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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, who swept the Florida Panthers in four games.

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 season's end.

Regular season[]

The Detroit Red Wings had a spectacular 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

Eastern Conference
Northeast Division
Team W L T GF GA Pts
Pittsburgh Penguins 49 29 4 362 284 102
Boston Bruins 40 31 11 282 269 91
Montreal Canadiens 40 32 10 265 248 90
Hartford Whalers 34 39 9 237 259 77
Buffalo Sabres 33 42 7 247 262 73
Ottawa Senators 18 59 5 191 291 41
Atlantic Division
Team W L T GF GA Pts
Philadelphia Flyers 45 24 13 282 208 103
New York Rangers 41 27 14 272 237 96
Florida Panthers 41 31 10 254 234 92
Washington Capitals 39 32 11 234 204 89
Tampa Bay Lightning 38 32 12 238 248 88
New Jersey Devils 37 33 12 215 202 86
New York Islanders 22 50 10 229 315 54
Western Conference
Central Division
Team W L T GF GA Pts
Detroit Red Wings 62 13 7 325 181 131
Chicago Blackhawks 40 28 14 273 220 94
Toronto Maple Leafs 34 36 12 247 252 80
St. Louis Blues 32 34 16 219 248 80
Winnipeg Jets 36 40 6 275 291 78
Dallas Stars 26 42 14 227 280 66
Pacific Division
Team W L T GF GA Pts
Colorado Avalanche 47 25 10 326 240 104
Calgary Flames 34 37 11 241 240 79
Vancouver Canucks 32 35 15 278 278 79
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 35 39 8 234 247 78
Edmonton Oilers 30 44 8 240 304 68
Los Angeles Kings 24 40 18 256 302 66
San Jose Sharks 20 55 7 252 357 47

Scoring leaders[]

Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A PTS
Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh 70 69 92 161
Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh 82 62 87 149
Joe Sakic Colorado 82 51 69 120
Ron Francis Pittsburgh 77 27 92 119
Peter Forsberg Colorado 82 30 86 116
Eric Lindros Philadelphia 73 47 68 115
Paul Kariya Anaheim 82 50 58 108
Teemu Selänne Winnipeg/
Anaheim
79 40 68 108
Sergei Fedorov Detroit 78 39 68 107
Alexander Mogilny Vancouver 79 55 52 107

Stanley Cup playoffs[]

Playoff bracket[]

  First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Stanley Cup Finals
                                     
1  Philadelphia 4  
8  Tampa Bay 2  
  2  Pittsburgh 4  
  3  NY Rangers 1  
3  NY Rangers 4
6  Montreal 2  
  2  Pittsburgh 3  
Eastern Conference
  4  Florida 4  
2  Pittsburgh 4  
7  Washington 2  
  1  Philadelphia 2
  4  Florida 4  
4  Florida 4
5  Boston 1  
  E4  Florida 0
  W2  Colorado 4
1  Detroit 4  
8  Winnipeg 2  
  1  Detroit 4
  5  St. Louis 3  
4  Toronto 2
5  St. Louis 4  
  1  Detroit 2
Western Conference
  2  Colorado 4  
2  Colorado 4  
7  Vancouver 2  
  2  Colorado 4
  3  Chicago 2  
3  Chicago 4
6  Calgary 0  


Hhof stanley cup

The Stanley Cup

Conference quarterfinals[]

Eastern Conference[]

Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay
Date Away Home
April 16 Tampa Bay 3 7 Philadelphia
April 18 Tampa Bay 2 1 Philadelphia OT
April 21 Philadelphia 4 5 Tampa Bay OT
April 23 Philadelphia 4 1 Tampa Bay
April 25 Tampa Bay 1 4 Philadelphia
April 27 Philadelphia 6 1 Tampa Bay
Philadelphia wins series 4–2
Pittsburgh vs. Washington
Date Away Home
April 17 Washington 6 4 Pittsburgh
April 19 Washington 5 3 Pittsburgh
April 22 Pittsburgh 4 1 Washington
April 24 Pittsburgh 3 2 Washington 4 OT
April 26 Washington 1 4 Pittsburgh
April 28 Pittsburgh 3 2 Washington
Pittsburgh wins series 4–2
NY Rangers vs. Montreal
Date Away Home
April 16 Montreal 3 2 NY Rangers OT
April 18 Montreal 5 3 NY Rangers
April 21 NY Rangers 2 1 Montreal
April 23 NY Rangers 4 3 Montreal
April 26 Montreal 2 3 NY Rangers
April 28 NY Rangers 5 3 Montreal
NY Rangers wins series 4–2
Florida vs. Boston
Date Away Home
April 17 Boston 3 6 Florida
April 22 Boston 2 6 Florida
April 24 Florida 4 2 Boston
April 25 Florida 2 6 Boston
April 27 Boston 3 4 Florida
Florida wins series 4–1

Western Conference[]

Detroit vs. Winnipeg
Date Away Home
April 17 Winnipeg 1 4 Detroit
April 19 Winnipeg 0 4 Detroit
April 21 Detroit 1 4 Winnipeg
April 23 Detroit 6 1 Winnipeg
April 26 Winnipeg 3 1 Detroit
April 28 Detroit 4 1 Winnipeg
Detroit wins series 4–2
Colorado vs. Vancouver
Date Away Home
April 16 Vancouver 2 5 Colorado
April 18 Vancouver 5 4 Colorado
April 20 Colorado 4 0 Vancouver
April 22 Colorado 3 4 Vancouver
April 25 Vancouver 4 5 Colorado OT
April 27 Colorado 3 2 Vancouver
Colorado wins series 4–2
Chicago vs. Calgary
Date Away Home
April 17 Calgary 1 4 Chicago
April 19 Calgary 0 3 Chicago
April 21 Chicago 7 5 Calgary
April 23 Chicago 2 1 Calgary
Chicago wins series 4–0
Toronto vs. St. Louis
Date Away Home
April 16 St. Louis 3 1 Toronto
April 18 St. Louis 4 5 Toronto OT
April 21 Toronto 2 3 St. Louis OT
April 23 Toronto 1 5 St. Louis
April 25 St. Louis 4 5 Toronto OT
April 27 Toronto 1 2 St. Louis
St. Louis wins series 4–2

