The 2005–06 NHL season was the 88th season of the National Hockey League. The 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs began on April 21 2006 and ended on June 19. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Edmonton Oilers. This was the first Stanley Cup for the Hurricanes.
The 2004–05 season was cancelled due to a labour dispute with the NHL Players Association. The dispute was over the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the league and its players.
Regular season
Final standings
Red-shaded team won the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
Orange-shaded team won the other conference.
Yellow-shaded teams won the other four divisions.
Green-shaded teams won the remaining ten playoff berths.
Numbers in brackets means ranking in conference. Division leaders are automatically ranked 1–3. These three, plus the next five teams in the conference standings, earn playoff berths at the end of the season.
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Tiebreaking procedures
If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the order of the clubs is determined in the following order:
- The fewer number of games played (i.e., superior points percentage).
- The greater number of games won.
- The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs.
- The greater differential between goals for and against.
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes
Leading goaltenders
Minimum 1,000 minutes played.
Note: GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/Shootout Losses; GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average
Stanley Cup playoffs
Playoff bracket
Conference Quarterfinals
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
| Ottawa (1) vs. Tampa Bay (8) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 21 |
Tampa Bay 1 |
4 Ottawa |
| April 23 |
Tampa Bay 4 |
3 Ottawa |
| April 25 |
Ottawa 8 |
4 Tampa Bay |
| April 27 |
Ottawa 5 |
2 Tampa Bay |
| April 29 |
Tampa Bay 2 |
3 Ottawa |
| Ottawa wins series 4–1 |
|
|
| Carolina (2) vs. Montreal (7) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| April 22 |
Montreal 6 |
1 Carolina |
|
| April 24 |
Montreal 6 |
5 Carolina |
2OT |
| April 26 |
Carolina 2 |
1 Montreal |
OT |
| April 28 |
Carolina 3 |
2 Montreal |
|
| April 30 |
Montreal 1 |
2 Carolina |
|
| May 2 |
Carolina 2 |
1 Montreal |
OT |
| Carolina wins series 4–2 |
|
| New Jersey (3) vs. New York Rangers (6) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 22 |
NY Rangers 1 |
6 New Jersey |
| April 24 |
NY Rangers 1 |
4 New Jersey |
| April 26 |
New Jersey 3 |
0 NY Rangers |
| April 29 |
New Jersey 4 |
2 NY Rangers |
| New Jersey wins series 4–0 |
|
|
| Buffalo (4) vs. Philadelphia (5) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| April 22 |
Philadelphia 2 |
3 Buffalo |
2OT |
| April 24 |
Philadelphia 2 |
8 Buffalo |
|
| April 26 |
Buffalo 2 |
4 Philadelphia |
|
| April 28 |
Buffalo 4 |
5 Philadelphia |
|
| April 30 |
Philadelphia 0 |
3 Buffalo |
|
| May 2 |
Buffalo 7 |
1 Philadelphia |
|
| Buffalo wins series 4–2 |
|
Western Conference Quarterfinals
| Detroit (1) vs. Edmonton (8) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| April 21 |
Edmonton 2 |
3 Detroit |
2OT |
| April 23 |
Edmonton 4 |
2 Detroit |
|
| April 25 |
Detroit 3 |
4 Edmonton |
2OT |
| April 27 |
Detroit 4 |
2 Edmonton |
|
| April 29 |
Edmonton 3 |
2 Detroit |
|
| May 1 |
Detroit 3 |
4 Edmonton |
|
| Edmonton wins series 4–2 |
|
|
| Dallas (2) vs. Colorado (7) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| April 22 |
Colorado 5 |
2 Dallas |
|
| April 24 |
Colorado 5 |
4 Dallas |
OT |
| April 26 |
Dallas 3 |
4 Colorado |
OT |
| April 28 |
Dallas 4 |
1 Colorado |
|
| April 30 |
Colorado 3 |
2 Dallas |
OT |
| Colorado wins series 4–1 |
|
| Calgary (3) vs. Anaheim (6) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| April 21 |
Anaheim 1 |
2 Calgary |
OT |
| April 23 |
Anaheim 4 |
3 Calgary |
|
| April 25 |
Calgary 5 |
2 Anaheim |
|
| April 27 |
Calgary 2 |
3 Anaheim |
OT |
| April 29 |
Anaheim 2 |
3 Calgary |
|
| May 1 |
Calgary 1 |
2 Anaheim |
|
| May 3 |
Anaheim 3 |
0 Calgary |
|
| Anaheim wins series 4–3 |
|
|
| Nashville (4) vs. San Jose (5) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
| April 21 |
San Jose 3 |
4 Nashville |
| April 23 |
San Jose 3 |
0 Nashville |
| April 25 |
Nashville 1 |
4 San Jose |
| April 27 |
Nashville 4 |
5 San Jose |
| April 30 |
San Jose 2 |
1 Nashville |
| San Jose wins series 4–1 |
|
Conference Semifinals
Eastern Conference Semifinals
| Ottawa (1) vs. Buffalo (4) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| May 5 |
Buffalo 7 |
6 Ottawa |
OT |
| May 8 |
Buffalo 2 |
1 Ottawa |
|
| May 10 |
Ottawa 2 |
