1996–97 Toronto Maple Leafs season

1996–97 Toronto Maple Leafs
Division 6th Central
Conference 11th Western
1996–97 record 30-44-8
Team information
General Manager Cliff Fletcher
Coach Mike Murphy
Captain Doug Gilmour (Oct-Feb)
Vacant (Feb-Apr)
Arena Maple Leaf Gardens
Team leaders
<1995–96 1997–98>

The Maple Leafs entered the 1996-1997 NHL season with the hopes of making the postseason for the fifth consecutive year. Mike Murphy was hired prior to the season as the head coach replacing interim coach Nick Beverley. The team played mediocre for most of the season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1992. This season, would be Cliff Fletcher’s last as General Manager of the Maple Leafs. In one of his final moves, Fletcher (in February) traded Captain Doug Gilmour to the New Jersey Devils.

Offseason

NHL Draft

Round # Name Nationality College/Junior/Club Team
2 36 Marek Posmyk  Czech Republic Dukla Jihlava
2 50 Francis Larivee  Canada Laval Titan
3 66 Mike Lankshear  Canada Guelph Storm
3 68 Konstantin Kalmikhov  Ukraine Detroit Falcons
4 86 Jason Sessa  United States Lake Superior State
4 103 Vladimir Antipov  Russia Yaroslavl Torpedo
5 110 Peter Cava  Canada Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
5 111 Brandon Sugden  Canada London Knights
8 204 Tomas Kaberle  Czech Republic Kladno

[1]

Regular season

Season standings

Central Division
No. CR GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 2 Dallas Stars 82 48 26 8 252 198 104
2 3 Detroit Red Wings 82 38 26 18 253 197 94
3 5 Phoenix Coyotes 82 38 37 7 240 243 83
4 6 St. Louis Blues 82 36 35 11 236 239 83
5 8 Chicago Blackhawks 82 34 35 13 223 210 81
6 11 Toronto Maple Leafs 82 30 44 8 230 273 68

Note: CR = Conference rank; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
         Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

Western Conference[2]
R Div GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 p – Colorado Avalanche PAC 82 49 24 9 277 205 107
2 Dallas Stars CEN 82 48 26 8 252 198 104
3 Detroit Red Wings CEN 82 38 26 18 253 197 94
4 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim PAC 82 36 33 13 245 233 85
5 Phoenix Coyotes CEN 82 38 37 7 240 243 83
6 St. Louis Blues CEN 82 36 35 11 236 239 83
7 Edmonton Oilers PAC 82 36 37 9 252 247 81
8 Chicago Blackhawks CEN 82 34 35 13 223 210 81
9 Vancouver Canucks PAC 82 35 40 7 257 273 77
10 Calgary Flames PAC 82 32 41 9 214 239 73
11 Toronto Maple Leafs CEN 82 30 44 8 230 273 68
12 Los Angeles Kings PAC 82 28 43 11 214 268 67
13 San Jose Sharks PAC 82 27 47 8 211 278 62

