1996–97 Detroit Red Wings season

The 1996–97 Detroit Red Wings season was the 71st National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The highlight of the Red Wings season was winning the Stanley Cup, their first since 1955.

1996–97 Detroit Red Wings
Stanley Cup champions
Western Conference champions
Division2nd Central
Conference3rd Western
1996–97 record38–26–18
Home record20–12–9
Road record18–14–9
Goals for253
Goals against197
Team information
General managerScotty Bowman (interim)
Jim Devellano (interim)
CoachScotty Bowman
CaptainSteve Yzerman
Alternate captainsSergei Fedorov
Brendan Shanahan
ArenaJoe Louis Arena
Average attendance19,978 (99.9%)
Total: 819,107
Minor league affiliate(s)Adirondack Red Wings (AHL)
Toledo Storm (ECHL)
Team leaders
GoalsBrendan Shanahan (46)
AssistsSteve Yzerman (63)
PointsBrendan Shanahan (87)
Penalty minutesMartin Lapointe (167)
Plus/minusVladimir Konstantinov (38)
WinsChris Osgood (23)
Goals against averageKevin Hodson (1.63)

Off-season

On July 23, 1996, Detroit Red Wings President Bill Evo resigned his position after serving just ten months at the team's helm.[1] The Nickname "Hockeytown" was coined to launch the start of a five-year marketing campaign.

Regular season

The "HOCKEYTOWN" logo, a Red Wings logo overlapped with the term "HOCKEYTOWN," was shown over center ice starting this season and was still there as of 2016.

A season highlight was Sergei Fedorov's five-goal performance on December 26, 1996, in a game against the Washington Capitals. The Red Wings won 5–4 in overtime. Fedorov's fifth goal of the game came at 2:39 of the overtime period.

On February 8, 1997, coach Scotty Bowman achieved his 1000th victory as an NHL head coach against his previous team, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On March 26, 1997, the Red Wings–Avalanche brawl continued to fuel the rivalry between the teams. Detroit won that game 6–5 in overtime.

Season standings

Central Division
No. CR GP W L T GF GA Pts
12Dallas Stars8248268252198104
23Detroit Red Wings8238261825319794
35Phoenix Coyotes823837724024383
46St. Louis Blues8236351123623983
58Chicago Blackhawks8234351322321081
611Toronto Maple Leafs823044823027368

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Western Conference[2]
R Div GP W L T GF GA Pts
1p – Colorado AvalanchePAC8249249277205107
2Dallas StarsCEN8248268252198104
3Detroit Red WingsCEN8238261825319794
4Mighty Ducks of AnaheimPAC8236331324523385
5Phoenix CoyotesCEN823837724024383
6St. Louis BluesCEN8236351123623983
7Edmonton OilersPAC823637925224781
8Chicago BlackhawksCEN8234351322321081
9Vancouver CanucksPAC823540725727377
10Calgary FlamesPAC823241921423973
11Toronto Maple LeafsCEN823044823027368
12Los Angeles KingsPAC8228431121426867
13San Jose SharksPAC822747821127862

Divisions: CEN – Central, PAC – Pacific

bold – Qualified for playoffs; p – Won Presidents' Trophy

Schedule and results

Regular season

1996-97 game log: 38–26–18 (Home: 20–12–9; Road: 18–14–9)

Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Tie (1 point)

Playoffs

1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Legend:   Win   Loss

Playoffs

The Red Wings won the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, their first Stanley Cup since the 1954–55 NHL season.

Six days after winning the Stanley Cup, tragedy struck when defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov, and massage therapist Sergei Mnatsakanov were involved in a limousine accident. The driver, who later said he fell asleep, had a suspended license for previous drunk driving convictions.

Player statistics

All statistics were compiled while playing for the Red Wings.[3]

Skaters

Goaltending

Regular Season
Player GP GS TOI W L T GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Chris Osgood47452,768:48231391062.301,175.9106026
Mike Vernon33331,952:0313118792.43782.89900035
Kevin Hodson64293:4722181.63114.9301010
Total5,014:383826181932.312,071.90770341
Playoffs
Player GP GS TOI W L GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Mike Vernon20201,229:12164361.76494.92710112
Chris Osgood2047:100022.5421.9050002
Total1,276:22164381.79515.92610114

† Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Red Wings. Stats reflect time with the Red Wings only.
‡ Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Red Wings only.

Note: GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/Minus; PIM = Penalty Minutes;
       GS = Games Started; TOI = Time on Ice; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals Against; GAA = Goals-against Average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots Against; SV% = Save Percentage;

Awards and records

Clarence S. Campbell Bowl:Detroit Red Wings
Conn Smythe Trophy:Mike Vernon
Runner Up: James Norris Memorial Trophy:Vladimir Konstantinov[4]

Transactions

Retirement

DatePlayer
March 18, 1997 (1997-03-18)Mike Ramsey

Draft picks

Detroit's picks at the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.[5]

Round # Player Position Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)
1 26 Jesse Wallin D  Canada Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
2 52 Aren Miller G  Canada Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
4 108 Johan Forsander LW  Sweden HV71 (SEL)
5 135 Michal Podolka G  Czech Republic Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
61 144 Magnus Nilsson LW  Sweden Malmo IF (SEL)
6 162 Alexandre Jacques C  Canada Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
7 189 Colin Beardsmore C  Canada North Bay Centennials (OHL)
8 215 Craig Stahl RW  Canada Tri-City Americans (WHL)
9 241 Yevgeni Afanasyev LW  Canada Flint Generals (CoHL)
Notes
  1. The Red Wings acquired this pick as the result of a trade on April 4, 1995 that sent Mike Sillinger and Jason York to Anaheim in exchange for Stu Grimson, Mark Ferner and this pick.
  • The Red Wings third-round pick went to the Boston Bruins as the result of a trade on August 17, 1995 that sent David Shaw to Tampa Bay in exchange for this pick (80th overall).
Tampa Bay previously acquired this pick as the result of a trade on August 17, 1995 that sent Marc Bergevin and Ben Hankinson to Detroit in exchange for Shawn Burr and this pick.

References

  1. "Evo Resigns as Red Wings President".
  2. "1996-1997 Conference Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". NHL.
  3. "1996-97 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics - Hockey-Reference.com". hockey-reference.com. Retrieved 2013-02-19.
  4. National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 222, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 0-920445-98-5
  5. 1996 NHL Entry Draft Results hockeydb.com
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