5Chicago*Vernon21,91420–13–747
41January 8Detroit3 – 6DallasOsgood15,32620–14–747
42January 9Detroit5 – 4Phoenix*Osgood16,21021–14–749
43January 11Chicago3 – 1DetroitOsgood19,98321–15–749
44January 14Los Angeles3 – 3Detroit*Osgood19,98321–15–850
45January 20Detroit1 – 4MontrealVernon21,27321–16–850
46January 22Philadelphia2 – 2Detroit*Vernon19,98321–16–951
47January 25Detroit4 – 1PhiladelphiaVernon19,71122–16–953
48January 29Phoenix3 – 0DetroitVernon19,98322–17–953

February

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
49February 1Detroit4 – 1St. LouisVernon20,33023–17–955
50February 2Dallas3 – 4Detroit*Osgood19,98324–17–957
51February 4St. Louis1 – 1Detroit*Vernon19,98324–17–1058
52February 6Vancouver7 – 4DetroitOsgood19,98324–18–1058
53February 8Detroit6 – 5Pittsburgh*Vernon17,35525–18–1060
54February 12San Jose1 – 7DetroitOsgood19,98326–18–1062
55February 14Detroit3 – 4Dallas*Vernon16,92426–19–1062
56February 16Detroit4 – 2FloridaOsgood14,70327–19–1064
57February 17Detroit3 – 3Tampa Bay*Vernon19,57927–19–1165
58February 19Calgary0 – 4DetroitOsgood19,98328–19–1167
59February 22Detroit2 – 2St. Louis*Vernon20,37128–19–1268
60February 24Detroit5 – 3PhoenixOsgood16,21029–19–1270
61February 27Pittsburgh1 – 4DetroitVernon19,98330–19–1272

March

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
62March 1NY Rangers0 – 3DetroitOsgood19,98331–19–1274
63March 2Anaheim1 – 1Detroit*Vernon19,98331–19–1375
64March 5Detroit4 – 4Toronto*Osgood15,72631–19–1476
65March 8Detroit5 – 3VancouverVernon18,42232–19–1478
66March 10Detroit3 – 3Los Angeles*Osgood10,66332–19–1579
67March 12Detroit1 – 2AnaheimVernon17,17432–20–1579
68March 15Detroit7 – 4San JoseOsgood17,44233–20–1581
69March 16Detroit2 – 4ColoradoOsgood16,06133–21–1581
70March 19Boston1 – 4DetroitHodson19,98334–21–1583
71March 21Detroit1 – 3NY RangersOsgood18,20034–22–1583
72March 23Detroit3 – 5ChicagoHodson22,42234–23–1583
73March 26Colorado5 – 6Detroit*Vernon19,98335–23–1585
74March 28Buffalo1 – 2Detroit*Vernon19,98336–23–1587
75March 30Anaheim1 – 0Detroit*Vernon19,98336–24–1587

April

#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
76April 1St. Louis1 – 1Detroit*Vernon19,98336–24–1688
77April 3Toronto2 – 2Detroit*Osgood19,98336–24–1789
78April 5Detroit4 – 2TorontoOsgood15,72637–24–1791
79April 8Detroit3 – 2Calgary*Osgood17,84138–24–1793
80April 9Detroit3 – 3Edmonton*Vernon17,09938–24–1894
81April 11Ottawa3 – 2DetroitVernon19,98338–25–1894
82April 13St. Louis3 – 1DetroitOsgood19,98338–26–1894

Playoffs

The Red Wings won the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, their first Stanley Cup since the 1954–55 NHL season.
Six days after winning the Stanley Cup, tragedy struck when defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov, and massage therapist Sergei Mnatsakanov were involved in a limousine accident. The driver, who later said he fell asleep, had a suspended license for previous drunk driving convictions.

Conference Quarter-finals

Conference Semi-finals

Conference Finals

Stanley Cup Finals

Player statistics

All statistics were compiled while playing for the Red Wings.

Regular season

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIM+/-PPGSHGGWG
LW79464187131312027
C812263857822803
C743033633029924
D791542573011801
C641242542631214
RW6819304912614506
LW802322454621306
D775333815138000
RW78161733167-14511
D64523287626001
RW349918362012
RW436101612-5000
C76851373-11101
RW4967138-3100
D704913588020
LW65391228-10000
D7547111291000
LW4763933-10300
RW66358753000
C4434752-6010
D4927752-9000
D1224602000
D23066105000
RW3421370-7001
LW3612327-3000
G4702260000
RW91010-1000
G601100000
LW10000-100
LW200050000
D200000000
G33000350000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLTGAGAASOSASVSV%
276947231391062.30611751069.910
19523313118792.430782703.899
294622181.631114106.930
Team:5015823826181932.31720711878.907

Playoffs

;Scoring
PlayerPosGPGAPtsPIMPPGSHGGWG
C208122012304
LW20981743202
LW20851314402
C2076134302
RW20481260101
C2048128301
D2029118101
D202682000
LW2052724011
RW2034834002
RW14336200
C2024612010
RW1913422000
D2004442000
D2004429000
RW2004424000
D50115000
G2001112000
LW10000000
G20002000
D2000055000
C20000000
D1900017000

;Goaltending
PlayerMINGPWLGAGAASOSASVSV%
122920164361.761494458.927
4720022.5502119.905
Team:127620164381.791515477.926

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus-minus PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals;
MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA=Shots Against; SV=Shots saved; SV% = Save Percentage;

Awards and records

Transactions

August 27, 1996 Traded Dino Ciccarelli to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a fourth round draft pick in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.
October 9, 1996 Acquired Brendan Shanahan & Brian Glynn from the Hartford Whalers for Keith Primeau & Paul Coffey.
October 13, 1996 Stu Grimson claimed on waivers by Hartford Whalers.
December 27, 1996 Signed Joe Kocur as a free agent.
January 27, 1997 Acquired Tomas Sandstrom from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Greg Johnson.
February 8, 1997 Bob Errey claimed on waivers by San Jose Sharks.
March 18, 1997 Acquired Larry Murphy from the Toronto Maple Leafs for future considerations.

Roster

Draft picks

Detroit's picks at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.
Round#PlayerPositionNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
126Jesse WallinDefenseRed Deer Rebels
252Aren MillerGoalieSpokane Chiefs
4108Johan ForsanderLeft WingHV71
5135Michal PodolkaGoalieSault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
6144Magnus NilssonLeft WingMalmo IF
6162Alexandre JacquesRight WingShawinigan Cataractes
7189Colin BeardsmoreCenterNorth Bay Centennials
8215Craig StahlWingerTri-City Americans
9241Yevgeni AfanasyevWingerFlint Generals

Farm teams