The 1998–99 NHL season was the 82nd regular season of the National Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 82 games each.
The Dallas Stars finished first in regular season play. They won the Stanley Cup Championship over the Buffalo Sabres with a disputed overtime goal by Brett Hull.
Goaltenders continued to rule the league; only two teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the New Jersey Devils, averaged more than three goals scored per game. In addition, no player reached the 50-goal plateau. A total of 160 shutouts were recorded for the second-straight regular season.
Regular season
Final standings
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
Postseason
Playoff bracket
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
New Jersey (1) vs. Pittsburgh (8) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
April 22 |
Pittsburgh |
New Jersey |
|
3 – 1 |
April 24 |
Pittsburgh |
New Jersey |
|
4 – 1 |
April 25 |
New Jersey |
Pittsburgh |
|
4 – 2 |
April 27 |
New Jersey |
Pittsburgh |
|
4 – 2 |
April 30 |
Pittsburgh |
New Jersey |
|
4 – 3 |
May 2 |
New Jersey |
Pittsburgh |
OT |
3 – 2 |
May 4 |
Pittsburgh |
New Jersey |
|
4 – 2 |
Pittsburgh wins series 4–3 |
|
Ottawa (2) vs. Buffalo (7) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
April 21 |
Buffalo |
Ottawa |
|
2 – 1 |
April 23 |
Buffalo |
Ottawa |
2OT |
3 – 2 |
April 25 |
Ottawa |
Buffalo |
|
3 – 0 |
April 27 |
Ottawa |
Buffalo |
|
4 – 3 |
Buffalo wins series 4–0 |
|
Carolina (3) vs. Boston (6) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
April 22 |
Boston |
Carolina |
|
2 – 0 |
April 24 |
Boston |
Carolina |
OT |
3 – 2 |
April 26 |
Carolina |
Boston |
|
3 – 2 |
April 28 |
Carolina |
Boston |
|
4 – 1 |
April 30 |
Boston |
Carolina |
2OT |
4 – 3 |
May 2 |
Carolina |
Boston |
|
2 – 0 |
Boston wins series 4–2 |
|
Toronto (4) vs. Philadelphia (5) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
April 22 |
Philadelphia |
Toronto |
|
3 – 0 |
April 24 |
Philadelphia |
Toronto |
|
2 – 1 |
April 26 |
Toronto |
Philadelphia |
|
2 – 1 |
April 28 |
Toronto |
Philadelphia |
|
5 – 2 |
April 30 |
Philadelphia |
Toronto |
OT |
2 – 1 |
May 2 |
Toronto |
Philadelphia |
|
1 – 0 |
Toronto wins series 4–2 |
|
Western Conference Quarterfinals
Dallas (1) vs. Edmonton (8) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
April 21 |
Edmonton |
Dallas |
|
2 – 1 |
April 23 |
Edmonton |
Dallas |
|
3 – 2 |
April 25 |
Dallas |
Edmonton |
|
3 – 2 |
April 28 |
Dallas |
Edmonton |
3OT |
3 – 2 |
Dallas wins series 4–0 |
|
Colorado (2) vs. San Jose (7) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
April 24 |
San Jose |
Colorado |
|
3 – 1 |
April 26 |
San Jose |
Colorado |
OT |
2 – 1 |
April 28 |
Colorado |
San Jose |
|
4 – 2 |
April 30 |
Colorado |
San Jose |
|
7 – 3 |
May 1 |
San Jose |
Colorado |
|
6 – 2 |
May 3 |
Colorado |
San Jose |
OT |
3 – 2 |
Colorado wins series 4–2 |
|
Detroit (3) vs. Anaheim (6) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
Score |
April 21 |
Anaheim |
Detroit |
5 – 3 |
April 23 |
Anaheim |
Detroit |
5 – 1 |
April 25 |
Detroit |
Anaheim |
4 – 2 |
April 27 |
Detroit |
Anaheim |
3 – 0 |
Detroit wins series 4–0 |
|
Phoenix (4) vs. St. Louis (5) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
April 22 |
St. Louis |
Phoenix |
|
3 – 1 |
April 24 |
St. Louis |
Phoenix |
OT |
4 – 3 |
April 25 |
Phoenix |
St. Louis |
|
5 – 4 |
April 27 |
Phoenix |
St. Louis |
|
2 – 1 |
April 30 |
St. Louis |
Phoenix |
OT |
2 – 1 |
May 2 |
Phoenix |
St. Louis |
|
5 – 3 |
May 4 |
St. Louis |
Phoenix |
OT |
1 – 0 |
St. Louis wins series 4–3 |
|
Eastern Conference Semifinals
Toronto (4) vs. Pittsburgh (8) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
May 7 |
Pittsburgh |
Toronto |
|
2 – 0 |
May 9 |
Pittsburgh |
Toronto |
|
4 – 2 |
May 11 |
Toronto |
Pittsburgh |
|
4 – 3 |
May 13 |
Toronto |
Pittsburgh |
OT |
3 – 2 |
May 15 |
Pittsburgh |
Toronto |
|
4 – 1 |
May 17 |
Toronto |
Pittsburgh |
OT |
4 – 3 |
Toronto wins series 4–2 |
