Regular season [change]
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 [change]
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Scoring leaders [change]
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
Stanley Cup playoffs [change]
Playoff bracket [change]
Conference quarterfinals [change]
Eastern Conference [change]
| Montreal vs. New Jersey |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
|
| Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
| NY Rangers vs. Florida |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
Western Conference [change]
| Chicago vs. Colorado |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
|
| St. Louis vs. Detroit |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
|
Conference semifinals [change]
Eastern Conference
| NY Rangers vs. New Jersey |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
| Philadelphia vs. Buffalo |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
Western Conference
| Edmonton vs. Colorado |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
| Anaheim vs. Detroit |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
Conference finals [change]
Eastern Conference
| NY Rangers vs. Philadelphia |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| 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 |
|
|
Stanley Cup final [change]
Scoring leaders [change]
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
NHL Awards [change]
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 |
| 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 |
| Frank J. Selke Trophy: |
Michael Peca, Buffalo Sabres |
| 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 |
| Lester Patrick Trophy: |
Bill Cleary, Pat LaFontaine |
All-Star teams [change]
| First Team |
Position |
Second Team |
| Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres |
G |
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils |
| Brian Leetch, New York Rangers |
D |
Chris Chelios, Chicago Blackhawks |
| Sandis Ozolinsh, Colorado Avalanche |
D |
Scott Stevens, New Jersey Devils |
| Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins |
C |
Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers |
| Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Mighty Ducks |
RW |
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Paul Kariya, Anaheim Mighty Ducks |
LW |
John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers |
First games [change]
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 [change]
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 [change]