1997–98 Detroit Red Wings season

The 1997–98 Detroit Red Wings season was the 72nd National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The highlight of the Red Wings' season was winning the Stanley Cup for a second season in a row.

Regular season

Sergei Fedorov's holdout

After a lengthy holdout to start the 1997–98 season, Sergei Fedorov, a restricted free-agent, signed an offer sheet with the Carolina Hurricanes worth up to $38 million (with bonuses). The Red Wings matched the offer on February 26, 1998, ending Fedorov's holdout. The offer broke down as: $14 million for signing, $2 million for 21 regular season games and $12 million for the team reaching conference finals. $28 million for 43 total games in 1997–98 is the largest single season amount paid to an NHL athlete. Fedorov helped the Red Wings win their second consecutive Stanley Cup that year.

Season standings

Playoffs

Stanley Cup Finals

The 1998 Stanley Cup Finals were played in the 105th year of the Stanley Cup. The series was played between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals. The Red Wings were led by captain Steve Yzerman, Head Coach Scotty Bowman and goaltender Chris Osgood. The Capitals were led by captain Dale Hunter, head coach Ron Wilson and goaltender Olaf Kolzig. The Red Wings swept the Capitals to capture their second consecutive Stanley Cup. During the presentation of the Stanley Cup, Vladimir Konstantinov was wheeled onto the ice in his wheelchair and captain Steve Yzerman gave him the cup while his teammates surrounded him.

Schedule and results

Regular season

|- | 1 || October 1 || Detroit || 3–1 || Calgary || || Osgood || 1–0–0 || 2 || |- | 2 || October 3 || Detroit || 8–2 || Edmonton || || Osgood || 2–0–0 || 4 || |- | 3 || October 8 || Dallas || 1–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 3–0–0 || 6 || |- | 4 || October 10 || Tampa Bay || 0–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 4–0–0 || 8 || |- | 5 || October 12 || Calgary || 4–4 || Detroit || OT || Osgood || 4–0–1 || 9 || |- | 6 || October 14 || Detroit || 3–2 || Toronto || || Osgood || 5–0–1 || 11 || |- | 7 || October 15 || Toronto || 4–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 5–1–1 || 11 || |- | 8 || October 18 || Carolina || 2–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 6–1–1 || 13 || |- | 9 || October 20 || St. Louis || 3–3 || Detroit || OT || Osgood || 6–1–2 || 14 || |- | 10 || October 22 || Detroit || 4–1 || Anaheim || || Osgood || 7–1–2 || 16 || |- | 11 || October 23 || Detroit || 4–1 || Los Angeles || || Hodson || 8–1–2 || 18 || |- | 12 || October 26 || Detroit || 5–1 || Vancouver || || Osgood || 9–1–2 || 20 || |- | 13 || October 29 || San Jose || 3–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 10–1–2 || 22 || |- | 14 || October 31 || Los Angeles || 5–1 || Detroit || || Hodson || 10–2–2 || 22 || |-

|- | 15 || November 2 || Anaheim || 3–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 11–2–2 || 24 || |- | 16 || November 5 || Detroit || 1–3 || Carolina || || Osgood || 11–3–2 || 24 || |- | 17 || November 7 || Pittsburgh || 1–1 || Detroit || OT || Osgood || 11–3–3 || 25 || |- | 18 || November 9 || Calgary || 3–6 || Detroit || || Osgood || 12–3–3 || 27 || |- | 19 || November 11 || Colorado || 2–0 || Detroit || || Osgood || 12–4–3 || 27 || |- | 20 || November 13 || Detroit || 4–2 || Ottawa || || Hodson || 13–4–3 || 29 || |- | 21 || November 15 || Detroit || 2–5 || St. Louis || || Osgood || 13–5–3 || 29 || |- | 22 || November 16 || Detroit || 3–3 || Chicago || OT || Hodson || 13–5–4 || 30 || |- | 23 || November 19 || NY Islanders || 3–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 13–6–4 || 30 || |- | 24 || November 21 || Dallas || 2–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 14–6–4 || 32 || |- | 25 || November 22 || Detroit || 5–2 || Montreal || || Osgood || 15–6–4 || 34 || |- | 26 || November 26 || Ottawa || 1–4 || Detroit || || Hodson || 16–6–4 || 36 || |- | 27 || November 28 || Montreal || 0–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 17–6–4 || 38 || |-