3 Buffalo |
OT |
| May 11 |
Ottawa 2 |
1 Buffalo |
|
| May 13 |
Buffalo 3 |
2 Ottawa |
OT |
| Buffalo wins series 4–1 |
|
|
| Carolina (2) vs. New Jersey (3) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| May 6 |
New Jersey 0 |
6 Carolina |
|
| May 8 |
New Jersey 2 |
3 Carolina |
OT |
| May 10 |
Carolina 3 |
2 New Jersey |
|
| May 13 |
Carolina 1 |
5 New Jersey |
|
| May 14 |
New Jersey 1 |
4 Carolina |
|
| Carolina wins series 4–1 |
|
Western Conference Semifinals
| San Jose (5) vs. Edmonton (8) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| May 7 |
Edmonton 1 |
2 San Jose |
|
| May 8 |
Edmonton 1 |
2 San Jose |
|
| May 10 |
San Jose 2 |
3 Edmonton |
3OT |
| May 12 |
San Jose 3 |
6 Edmonton |
|
| May 14 |
Edmonton 6 |
3 San Jose |
|
| May 17 |
San Jose 0 |
2 Edmonton |
|
| Edmonton wins series 4–2 |
|
|
| Anaheim (6) vs. Colorado (7) |
| Date |
Away |
Home |
|
| May 5 |
Colorado 0 |
5 Anaheim |
|
| May 7 |
Colorado 0 |
3 Anaheim |
|
| May 9 |
Anaheim 4 |
3 Colorado |
OT |
| May 11 |
Anaheim 4 |
1 Colorado |
|
| Anaheim wins series 4–0 |
|
Conference Finals
Eastern Conference Finals
Western Conference Finals
Stanley Cup Finals
NHL awards
| 2005-2006 NHL awards |
| Award |
Recipient(s) |
| Stanley Cup: |
Carolina Hurricanes |
| Presidents' Trophy: |
Detroit Red Wings |
| Prince of Wales Trophy: |
Carolina Hurricanes |
| Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: |
Edmonton Oilers |
| Art Ross Trophy: |
Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks/Boston Bruins |
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: |
Teemu Selanne, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
| Calder Memorial Trophy: |
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals |
| Conn Smythe Trophy: |
Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes |
| Frank J. Selke Trophy: |
Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes |
| Hart Memorial Trophy: |
Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks/Boston Bruins |
| Jack Adams Award: |
Lindy Ruff, Buffalo Sabres |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: |
Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings |
| King Clancy Memorial Trophy: |
Olaf Kolzig, Washington Capitals |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: |
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit Red Wings |
| Lester B. Pearson Award: |
Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers |
| Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy: |
Jonathan Cheechoo, San Jose Sharks |
| NHL Plus/Minus Award: |
Wade Redden, Ottawa Senators;
Michal Rozsival, New York Rangers |
| Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award: |
Cristobal Huet, Montreal Canadiens |
| Vezina Trophy: |
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames |
| William M. Jennings Trophy: |
Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames |
| Lester Patrick Trophy: |
Red Berenson, Marcel Dionne, Reed Larson, Glen Sonmor, Steve Yzerman |
All-Star teams
| First Team |
Position |
Second Team |
| Miikka Kiprusoff, Calgary Flames |
G |
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils |
| Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings |
D |
Zdeno Chara, Ottawa Senators |
| Scott Niedermayer, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim |
D |
Sergei Zubov, Dallas Stars |
| Joe Thornton, Boston/San Jose |
C |
Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes |
| Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers |
RW |
Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators |
| Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals |
LW |
Dany Heatley, Ottawa Senators |
First games
The following are players of note who played their first NHL game in 2005-06:
Last games
The following is a list of players who played their last NHL game in 2005-06:
- Dave Andreychuk, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Andrew Cassels, Washington Capitals
- Eric Daze, Chicago Blackhawks
- Eric Desjardins, Philadelphia Flyers
- Tie Domi, Toronto Maple Leafs
- Jiri Fischer, Detroit Red Wings
- Tom Fitzgerald, Boston Bruins
- Brett Hull, Phoenix Coyotes
- Steve Konowalchuk, Colorado Avalanche
- Greg Johnson, Nashville Predators (statistical quirk showed he scored goal before start of a game)
- Brian Leetch, Boston Bruins
- Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Bryan Marchment, Calgary Flames
- Alexander Mogilny, New Jersey Devils
- Zigmund Palffy, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Keith Primeau, Philadelphia Flyers
- Luc Robitaille, Los Angeles Kings
- Eric Weinrich, Vancouver Canucks
- Scott Young, St. Louis Blues
- Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings
