1997–98 AHL season

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

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 99231201
Fredericton Canadiens (MTL/LA)80 33 32 10 5 81245244
Portland Pirates (WAS)80 33 33 12 2 80241247
St. John's Maple Leafs (TOR)80 25 32 18 5 73233254
New England GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Springfield Falcons (PHX)804526 7299278248
Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR)80432412199272227
Beast of New Haven (FLA/CAR)803833 7285256239
Worcester IceCats (STL/OTT)803431 9683267268
Providence Bruins (BOS)801949 7550211301

Western Conference

Empire State GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Albany River Rats (NJ)8043 2011 6103 290 223
Hamilton Bulldogs (EDM)8036 2217 5 94 264 242
Syracuse Crunch (VAN/PIT)8035 3211 2 83 272 285
Adirondack Red Wings (DET/TB)8031 37 9 3 74 245 275
Rochester Americans (BUF)8030 3812 0 72 238 260
Mid-Atlantic GP W L T OTL Pts GF GA
Philadelphia Phantoms (PHI)80472110 2106 314 249
Hershey Bears (COL)803631 7 6 85 238 235
Kentucky Thoroughblades (SJ/NYI)802939 9 3 70 241 278
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (ANA)80233713 7 66 243 303

Scoring leaders

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

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Peter White Philadelphia Phantoms 80 27 78105 28
Bob Wren Cincinnati Mighty Ducks 77 42 58100 151
Steve Guolla Kentucky Thoroughblades 69 37 63100 45
Stacy Roest Adirondack Red Wings 80 34 58 92 30
Danny Briere Springfield Falcons 68 36 56 92 42
Craig Darby Philadelphia Phantoms 77 42 45 87 34
Craig Reichert Cincinnati Mighty Ducks 78 28 59 87 28
Brendan Morrison Albany River Rats 72 35 49 84 44
Alexei Yegorov Kentucky Thoroughblades 79 32 52 84 56

Calder Cup playoffs

Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Finals Calder Cup Final
            
A1 Saint John 3
A4 St. John's 1
A1 Saint John 4
Atlantic Division
A3 Portland 2
A2 Fredericton 1
A3 Portland 3
A1 Saint John 4
Eastern Conference
N2 Hartford 1
N1 Springfield 1
N4 Worcester 3
N4 Worcester 3
New England Division
N2 Hartford 4
N2 Hartford 3
N3 New Haven 0
A1 Saint John 2
M1 Philadelphia 4
E1 Albany 3
E4 Adirondack 0
E1 Albany 4
Empire State Division
E3 Hamilton 0
E2 Hamilton 3
E3 Syracuse 2
E1 Albany 2
Western Conference
M1 Philadelphia 4
M1 Philadelphia 3
E5 Rochester 1
M1 Philadelphia 4
Mid-Atlantic Division
M2 Hershey 0
M2 Hershey 3
M3 Kentucky 0

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.

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:
Scott Langkow - Springfield Falcons
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:
John Jakopin - Beast of New Haven
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

See also

References

Preceded by
1996–97 AHL season
AHL seasons Succeeded by
1998–99 AHL season
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