|
Boston (6) vs. Buffalo (7) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
Score |
May 6 |
Buffalo |
Boston |
4 – 2 |
May 9 |
Buffalo |
Boston |
3 – 1 |
May 12 |
Boston |
Buffalo |
3 – 2 |
May 14 |
Boston |
Buffalo |
3 – 0 |
May 16 |
Buffalo |
Boston |
5 – 3 |
May 18 |
Boston |
Buffalo |
3 – 2 |
Buffalo wins series 4–2 |
|
Western Conference Semifinals
Dallas (1) vs. St. Louis (5) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
May 6 |
St. Louis |
Dallas |
|
3 – 0 |
May 8 |
St. Louis |
Dallas |
OT |
5 – 4 |
May 10 |
Dallas |
St. Louis |
OT |
3 – 2 |
May 12 |
Dallas |
St. Louis |
OT |
3 – 2 |
May 15 |
St. Louis |
Dallas |
|
3 – 1 |
May 17 |
Dallas |
St. Louis |
OT |
2 – 1 |
Dallas wins series 4–2 |
|
Colorado (2) vs. Detroit (3) |
Date |
Away |
Home |
OT |
Score |
May 7 |
Detroit |
Colorado |
OT |
3 – 2 |
May 9 |
Detroit |
Colorado |
|
4 – 0 |
May 11 |
Colorado |
Detroit |
|
5 – 3 |
May 13 |
Colorado |
Detroit |
|
6 – 2 |
May 16 |
Detroit |
Colorado |
|
3 – 0 |
May 18 |
Colorado |
Detroit |
|
5 – 2 |
Colorado wins series 4–2 |
|
Eastern Conference Final
Western Conference Final
Finals
NHL awards
Presidents' Trophy: |
Dallas Stars |
Prince of Wales Trophy: |
Buffalo Sabres |
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: |
Dallas Stars |
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: |
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins |
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: |
John Cullen, Tampa Bay Lightning |
Calder Memorial Trophy: |
Chris Drury, Colorado Avalanche |
Conn Smythe Trophy: |
Joe Nieuwendyk, Dallas Stars |
Frank J. Selke Trophy: |
Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars |
Hart Memorial Trophy: |
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins |
Jack Adams Award: |
Jacques Martin, Ottawa Senators |
James Norris Memorial Trophy: |
Al MacInnis, St. Louis Blues |
King Clancy Memorial Trophy: |
Rob Ray, Buffalo Sabres |
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: |
Wayne Gretzky, New York Rangers |
Lester B. Pearson Award: |
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins |
Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy: |
Teemu Selänne, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
NHL Plus/Minus Award: |
John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers |
Vezina Trophy: |
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres |
William M. Jennings Trophy: |
Ed Belfour & Roman Turek, Dallas Stars |
Lester Patrick Trophy: |
Harry Sinden |
All-Star teams
First Team |
Position |
Second Team |
Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres |
G |
Byron Dafoe, Boston Bruins |
Al MacInnis, St. Louis Blues |
D |
Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins |
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings |
D |
Eric Desjardins, Philadelphia Flyers |
Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche |
C |
Alexei Yashin, Ottawa Senators |
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins |
RW |
Teemu Selanne, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
Paul Kariya, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
LW |
John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers |
First games
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1998–99 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start in playoffs):
- Martin St. Louis, Calgary Flames
- Jean-Pierre Dumont, Chicago Blackhawks
- Chris Drury, Colorado Avalanche
- Milan Hejduk, Colorado Avalanche
- Tom Poti, Edmonton Oilers
- Dan Boyle, Florida Panthers
- Jason Blake, Los Angeles Kings
- David Legwand, Nashville Predators
- Karlis Skrastins, Nashville Predators
- Kimmo Timonen, Nashville Predators
- John Madden, New Jersey Devils
- Eric Brewer, New York Islanders
- Sami Salo, Ottawa Senators
- Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Tomas Kaberle, Toronto Maple Leafs
Last games
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1998–99 (listed with their last team):