Regular season [change]
Highlights [change]
Jari Kurri reached 600 goals in his career, finishing with 601.
The Vancouver Canucks and Mighty Ducks of Anaheim opened the season with two games in Tokyo, Japan; this was the first time the NHL played games outside of North America.
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]
| Ottawa vs. New Jersey |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 22 |
Ottawa 2 |
1 New Jersey |
OT |
| April 24 |
Ottawa 1 |
3 New Jersey |
| April 26 |
New Jersey 1 |
2 Ottawa |
OT |
| April 28 |
New Jersey 3 |
4 Ottawa |
| April 30 |
Ottawa 1 |
3 New Jersey |
| May 2 |
New Jersey 1 |
3 Ottawa |
| Ottawa wins series 4–2 |
|
| Montreal vs. Pittsburgh |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 23 |
Montreal 3 |
2 Pittsburgh |
OT |
| April 25 |
Montreal 1 |
4 Pittsburgh |
| April 27 |
Pittsburgh 1 |
3 Montreal |
| April 29 |
Pittsburgh 6 |
3 Montreal |
| May 1 |
Montreal 5 |
2 Pittsburgh |
| May 3 |
Pittsburgh 0 |
3 Montreal |
| Montreal wins series 4–2 |
|
| Buffalo vs. Philadelphia |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 22 |
Buffalo 3 |
2 Philadelphia |
| April 24 |
Buffalo 2 |
3 Philadelphia |
| April 27 |
Philadelphia 1 |
6 Buffalo |
| April 29 |
Philadelphia 1 |
4 Buffalo |
| May 1 |
Buffalo 3 |
2 Philadelphia |
OT |
| Buffalo wins series 4–1 |
|
| Boston vs. Washington |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 22 |
Boston 1 |
3 Washington |
| April 24 |
Boston 4 |
3 Washington |
2OT |
| April 26 |
Washington 3 |
2 Boston |
2OT |
| April 28 |
Washington 3 |
0 Boston |
| May 1 |
Boston 4 |
0 Washington |
| May 3 |
Washington 3 |
2 Boston |
OT |
| Washington wins series 4–2 |
|
Western Conference [change]
| San Jose vs. Dallas |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 23 |
San Jose 1 |
4 Dallas |
| April 24 |
San Jose 2 |
5 Dallas |
| April 26 |
Dallas 1 |
4 San Jose |
| April 28 |
Dallas 0 |
1 San Jose |
OT |
| April 30 |
San Jose 2 |
3 Dallas |
| May 2 |
Dallas 3 |
2 San Jose |
OT |
| Dallas wins series 4–2 |
|
| Edmonton vs. Colorado |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 22 |
Edmonton 3 |
2 Colorado |
| April 24 |
Edmonton 2 |
5 Colorado |
| April 26 |
Colorado 5 |
4 Edmonton |
OT |
| April 28 |
Colorado 3 |
1 Edmonton |
| April 30 |
Edmonton 3 |
1 Colorado |
| May 2 |
Colorado 0 |
2 Edmonton |
| May 4 |
Edmonton 4 |
0 Colorado |
| Edmonton wins series 4–3 |
|
| Phoenix vs. Detroit |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 22 |
Phoenix 3 |
6 Detroit |
| April 24 |
Phoenix 7 |
4 Detroit |
| April 26 |
Detroit 2 |
3 Phoenix |
| April 28 |
Detroit 4 |
2 Phoenix |
| April 30 |
Phoenix 1 |
3 Detroit |
| May 3 |
Detroit 5 |
2 Phoenix |
| Detroit wins series 4–2 |
|
| Los Angeles vs. St. Louis |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 23 |
Los Angeles 3 |
8 St. Louis |
| April 25 |
Los Angeles 1 |
3 St. Louis |
| April 27 |
St. Louis 4 |
3 Los Angeles |
| April 29 |
St. Louis 2 |
1 Los Angeles |
| St. Louis wins series 4–0 |
|
Conference semifinals [change]
Eastern Conference
| Ottawa vs. Washington |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| May 7 |
Ottawa 2 |
4 Washington |
| May 9 |
Ottawa 1 |
6 Washington |
| May 11 |
Washington 3 |
4 Ottawa |
| May 13 |
Washington 2 |
0 Ottawa |
| May 15 |
Ottawa 0 |
3 Washington |
| Washington win series 4–1 |
|
| Montreal vs. Buffalo |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| May 8 |
Montreal 2 |
3 Buffalo |
OT |
| May 10 |
Montreal 3 |
6 Buffalo |
| May 12 |
Buffalo 5 |
4 Montreal |
2OT |
| May 14 |
Buffalo 3 |
1 Montreal |
| Buffalo wins series 4–0 |
|
Western Conference
| Edmonton vs. Dallas |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| May 7 |
Edmonton 1 |
3 Dallas |
| May 9 |
Edmonton 2 |
0 Dallas |
| May 11 |
Dallas 1 |
0 Edmonton |
OT |
| May 13 |
Dallas 3 |
1 Edmonton |
| May 16 |
Edmonton 1 |
2 Dallas |
| Dallas wins series 4–1 |
|
| St. Louis vs. Detroit |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| May 8 |
St. Louis 4 |
2 Detroit |
| May 10 |
St. Louis 1 |
6 Detroit |
| May 12 |
Detroit 3 |
2 St. Louis |
2OT |
| May 14 |
Detroit 5 |
2 St. Louis |
| May 17 |
St. Louis 3 |
1 Detroit |
| May 19 |
Detroit 6 |
1 St. Louis |
| Detroit wins series 4–2 |
|
Conference finals [change]
Eastern Conference
| Buffalo vs. Washington |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| May 23 |
Buffalo 2 |
0 Washington |
| May 25 |
Buffalo 2 |
3 Washington |
OT |
| May 28 |
Washington 4 |
3 Buffalo |
OT |
| May 30 |
Washington 2 |
0 Buffalo |
| June 2 |
Buffalo 2 |
1 Washington |
| June 4 |
Washington 3 |
2 Buffalo |
OT |
Washington wins series 4–2
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 took place in Toronto, Ontario
| Presidents' Trophy: |
Dallas Stars |
| Prince of Wales Trophy: |
Washington Capitals |
| Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: |
Detroit Red Wings |
| Art Ross Memorial Trophy: |
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: |
Jamie McLennan, St. Louis Blues |
| Calder Memorial Trophy: |
Sergei Samsonov, Boston Bruins |
| Frank J. Selke Trophy: |
Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars |
| Hart Memorial Trophy: |
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres |
| Conn Smythe Trophy: |
Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings |
| Jack Adams Award: |
Pat Burns, Boston Bruins |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: |
Rob Blake, Los Angeles Kings |
| King Clancy Memorial Trophy: |
Kelly Chase, St. Louis Blues |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: |
Ron Francis, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Lester B. Pearson Award: |
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres |
| Lester Patrick Trophy: |
Peter Karmanos, Max McNab, Neal Broten, John Mayasich |
| NHL Plus/Minus Award: |
Chris Pronger, St. Louis Blues |
| Vezina Trophy: |
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres |
| William M. Jennings Trophy: |
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils |
All-Star teams [change]
| First Team |
Position |
Second Team |
| Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres |
G |
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils |
| Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings |
D |
Chris Pronger, St. Louis Blues |
| Rob Blake, Los Angeles Kings |
D |
Scott Niedermayer, New Jersey Devils |
| Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche |
C |
Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers |
| Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins |
RW |
Teemu Selanne, Anaheim Mighty Ducks |
| John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers |
LW |
Keith Tkachuk, Phoenix Coyotes |
First games [change]
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1997–98 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start in playoffs):
- Joe Thornton, Boston Bruins
- Sergei Samsonov, Boston Bruins
- Derek Morris, Calgary Flames
- Olli Jokinen, Los Angeles Kings
- Brendan Morrison, New Jersey Devils
- Sheldon Souray, New Jersey Devils
- Zdeno Chara, New York Islanders
- Marc Savard, New York Rangers
- Chris Phillips, Ottawa Senators
- Marian Hossa, Ottawa Senators
- Daniel Briere, Phoenix Coyotes
- Marco Sturm, San Jose Sharks
- Patrick Marleau, San Jose Sharks
- Pavel Kubina, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Danny Markov, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Mattias Ohlund, Vancouver Canucks
Last games [change]
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1997–98 (listed with their last team):
- Brent Sutter, Chicago Blackhawks
- Jari Kurri, Colorado Avalanche
- Slava Fetisov, Detroit Red Wings
- Kevin Lowe, Edmonton Oilers
- Andy Moog, Montreal Canadiens
- Bruce Driver, New York Rangers
- Pat LaFontaine, New York Rangers
- Joel Otto, Philadelphia Flyers
- Michel Petit, Phoenix Coyotes
- Mike Gartner, Phoenix Coyotes
- Al Iafrate, San Jose Sharks
- Kelly Hrudey, San Jose Sharks
- Jeff Brown, Washington Capitals
References [change]