1996–97 NHL season facts for kids

The 1996–97 NHL season was the 80th regular season for the National Hockey League (NHL). This was a super exciting year for hockey fans! The biggest winners were the Detroit Red Wings, who won the famous Stanley Cup. They beat the Philadelphia Flyers in four games, which means they won every game in the final series! This was a huge deal because the Red Wings hadn't won the Stanley Cup in 42 years. Imagine waiting that long for your team to win!

The Regular Season: Road to the Playoffs

The regular season is when all the teams play many games to see who is the best. Teams try to win as many games as possible to earn points. The teams with the most points get to move on to the playoffs, where they compete for the Stanley Cup.

In the 1996–97 season, the Boston Bruins had a tough year. They had the worst record in the league and missed the playoffs for the first time in 30 seasons. This was the longest streak of making the playoffs ever recorded in North American professional sports!

Top Teams in the Regular Season

Here's a look at the best teams from each conference during the regular season. These teams earned the most points and were ready for the playoffs!

Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points

Top Scorers in the Regular Season

These players were amazing at scoring points during the regular season. Points are given for goals (G) and assists (A).

Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Stanley Cup Playoffs: The Road to the Championship

The Stanley Cup playoffs are a series of exciting games where the best teams from the regular season compete. Teams play against each other in a "best-of-seven" series, meaning the first team to win four games moves on. The last team standing wins the Stanley Cup!

Playoff Bracket

This bracket shows how the teams moved through the playoffs.

The Stanley Cup is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff winner.

Conference Quarterfinals

This was the first round of the playoffs.

• The New Jersey Devils beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1.
• The Buffalo Sabres won a close series against the Ottawa Senators 4-3.
• The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1.
• The New York Rangers beat the Florida Panthers 4-1.
• The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim won against the Phoenix Coyotes 4-3.
• The Detroit Red Wings defeated the St. Louis Blues 4-2.
• The Edmonton Oilers won a tight series against the Dallas Stars 4-3.
• The Colorado Avalanche beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2.

Conference Semifinals

The winners from the first round moved on to this round.

• In the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1.
• Also in the East, the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4-1.
• In the Western Conference, the Colorado Avalanche won against the Edmonton Oilers 4-1.
• The Detroit Red Wings swept the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 4-0, meaning they won all four games!

Conference Finals

These were the final games before the Stanley Cup Final.

• In the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Flyers beat the New York Rangers 4-1 to win the Prince of Wales Trophy.
• In the Western Conference, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-2 to win the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl.

Stanley Cup Final

This was the championship series! The Detroit Red Wings faced the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0! This was a huge victory for the Red Wings, ending their 42-year wait for the championship. Mike Vernon, the goalie for the Red Wings, was named the most valuable player of the playoffs and won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

Top Scorers in the Playoffs

These players scored the most points during the exciting playoff games.

Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

NHL Awards: Celebrating the Best Players

The NHL gives out special awards each year to recognize the best players, coaches, and teams. The awards for the 1996–97 season were given out on June 19, 1997.

• Presidents' Trophy: Awarded to the team with the most points in the regular season. Winner: Colorado Avalanche.
• Prince of Wales Trophy: Awarded to the Eastern Conference playoff champion. Winner: Philadelphia Flyers.
• Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: Awarded to the Western Conference playoff champion. Winner: Detroit Red Wings.
• Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Given to the player who leads the league in points. Winner: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins.
• Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: For the player who shows great sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Winner: Tony Granato, San Jose Sharks.
• Calder Memorial Trophy: Given to the best rookie (first-year player). Winner: Bryan Berard, New York Islanders.
• Conn Smythe Trophy: Awarded to the most valuable player in the playoffs. Winner: Mike Vernon, Detroit Red Wings.
• Frank J. Selke Trophy: For the best defensive forward. Winner: Michael Peca, Buffalo Sabres.
• Hart Memorial Trophy: Given to the player judged most valuable to his team. Winner: Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres.
• Jack Adams Award: For the best coach. Winner: Ted Nolan, Buffalo Sabres.
• James Norris Memorial Trophy: For the best defense player. Winner: Brian Leetch, New York Rangers.
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy: For leadership on and off the ice, and for community contributions. Winner: Trevor Linden, Vancouver Canucks.
• Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: For the player who shows the best sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with high playing ability. Winner: Paul Kariya, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
• Lester B. Pearson Award: Voted by players as the most outstanding player. Winner: Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres.
• NHL Plus/Minus Award: For the player with the best plus/minus rating (how many more goals your team scores than gives up when you are on the ice). Winner: John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers.
• Vezina Trophy: For the best goalie. Winner: Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres.
• William M. Jennings Trophy: For the goalie(s) on the team with the fewest goals scored against them. Winners: Martin Brodeur/Mike Dunham, New Jersey Devils.
• Lester Patrick Trophy: For outstanding service to hockey in the United States. Winners: Bill Cleary, Pat LaFontaine.

All-Star Teams: The Dream Teams

The NHL also picks "All-Star Teams" each year. These are like dream teams made up of the best players at each position. There's a First Team (the very best) and a Second Team.