|- | 28 || December 1 || Detroit || 3–3 || Vancouver || OT || Osgood || 17–6–5 || 39 || |- | 29 || December 3 || Detroit || 4–3 || Calgary || || Osgood || 18–6–5 || 41 || |- | 30 || December 5 || Detroit || 1–3 || Edmonton || || Osgood || 18–7–5 || 41 || |- | 31 || December 9 || Vancouver || 5–7 || Detroit || || Hodson || 19–7–5 || 43 || |- | 32 || December 12 || Edmonton || 3–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 19–8–5 || 43 || |- | 33 || December 14 || Detroit || 3–3 || Phoenix || OT || Osgood || 19–8–6 || 44 || |- | 34 || December 16 || Detroit || 1–5 || San Jose || || Hodson || 19–9–6 || 44 || |- | 35 || December 17 || Detroit || 2–2 || Colorado || OT || Osgood || 19–9–7 || 45 || |- | 36 || December 19 || New Jersey || 4–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 20–9–7 || 47 || |- | 37 || December 22 || Detroit || 4–2 || Boston || || Osgood || 21–9–7 || 49 || |- | 38 || December 23 || Detroit || 3–1 || Buffalo || || Osgood || 22–9–7 || 51 || |- | 39 || December 26 || Toronto || 1–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 23–9–7 || 53 || |- | 40 || December 27 || Detroit || 8–1 || Toronto || || Osgood || 24–9–7 || 55 || |- | 41 || December 29 || Dallas || 2–2 || Detroit || OT || Osgood || 24–9–8 || 56 || |- | 42 || December 31 || St. Louis || 2–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 25–9–8 || 58 || |-

|- | 43 || January 2 || San Jose || 4–1 || Detroit || || Osgood || 25–10–8 || 58 || |- | 44 || January 4 || Detroit || 1–3 || Chicago || || Osgood || 25–11–8 || 58 || |- | 45 || January 6 || Phoenix || 0–2 || Detroit || || Hodson || 26–11–8 || 60 || |- | 46 || January 9 || Detroit || 3–3 || Dallas || OT || Osgood || 26–11–9 || 61 || |- | 47 || January 11 || Washington || 0–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 27–11–9 || 63 || |- | 48 || January 12 || Detroit || 1–1 || NY Islanders || OT || Hodson || 27–11–10 || 64 || |- | 49 || January 14 || Vancouver || 0–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 28–11–10 || 66 || |- | 50 || January 20 || Detroit || 1–3 || New Jersrey || || Osgood || 28–12–10 || 66 || |- | 51 || January 21 || Toronto || 3–0 || Detroit || || Osgood || 28–13–10 || 66 || |- | 52 || January 24 || Philadelphia || 0–1 || Detroit || || Osgood || 29–13–10 || 68 || |- | 53 || January 28 || Phoenix || 4–4 || Detroit || OT || Osgood || 29–13–11 || 69 || |- | 54 || January 31 || Detroit || 2–4 || Pittsburgh || || Osgood || 29–14–11 || 69 || |-

|- | 55 || February 1 || Detroit || 4–2 || Washington || || Hodson || 30–14–11 || 71 || |- | 56 || February 3 || Detroit || 1–1 || Florida || OT || Osgood || 30–14–12 || 72 || |- | 57 || February 5 || Detroit || 5–4 || Tampa Bay || || Osgood || 31–14–12 || 74 || |- | 58 || February 7 || Detroit || 1–4 || St. Louis || || Osgood || 31–15–12 || 74 || |- | 59 || February 25 || Los Angeles || 1–1 || Detroit || OT || Osgood || 31–15–13 || 75 || |- | 60 || February 27 || Florida || 1–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 32–15–13 || 77 || |-

|- | 61 || March 2 || Detroit || 3–1 || Phoenix || || Osgood || 33–15–13 || 79 || |- | 62 || March 4 || Detroit || 2–0 || Anaheim || || Hodson || 34–15–13 || 81 || |- | 63 || March 5 || Detroit || 4–5 || San Jose || || Osgood || 34–16–13 || 81 || |- | 64 || March 7 || Detroit || 1–2 || Los Angeles || || Osgood || 34–17–13 || 81 || |- | 65 || March 10 || Boston || 6–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 34–18–13 || 81 || |- | 66 || March 12 || Chicago || 0–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 35–18–13 || 83 || |- | 67 || March 14 || Detroit || 1–6 || Philadelphia || || Osgood || 35–19–13 || 83 || |- | 68 || March 17 || Edmonton || 3–4 || Detroit || || Maracle || 36–19–13 || 85 || |- | 69 || March 18 || Detroit || 5–2 || Toronto || || Maracle || 37–19–13 || 87 || |- | 70 || March 21 || Detroit || 4–3 || NY Rangers || || Hodson || 38–19–13 || 89 || |- | 71 || March 23 || Chicago || 5–5 || Detroit || OT || Maracle || 38–19–14 || 90 || |- | 72 || March 26 || Anaheim || 3–3 || Detroit || OT || Hodson || 38–19–15 || 91 || |- | 73 || March 28 || Detroit || 2–3 || St. Louis || || Osgood || 38–20–15 || 91 || |- | 74 || March 29 || Buffalo || 2–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 39–20–15 || 93 || |-

