1996–97 NHL season

The 1996–97 NHL season was the 80th regular season of the National Hockey League. The Stanley Cup winners were the Detroit Red Wings. They swept the Philadelphia Flyers in four games. The Red Wings had not won the Stanley Cup for 42 years.
Regular season.
The Boston Bruins recorded the league's worst record, missing the playoffs for the first time in thirty seasons and ending the longest number of years in a row in the playoffs ever recorded in the history of North American professional sport.
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"
NHL Awards.
The NHL Awards presentation took place on June 19, 1997.
First games.
The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1996–97 (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 1996–97 (listed with their last team):