1997–98 AHL season explained

1997–98 AHL season
League:	American Hockey League
Sport:	Ice hockey
Season:	Regular season
Season Champ Name:	Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy
Season Champs:	Philadelphia Phantoms
Mvp:	Steve Guolla
Mvp Link:	Les Cunningham Award
Top Scorer:	Peter White
Top Scorer Link:	John B. Sollenberger Trophy
Playoffs:	Playoffs
Playoffs Link:	1998 Calder Cup playoffs
Finals:	Calder Cup
Finals Champ:	Philadelphia Phantoms
Finals Runner-Up:	Saint John Flames
Playoffs Mvp:	Mike Maneluk
Playoffs Mvp Link:	Jack A. Butterfield Trophy
Seasonslistnames:	AHL

The 1997–98 AHL season was the 62nd season of the American Hockey League. The AHL shifts teams in their divisions, and the Canadian division reverts to being named Atlantic division. The Northern conference is renamed the Eastern conference, and the Southern conference renamed the Western conference.

The league introduces three new trophies. The Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy first awarded for the team which finishes in first place in the league during the regular season. The Yanick Dupre Memorial Award is given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit of community service. The Thomas Ebright Memorial Award honors an individual with outstanding career contributions to the AHL.

Eighteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Philadelphia Phantoms repeated finishing first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.

Team changes

The Binghamton Rangers move to Hartford, Connecticut, becoming the Hartford Wolf Pack, playing in the New England division.
The Carolina Monarchs move to New Haven, Connecticut, becoming the Beast of New Haven, playing in the New England division.
The Baltimore Bandits move to Cincinnati, becoming the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks, playing in the Mid-Atlantic division.
The Portland Pirates switch divisions, from New England to Atlantic.
The Hamilton Bulldogs switch divisions, from Canadian to Empire State.

Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points;

Eastern Conference

Atlantic	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Saint John Flames (CGY)	80	43	24	13	0	99	231	201
Fredericton Canadiens (LAK/MTL)	80	33	32	10	5	81	245	244
Portland Pirates (WSH)	80	33	33	12	2	80	241	247
St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR)	80	25	32	18	5	73	233	254

New England	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Springfield Falcons (PHX)	80	45	26	7	2	99	278	248
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)	80	43	24	12	1	99	272	227
Beast of New Haven (CAR/FLA)	80	38	33	7	2	85	256	239
Worcester IceCats (OTT/STL)	80	34	31	9	6	83	267	268
Providence Bruins (BOS)	80	19	49	7	5	50	211	301

Western Conference

Empire State	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Albany River Rats (NJD)	80	43	20	11	6	103	290	223
Hamilton Bulldogs (EDM)	80	36	22	17	5	94	264	242
Syracuse Crunch (PIT/VAN)	80	35	32	11	2	83	272	285
Adirondack Red Wings (DET/TBL)	80	31	37	9	3	74	245	275
Rochester Americans (BUF)	80	30	38	12	0	72	238	260

Mid-Atlantic	GP	W	L	T	OTL	Pts	GF	GA
Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI)	80	47	21	10	2	106	314	249
Hershey Bears (COL)	80	36	31	7	6	85	238	235
Kentucky Thoroughblades (NYI/SJS)	80	29	39	9	3	70	241	278
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA)	80	23	37	13	7	66	243	303

Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes

GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
80	27	78	105	28
77	42	58	100	151
69	37	63	100	45
80	34	58	92	30
68	36	56	92	42
77	42	45	87	34
78	28	59	87	28
72	35	49	84	44
79	32	52	84	56

complete list

Calder Cup playoffs

See main article: article and 1998 Calder Cup playoffs.

All Star Classic

The 11th AHL All-Star Game was played on February 11, 1998, at the Onondaga War Memorial in Syracuse, New York. Team Canada defeated Team PlanetUSA 11-10. In the skills competition held the day before the All-Star Game, Team PlanetUSA won 13-8 over Team Canada. https://web.archive.org/web/20090819073132/http://www.theahl.com/allstar/events/

Trophy and award winners

Team awards

Calder Cup Playoff champions:	Philadelphia Phantoms
Richard F. Canning Trophy Eastern Conference playoff champions:	Saint John Flames
Robert W. Clarke Trophy Western Conference playoff champions:	Philadelphia Phantoms
Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy Regular season champions, League:	Philadelphia Phantoms
Frank Mathers Trophy Regular Season champions, Mid-Atlantic Division:	Philadelphia Phantoms
F. G. "Teddy" Oke Trophy Regular Season champions, New England Division:	Springfield Falcons
Sam Pollock Trophy Regular Season champions, Atlantic Division:	Saint John Flames
John D. Chick Trophy Regular Season champions, Empire State Division:	Albany River Rats

Individual awards

Les Cunningham Award Most valuable player:	Steve Guolla – Kentucky Thoroughblades
John B. Sollenberger Trophy Top point scorer:	Peter White – Philadelphia Phantoms
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award Rookie of the year:	Danny Briere – Springfield Falcons
Eddie Shore Award Defenceman of the year:	Jamie Heward – Philadelphia Phantoms
Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award Best Goaltender:
Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award Lowest goals against average:	Jean-Sebastien Giguere & Tyler Moss – Saint John Flames
Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award Coach of the year:	Bill Stewart – Saint John Flames
Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award Sportsmanship / Perseverance:	Craig Charron – Rochester Americans
Yanick Dupre Memorial Award Community Service Award:
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy MVP of the playoffs:	Mike Maneluk – Philadelphia Phantoms

Other awards

James C. Hendy Memorial Award Most outstanding executive:	Frank Miceli, Philadelphia Phantoms
Thomas Ebright Memorial Award Career contributions:	Jack Butterfield
James H. Ellery Memorial Awards Outstanding media coverage:	Brendan McCarthy, St. John's & Bill Ballou, Worcester, (newspaper) Lance McAllister, Cincinnati, (radio) Rich Coppola, Hartford / New Haven, (television)
Ken McKenzie Award Outstanding marketing executive:	Chris Palin, Rochester Americans