1997–98 Detroit Red Wings season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	1997–98
Year:	1997
Team:	Detroit Red Wings
Conferencerank:	3rd
Divisionrank:	2nd
Record:	44–23–15
Homerecord:	25–8–8
Roadrecord:	19–15–7
Goalsfor:	250
Goalsagainst:	196
Attendance:	19,983 (100%) Total: 819,303
Minorleague:	Adirondack Red Wings (AHL) Toledo Storm (ECHL)
Goalsleader:	Brendan Shanahan (28)
Assistsleader:	Steve Yzerman (45)
Pointsleader:	Steve Yzerman (69)
Plusminusleader:	Larry Murphy (35)
Pimleader:	Darren McCarty (157)
Winsleader:	Chris Osgood (33)
Gaaleader:	Chris Osgood (2.21)
Stanleycup:	Yes
Conferencewin:	Yes

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

|- style="background:#cfc;"| 1 || October 1 || Detroit || 3–1 || Calgary || || Osgood || 1–0–0 || 2 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 2 || October 3 || Detroit || 8–2 || Edmonton || || Osgood || 2–0–0 || 4 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 3 || October 8 || Dallas || 1–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 3–0–0 || 6 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 6 || October 14 || Detroit || 3–2 || Toronto || || Osgood || 5–0–1 || 11 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 7 || October 15 || Toronto || 4–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 5–1–1 || 11 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 10 || October 22 || Detroit || 4–1 || Anaheim || || Osgood || 7–1–2 || 16 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 11 || October 23 || Detroit || 4–1 || Los Angeles || || Hodson || 8–1–2 || 18 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 12 || October 26 || Detroit || 5–1 || Vancouver || || Osgood || 9–1–2 || 20 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 13 || October 29 || San Jose || 3–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 10–1–2 || 22 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 14 || October 31 || Los Angeles || 5–1 || Detroit || || Hodson || 10–2–2 || 22 || |-|- style="background:#cfc;"| 15 || November 2 || Anaheim || 3–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 11–2–2 || 24 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 18 || November 9 || Calgary || 3–6 || Detroit || || Osgood || 12–3–3 || 27 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 19 || November 11 || Colorado || 2–0 || Detroit || || Osgood || 12–4–3 || 27 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 20 || November 13 || Detroit || 4–2 || Ottawa || || Hodson || 13–4–3 || 29 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 23 || November 19 || NY Islanders || 3–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 13–6–4 || 30 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 24 || November 21 || Dallas || 2–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 14–6–4 || 32 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 25 || November 22 || Detroit || 5–2 || Montreal || || Osgood || 15–6–4 || 34 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 26 || November 26 || Ottawa || 1–4 || Detroit || || Hodson || 16–6–4 || 36 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 29 || December 3 || Detroit || 4–3 || Calgary || || Osgood || 18–6–5 || 41 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 30 || December 5 || Detroit || 1–3 || Edmonton || || Osgood || 18–7–5 || 41 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 31 || December 9 || Vancouver || 5–7 || Detroit || || Hodson || 19–7–5 || 43 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 36 || December 19 || New Jersey || 4–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 20–9–7 || 47 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 37 || December 22 || Detroit || 4–2 || Boston || || Osgood || 21–9–7 || 49 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 38 || December 23 || Detroit || 3–1 || Buffalo || || Osgood || 22–9–7 || 51 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 39 || December 26 || Toronto || 1–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 23–9–7 || 53 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 42 || December 31 || St. Louis || 2–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 25–9–8 || 58 || |-|- style="background:#fcc;"| 43 || January 2 || San Jose || 4–1 || Detroit || || Osgood || 25–10–8 || 58 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 44 || January 4 || Detroit || 1–3 || Chicago || || Osgood || 25–11–8 || 58 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 49 || January 14 || Vancouver || 0–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 28–11–10 || 66 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 50 || January 20 || Detroit || 1–3 || New Jersrey || || Osgood || 28–12–10 || 66 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 51 || January 21 || Toronto || 3–0 || Detroit || || Osgood || 28–13–10 || 66 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 54 || January 31 || Detroit || 2–4 || Pittsburgh || || Osgood || 29–14–11 || 69 || |-|- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 57 || February 5 || Detroit || 5–4 || Tampa Bay || || Osgood || 31–14–12 || 74 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 60 || February 27 || Florida || 1–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 32–15–13 || 77 || |-|- style="background:#cfc;"| 61 || March 2 || Detroit || 3–1 || Phoenix || || Osgood || 33–15–13 || 79 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 62 || March 4 || Detroit || 2–0 || Anaheim || || Hodson || 34–15–13 || 81 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 63 || March 5 || Detroit || 4–5 || San Jose || || Osgood || 34–16–13 || 81 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 64 || March 7 || Detroit || 1–2 || Los Angeles || || Osgood || 34–17–13 || 81 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 65 || March 10 || Boston || 6–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 34–18–13 || 81 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 66 || March 12 || Chicago || 0–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 35–18–13 || 83 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 67 || March 14 || Detroit || 1–6 || Philadelphia || || Osgood || 35–19–13 || 83 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 68 || March 17 || Edmonton || 3–4 || Detroit || || Maracle || 36–19–13 || 85 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 69 || March 18 || Detroit || 5–2 || Toronto || || Maracle || 37–19–13 || 87 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 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 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 73 || March 28 || Detroit || 2–3 || St. Louis || || Osgood || 38–20–15 || 91 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 74 || March 29 || Buffalo || 2–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 39–20–15 || 93 || |-|- style="background:#cfc;"| 75 || April 1 || Colorado || 0–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 40–20–15 || 95 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 76 || April 4 || Detroit || 3–2 || Chicago || || Osgood || 41–20–15 || 97 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 77 || April 7 || St. Louis || 3–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 42–20–15 || 99 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 78 || April 9 || Phoenix || 1–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 43–20–15 || 101 || |- style="background:#cfc;"| 79 || April 11 || NY Rangers || 2–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 44–20–15 || 103 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 80 || April 14 || Detroit || 1–2 || 1997–98 Phoenix Coyotes season|Phoenix || || Osgood || 44–21–15 || 103 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 81 || April 15 || Detroit || 1–3 || Dallas || || Osgood || 44–22–15 || 103 || |- style="background:#fcc;"| 82 || April 18 || Detroit || 3–4 || Colorado || || Hodson || 44–23–15 || 103 || |-|-| Legend:

