1995-96 NHL season

The 1995–96 NHL season was the 79th regular season of the National Hockey League. Twenty-six teams each played 82 games. The Stanley Cup winners were the Colorado Avalanche. They swept the Florida Panthers in four games. This was the first year the team was named Avalanche.
League Business.
1995–96 was the first season in Denver for the Avalanche, who had relocated from Quebec City where they were previously known as the Quebec Nordiques. 
It was also the last season of existence for the Winnipeg Jets, as they announced that they would be moving from Manitoba to Arizona and become the Phoenix Coyotes at the season's end.
1995–96 would mark the last season the Buffalo Sabres would play in the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, the Flyers at the Spectrum, and Canadiens at the Montreal Forum.
Regular season.
The Detroit Red Wings had a great season, finishing with the second-highest regular-season point total in NHL history (131 points), yet they fell to the Avalanche in the Western Conference final, the sixth game of which marked the beginning of the heated Detroit-Colorado rivalry.
Final standings.
"Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points"
Scoring leaders.
"Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points"
Stanley Cup playoffs.
Scoring leaders.
"Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points"
First games.
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1995–96 (listed with their first team, stars(*) mark start in playoffs):
Last games.
The following is a list of players of note that played their last game in the NHL in 1995–96 (listed with their last team):