Conference semifinals[]

Eastern Conference
Florida vs. Philadelphia
Date Away Home
May 2 Florida 2 0 Philadelphia
May 4 Florida 2 3 Philadelphia
May 7 Philadelphia 3 1 Florida
May 9 Philadelphia 3 4 Florida OT
May 12 Florida 2 1 Philadelphia 2OT
May 14 Philadelphia 1 4 Florida
Florida win series 4–2
NY Rangers vs. Pittsburgh
Date Away Home
May 3 NY Rangers 1 4 Pittsburgh
May 5 NY Rangers 6 3 Pittsburgh
May 7 Pittsburgh 3 2 NY Rangers
May 9 Pittsburgh 4 1 NY Rangers
May 11 NY Rangers 3 7 Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh wins series 4–1
Western Conference
St. Louis vs. Detroit
Date Away Home
May 3 St. Louis 2 3 Detroit
May 5 St. Louis 3 8 Detroit
May 8 Detroit 4 5 St. Louis OT
May 10 Detroit 0 1 St. Louis
May 12 St. Louis 3 2 Detroit
May 14 Detroit 4 2 St. Louis
May 16 St. Louis 0 1 Detroit 2OT
Detroit wins series 4–3
Chicago vs. Colorado
Date Away Home
May 2 Chicago 3 2 Colorado OT
May 4 Chicago 1 5 Colorado
May 6 Colorado 3 4 Chicago OT
May 8 Colorado 3 2 Chicago 3OT
May 11 Chicago 1 4 Colorado
May 13 Colorado 4 3 Chicago 2OT
Colorado wins series 4–2

Conference finals[]

Eastern Conference
Florida vs. Pittsburgh
Date Away Home
May 18 Florida 5 1 Pittsburgh
May 20 Florida 2 3 Pittsburgh
May 24 Pittsburgh 2 5 Florida
May 26 Pittsburgh 2 1 Florida
May 28 Florida 0 3 Pittsburgh
May 30 Pittsburgh 3 4 Florida
June 1 Florida 3 1 Pittsburgh
Florida wins series 4–3
and Prince of Wales Trophy
Western Conference
Colorado vs. Detroit
Date Away Home
May 19 Colorado 3 2 Detroit OT
May 21 Colorado 3 0 Detroit
May 23 Detroit 6 4 Colorado
May 25 Detroit 2 4 Colorado
May 27 Colorado 2 5 Detroit
May 29 Detroit 1 4 Colorado
Colorado wins series 4–2 and
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl

Finals[]

Colorado vs. Florida
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
June 4 Florida 1 Colorado 3
June 6 Florida 1 Colorado 8
June 8 Colorado 3 Florida 2
June 10 Colorado 1 Florida 0 3OT
Colorado wins series 4–0
and Stanley Cup
Joe Sakic (Colorado)
wins Conn Smythe Trophy

Scoring leaders[]

Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Player Team GP G A Pts
Joe Sakic Colorado 22 18 16 34
Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh 18 11 16 27
Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh 18 11 12 23
Valeri Kamensky Colorado 22 10 12 22
Peter Forsberg Colorado 22 10 11 21
Petr Nedved Pittsburgh 18 10 10 20
Steve Yzerman Detroit 18 8 12 20
Sergei Fedorov Detroit 19 2 18 20
Sandis Ozolinsh Colorado 22 5 14 19
Dave Lowry Florida 22 10 7 17
Mike Ricci Colorado 22 6 11 17
Adam Deadmarsh Colorado 22 5 12 17

NHL Awards[]

Presidents' Trophy: Detroit Red Wings
Prince of Wales Trophy: Florida Panthers
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: Colorado Avalanche
Art Ross Memorial Trophy: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: Gary Roberts, Calgary Flames
Calder Memorial Trophy: Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators
Conn Smythe Trophy: Joe Sakic, Colorado Avalanche
Frank J. Selke Trophy: Sergei Fedorov, Detroit Red Wings
Hart Memorial Trophy: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
Jack Adams Award: Scotty Bowman, Detroit Red Wings
James Norris Memorial Trophy: Chris Chelios, Chicago Blackhawks
King Clancy Memorial Trophy: Kris King, Winnipeg Jets
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: Paul Kariya, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Lester B. Pearson Award: Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL Plus/Minus Award: Vladimir Konstantinov, Detroit Red Wings
Vezina Trophy: Jim Carey, Washington Capitals
William M. Jennings Trophy: Chris Osgood/Mike Vernon, Detroit Red Wings
Lester Patrick Trophy: George Gund, Ken Morrow, Milt Schmidt

All-Star teams[]

First Team   Position   Second Team
Jim Carey, Washington Capitals G Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings
Chris Chelios, Chicago Blackhawks D Vladimir Konstantinov, Detroit Red Wings
Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins D Brian Leetch, New York Rangers
Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins C Eric Lindros, Philadelphia Flyers
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins RW Alexander Mogilny, Vancouver Canucks
Paul Kariya, Anaheim Mighty Ducks LW John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers

Debuts[]

The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1995-96 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut 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):

Hat tricks[]

See also[]

References[]


NHL Seasons

1991-92 | 1992-93 | 1993-94 | 1994-95 | 1995-96 | 1996-97 | 1997-98 | 1998-99 | 1999-00

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