Playoffs

|- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 1 || April 22 || Phoenix || 3–6 || Detroit || || Osgood || 1–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc"| 2 || April 24 || Phoenix || 7–4 || Detroit || || Osgood || 1–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc"| 3 || April 26 || Detroit || 2–3 || Phoenix || || Osgood || 1–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc| 4 || April 28 || Detroit || 4–2 || Phoenix || || Osgood || 2–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 5 || April 30 || Phoenix || 1–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 3–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 6 || May 3 || Detroit || 5–2 || Phoenix || || Osgood || 4–2 || |-|- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc"| 1 || May 8 || St. Louis || 4–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 0–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 2 || May 10 || St. Louis || 1–6 || Detroit || || Osgood || 1–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 3 || May 12 || Detroit || 3–2 || St. Louis || 2OT || Osgood || 2–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc| 4 || May 14 || Detroit || 5–2 || St. Louis || || Osgood || 3–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc"| 5 || May 17 || St. Louis || 3–1 || Detroit || || Osgood || 3–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 6 || May 19 || Detroit || 6–1 || St. Louis || || Osgood || 4–2 || |-|- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 1 || May 24 || Detroit || 2–0 || Dallas || || Osgood || 1–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc"| 2 || May 26 || Detroit || 1–3 || Dallas || || Osgood || 1–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 3 || May 29 || Dallas || 3–5 || Detroit || || Osgood || 2–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc| 4 || May 31 || Dallas || 2–3 || Detroit || || Osgood || 3–1 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#fcc"| 5 || June 3 || Detroit || 2–3 || Dallas || OT || Osgood || 3–2 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 6 || June 5 || Dallas || 0–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 4–2 || |-|- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 1 || June 9 || Washington || 1–2 || Detroit || || Osgood || 1–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 2 || June 11 || Washington || 4–5 || Detroit || OT || Osgood || 2–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc"| 3 || June 13 || Detroit || 2–1 || Washington || || Osgood || 3–0 || |- align="center" bgcolor="#cfc| 4 || June 16 || Detroit || 4–1 || Washington || || Osgood || 4–0 || |-|-| Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring

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

	Regular season						Playoffs
	Player
19		C	75	24	45	69	3	46	22	6	18	24	10	22
5		D	80	17	42	59	22	18	22	6	13	19	12	8
14		LW	75	28	29	57	6	154	20	5	4	9	5	22
13		LW	80	25	27	52	14	46	22	6	8	14	4	10
55		D	82	11	41	52	35	37	22	3	12	15	12	2
8		C	69	8	39	47	14	40	22	3	10	13	5	12
17		C	80	19	23	42	17	12	9	4	2	6	−1	0
25		RW	71	15	22	37	0	157	22	3	8	11	9	34
20		RW	79	15	19	34	0	106	21	9	6	15	6	20
41		LW	61	13	14	27	4	40	15	2	1	3	2	12
18		LW	65	14	9	23	11	89	22	3	1	4	2	30
33		C	64	13	10	23	5	45	19	1	3	4	4	12
96		LW	57	5	17	22	6	44	22	7	12	19	9	16
44		D	66	7	14	21	21	32	18	0	5	5	7	16
91		RW	21	6	11	17	10	25	22	10	10	20	0	12
11		RW	68	5	12	17	5	43	3	1	0	1	−2	0
2		D	58	2	12	14	4	72	21	0	3	3	4	10
22		RW	53	7	6	13	2	16	3	0	1	1	0	0
3		D	71	1	11	12	−9	57	22	0	3	3	2	16
26		RW	63	6	5	11	7	92	18	4	0	4	−3	30
27		D	52	5	5	10	−1	47
15		D	11	2	5	7	0	4	7	0	3	3	1	14
4		D	54	2	5	7	2	71
28		D	12	0	2	2	1	6
31		G	21	0	0	0		2	1	0	0	0		0
21		C	2	0	0	0	0	0
34		D	7	0	0	0	0	0	22	2	2	4	3	18
34		G	4	0	0	0		0
30		G	64	0	0	0		31	22	0	0	1		12

Goaltending

	Regular season											Playoffs
	Player
30		64	64	33	20	11	1,605	140	2.21	.913	6	3,806:39	22	22	16	6	588	48	2.12	.918	2	1,361:04
31		21	16	9	3	3	444	44	2.67	.901	2	987:49	1	0	0	0	0	0	0.00	—	0	0:16
34		4	2	2	0	1	63	6	2.02	.905	0	178:15	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Awards and records

Awards

Nicklas Lidstrom was a runner-up for the James Norris Memorial Trophy.^[1]

Type	Award/honor	Recipient	Ref
League (annual)	Conn Smythe Trophy	Steve Yzerman	^[2]
League (annual)	NHL First All-Star Team	Nicklas Lidstrom (Defense)	^[3]
League (in-season)	NHL All-Star Game selection	Viacheslav Fetisov	^[4]
Igor Larionov
Nicklas Lidstrom
Brendan Shanahan

Transactions

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

Trades

Date	Details
	To San Jose Sharks Mike Vernon 1999 5th-round pick (#149 overall)	To Detroit Red Wings 1998 2nd-round pick (#41 overall) 1999 2nd-round pick (#47 overall)
	To Toronto Maple Leafs 1998 TB 4th-round pick (#87 overall)	To Detroit Red Wings Jamie Macoun
	To Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Jamie Pushor 1998 4th-round pick (#112 overall)	To Detroit Red Wings Dmitri Mironov

Signings

Date	Player	Contract term
		4-year
		1-year
		3-year
		1-year
		2-year
		1-year
		3-year
		3-year
		6-year (matched Hurricanes offer sheet)
		2-year extension through 1999-2000 with 1-year option for 2000-01
	Aren Miller	3-year
		3-year

Free agents

Date	Player	Team	Contract term
			3-year
			2-year

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.^[5]

Round		Player	Position	College/Junior/Club team
2	49		LW	Lada Togliatti (Russia)
3	76		C	HC Pardubice (Czech Republic)
4	102		LW	Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
5	129		D	Lulea HF (Sweden)
6	157		RW	Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
7	186	Mike Laceby	C	Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
8	213	Steve Wilejto	C	Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
9	239	Greg Willers	D	Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

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).

References

Web site: Detroit Red Wings 1997-98 roster and scoring statistics at hockeydb.com . www.hockeydb.com . July 5, 2023.
Web site: 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings Roster, Stats, Injuries, Scores, Results, Shootouts . Hockey-Reference.com . July 5, 2023.

Notes and References

National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 222, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario,
Web site: Conn Smythe Trophy . records.nhl.com . July 9, 2023.
Web site: Postseason All-Star Teams . records.nhl.com . July 9, 2023.
Web site: NHL All-Star Game Historical Summaries - 1998 . NHL.com . July 9, 2023.
Web site: 1997 NHL Entry Draft Picks at hockeydb.com . www.hockeydb.com . July 9, 2023.