The 1996–97 NHL season was the 80thregular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings, who swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games and won the Stanley Cupfor the first time in 42 years. The regular season saw a decline in scoring and rise in the number of shutouts to an all-time record of 127. This trend continued into the playoffs, during which an all-time record of 18 shutouts were recorded. Only two players, Mario Lemieux and Teemu Selanne, reached the 100-point plateau during the regular season. Many factors, including fewer power plays, more calls of the skate-in-the-crease rule, fewer shots on goal and more injuries to star players than the season before, contributed to the reduction in scoring and skyrocketing in shutouts. Paradoxically, teams averaged more even-strength goals scored than in 1995–96. This was the first time in 30 years—and in the entire expansion era—that the Boston Bruins had a losing record and missed the playoffs, ending a still-unsurpassed North American professional sports streak of 29-straight seasons in the playoffs.
League business
This was the first season for the Phoenix Coyotes, who had relocated from Winnipeg and had previously been known as the Winnipeg Jets. They would remain in the Central Division. On March 26, 1997, the Hartford Whalers announced that they would move from Connecticut following the 1996–97 season. On May 5th, they announced that starting in the 1997–98 NHL season, they would be known as the Carolina Hurricanes. The 1996–97 season marked the retirement of Craig MacTavish, the last active NHL player who played without a protective helmet. MacTavish had been grandfathered under the old rule requiring them to be worn because he had signed a pro contract before the rule was established on June 1, 1979. The first player to ever wear a helmet was George Owen in the 1928–29 season.
Regular season
The Boston Bruins recorded the League's worst record, missing the playoffs for the first time in 30 seasons and ending the longest consecutive playoff streak ever recorded in the history of North American professional sports. On November 16, 1996, the eight-sided scoreboard at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo crashed to the ice during a maintenance check. The accident occurred only 90 minutes after the visiting Boston Bruins players had conducted their morning practice. No-one was injured, but the game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Bruins was postponed.
Final standings
;Eastern Conference ;Western Conference Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
The Red Wings swept the Flyers in four games to win for the eighth time in franchise history and the first time since 1955. Mike Vernon of Detroit was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Detroit wins series 4–0 and Stanley Cup
Playoff bracket
Awards
The NHL Awards presentation took place on June 19, 1997.
All-Star teams
Player statistics
Scoring leaders
Regular season
Playoffs
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Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
March 18, 1997: D Jeff Norton traded from Edmonton to Tampa Bay for D Drew Bannister and the earlier of Tampa Bay or Anaheim's sixth round draft pick in 1997 Entry Draft.