Divisions: CEN – Central, PAC – Pacific

bold – Qualified for playoffs; p – Won Presidents' Trophy

Schedule and results

No. R Date Score Opponent Record
5LOctober 17, 19961–6 @ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 1–4–0
6LOctober 19, 19960–2 @ Dallas Stars (1996–97) 1–5–0
7WOctober 22, 19964–3 San Jose Sharks (1996–97) 2–5–0
8WOctober 24, 19962–1 @ Boston Bruins (1996–97) 3–5–0
9WOctober 26, 19965–2 Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 4–5–0
10LOctober 29, 19962–5 Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 4–6–0
11WOctober 31, 19965–3 @ New York Islanders (1996–97) 5–6–0
12WNovember 2, 19966–2 Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 6–6–0
13WNovember 5, 19966–3 St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 7–6–0
14LNovember 7, 19962–6 @ Ottawa Senators (1996–97) 7–7–0
15WNovember 9, 19967–3 Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 8–7–0
16LNovember 10, 19961–3 @ Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) 8–8–0
17LNovember 13, 19962–3 @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 8–9–0
18LNovember 14, 19961–4 @ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 8–10–0
19LNovember 16, 19962–3 @ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 8–11–0
20WNovember 19, 19964–3 Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) 9–11–0
21LNovember 21, 19963–6 @ Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) 9–12–0
22LNovember 23, 19963–4 Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) 9–13–0
23WNovember 26, 19963–2 Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 10–13–0
24LNovember 27, 19962–5 @ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 10–14–0
25LNovember 30, 19962–5 @ Dallas Stars (1996–97) 10–15–0
26WDecember 3, 19962–0 St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 11–15–0
27LDecember 6, 19965–6 @ New York Rangers (1996–97) 11–16–0
28LDecember 7, 19960–4 New York Rangers (1996–97) 11–17–0
29WDecember 9, 19963–1 @ Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 12–17–0
30LDecember 10, 19962–5 New Jersey Devils (1996–97) 12–18–0
31LDecember 14, 19963–5 Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 12–19–0
32LDecember 15, 19961–3 @ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 12–20–0
33WDecember 17, 19966–3 @ San Jose Sharks (1996–97) 13–20–0
34LDecember 20, 19962–5 @ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 13–21–0
35WDecember 21, 19966–2 @ Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 14–21–0
36LDecember 23, 19965–6 Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) 14–22–0
37WDecember 27, 19963–2 @ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 15–22–0
38WDecember 28, 19965–4 Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 16–22–0
39WDecember 30, 19962–0 New York Islanders (1996–97) 17–22–0
40LJanuary 3, 19973–4 @ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 17–23–0
41LJanuary 4, 19973–7 @ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 17–24–0
42LJanuary 7, 19973–4 OT @ Calgary Flames (1996–97) 17–25–0
43LJanuary 11, 19972–3 Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 17–26–0
44LJanuary 13, 19973–6 @ Washington Capitals (1996–97) 17–27–0
45LJanuary 15, 19972–3 Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 17–28–0
46LJanuary 20, 19971–3 @ Hartford Whalers (1996–97) 17–29–0
47WJanuary 22, 19975–3 Calgary Flames (1996–97) 18–29–0
48WJanuary 24, 19972–1 OT @ Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 19–29–0
49LJanuary 25, 19971–5 Dallas Stars (1996–97) 19–30–0
50LJanuary 27, 19972–5 Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 19–31–0
51LJanuary 29, 19970–4 St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 19–32–0
52TJanuary 31, 19973–3 OT @ New Jersey Devils (1996–97) 19–32–1
53LFebruary 1, 19971–2 Ottawa Senators (1996–97) 19–33–1
54WFebruary 5, 19974–2 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 20–33–1
55WFebruary 8, 19974–2 Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 21–33–1
56LFebruary 12, 19972–5 @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 21–34–1
57TFebruary 13, 19974–4 OT @ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 21–34–2
58LFebruary 15, 19970–3 @ Calgary Flames (1996–97) 21–35–2
59WFebruary 18, 19976–5 @ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 22–35–2
60LFebruary 19, 19975–6 @ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 22–36–2
61WFebruary 22, 19975–1 @ Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) 23–36–2
62LFebruary 26, 19971–3 Washington Capitals (1996–97) 23–37–2
63WMarch 1, 19973–2 San Jose Sharks (1996–97) 24–37–2
64WMarch 3, 19974–2 Boston Bruins (1996–97) 25–37–2
65TMarch 5, 19974–4 OT Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 25–37–3
66TMarch 8, 19971–1 OT Hartford Whalers (1996–97) 25–37–4
67TMarch 10, 19973–3 OT Dallas Stars (1996–97) 25–37–5
68LMarch 12, 19972–3 Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 25–38–5
69TMarch 15, 19973–3 OT @ Florida Panthers (1996–97) 25–38–6
70WMarch 16, 19973–1 @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1996–97) 26–38–6
71LMarch 19, 19973–6 Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) 26–39–6
72LMarch 20, 19973–6 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) 26–40–6
73LMarch 22, 19970–3 Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 26–41–6
74WMarch 26, 19972–1 @ San Jose Sharks (1996–97) 27–41–6
75TMarch 27, 19971–1 OT @ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 27–41–7
76WMarch 29, 19973–2 @ Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 28–41–7
77WApril 2, 19973–1 Florida Panthers (1996–97) 29–41–7
78TApril 3, 19972–2 OT @ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 29–41–8
79LApril 5, 19972–4 Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 29–42–8
80LApril 9, 19972–3 @ Dallas Stars (1996–97) 29–43–8
81LApril 10, 19971–5 @ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 29–44–8
82WApril 12, 19974–1 Calgary Flames (1996–97) 30–44–8