|- | 75 || April 1 || Colorado || 0–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 40–20–15 || 95 || |- | 76 || April 4 || Detroit || 3–2 || Chicago || || Osgood || 41–20–15 || 97 || |- | 77 || April 7 || St. Louis || 3–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 42–20–15 || 99 || |- | 78 || April 9 || Phoenix || 1–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 43–20–15 || 101 || |- | 79 || April 11 || NY Rangers || 2–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 44–20–15 || 103 || |- | 80 || April 14 || Detroit || 1–2 || 1997–98 Phoenix Coyotes season|Phoenix || || Osgood || 44–21–15 || 103 || |- | 81 || April 15 || Detroit || 1–3 || Dallas || || Osgood || 44–22–15 || 103 || |- | 82 || April 18 || Detroit || 3–4 || Colorado || || Hodson || 44–23–15 || 103 || |-

|- | Legend:

Playoffs

|- | 1 || April 22 || Phoenix || 3–6 || Detroit || || Osgood || 1–0 || |- | 2 || April 24 || Phoenix || 7–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 1–1 || |- | 3 || April 26 || Detroit || 2–3 || Phoenix || || Osgood || 1–2 || |- | 4 || April 28 || Detroit || 4–2 || Phoenix || || Osgood || 2–2 || |- | 5 || April 30 || Phoenix || 1–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 3–2 || |- | 6 || May 3 || Detroit || 5–2 || Phoenix || || Osgood || 4–2 || |-

|- | 1 || May 8 || St. Louis || 4–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 0–1 || |- | 2 || May 10 || St. Louis || 1–6 || Detroit || || Osgood || 1–1 || |- | 3 || May 12 || Detroit || 3–2 || St. Louis || 2OT || Osgood || 2–1 || |- | 4 || May 14 || Detroit || 5–2 || St. Louis || || Osgood || 3–1 || |- | 5 || May 17 || St. Louis || 3–1 || Detroit || || Osgood || 3–2 || |- | 6 || May 19 || Detroit || 6–1 || St. Louis || || Osgood || 4–2 || |-

|- | 1 || May 24 || Detroit || 2–0 || Dallas || || Osgood || 1–0 || |- | 2 || May 26 || Detroit || 1–3 || Dallas || || Osgood || 1–1 || |- | 3 || May 29 || Dallas || 3–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 2–1 || |- | 4 || May 31 || Dallas || 2–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 3–1 || |- | 5 || June 3 || Detroit || 2–3 || Dallas || OT || Osgood || 3–2 || |- | 6 || June 5 || Dallas || 0–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 4–2 || |-

|- | 1 || June 9 || Washington || 1–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 1–0 || |- | 2 || June 11 || Washington || 4–5 || Detroit || OT || Osgood || 2–0 || |- | 3 || June 13 || Detroit || 2–1 || Washington || || Osgood || 3–0 || |- | 4 || June 16 || Detroit || 4–1 || Washington || || Osgood || 4–0 || |-

|- | Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring

• <small>Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing</small>
• <small> = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Red Wings only.</small>
• <small> = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Red Wings only.</small>

Goaltending

Awards and records

Awards

Nicklas Lidstrom was a runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy.

Milestones

Transactions

The Red Wings were involved in the following transactions during the 1997-98 season.

Trades

Signings

Free agents

Waivers

Draft picks

Below are the Detroit Red Wings' selections at the 1997 NHL entry draft, held on June 21, 1997 at Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Notes

• The Red Wings first-round pick went to the Carolina Hurricanes (formerly the Hartford Whalers) as the result of a trade on October 9, 1996 that sent Brendan Shanahan and Brian Glynn to Detroit in exchange for Paul Coffey, Keith Primeau and this pick (22nd overall).

Notes

References