Player statistics

Forwards

Note: GP= Games played; G= Goals; AST= Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Points

Player GP G AST PTS PIM
Mats Sundin 82 41 53 94 59
Doug Gilmour 61 15 45 60 46
Wendel Clark 65 30 19 49 75
Sergei Berezin 73 25 16 41 2
Kirk Muller 66 20 17 37 85
Todd Warriner 75 12 21 33 41
Ralph Intranuovo 3 0 1 1 0
Scott Pearson 1 0 0 0 2
Kelly Chase 2 0 0 0 27
Shayne Toporowski 3 0 0 0 7
Brian Wiseman 5 0 0 0 0
John Craighead 5 0 0 0 10
Mark Kolesar 7 0 0 0 0
0 0 0

[3]

Defencemen

Note: GP= Games played; G= Goals; AST= Assists; PTS = Points; PIM = Points

Player GP G AST PTS PIM
Larry Murphy 69 7 32 39 20
Dave Ellett 56 4 10 14 34
Dmitri Yushkevich 74 4 10 14 56
Rob Zettler 48 2 12 14 51
D. J. Smith 8 0 1 1 7
Greg Smyth 2 0 0 0 0
Yannick Tremblay 5 0 0 0 0
Jeff Ware 13 0 0 0 6

Goaltending

Note: GP= Games played; W= Wins; L= Losses; T = Ties; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals Against

Player GP MIN W L T SO GAA
Felix Potvin 74 4271 27 36 7 0 3.15
Marcel Cousineau 13 566 3 5 1 1 3.29
Don Beaupre 3 110 0 3 0 0 5.45

Transactions

The Maple Leafs have been involved in the following transactions during the 1996-97 season.

Trades

October 10, 1996 To New York Islanders
5th round pick in 1998 - Jiri Dopita
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Darby Hendrickson
January 31, 1997 To Tampa Bay Lightning
3rd round pick in 1998 - Alex Henry
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Craig Wolanin
February 25, 1997 To New Jersey Devils
Doug Gilmour
Dave Ellett
3rd round pick in 1999 - Andre Lakos
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Jason Smith
Alyn McCauley
Steve Sullivan
March 18, 1997 To Detroit Red Wings
Larry Murphy
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Future Considerations
March 18, 1997 To Florida Panthers
Kirk Muller
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Jason Podollan
March 18, 1997 To Hartford Whalers
8th round pick in 1998 - Jaroslav Svoboda
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Kelly Chase
June 12, 1997 To Florida Panthers
Mike Lankshear
To Toronto Maple Leafs
Per Gustafsson

Waivers

September 30, 1996 From Edmonton Oilers
Ralph Intranuovo
October 25, 1996 To Edmonton Oilers
Ralph Intranuovo

Free agents

Player Former Team
John Craighead Detroit Vipers (IHL)
Scott Pearson Buffalo Sabres
Brian Wiseman Chicago Wolves (IHL)
Daniel Marois Dallas Stars
Greg Smyth Los Angeles Ice Dogs (IHL)
David Cooper Buffalo Sabres
Tom Pederson San Jose Sharks
Mike Johnson Undrafted Free Agent
Player New Team
Paul DiPietro Los Angeles Kings

Playoffs

Roster

1996-97 Toronto Maple Leafs
Goaltenders

Defensemen

Wingers

Centres

Farm Teams

The Maple Leafs farm team was the St. John's Maple Leafs, based in St. John's, Newfoundland.

References