2016–17 NHL season
National Hockey League season
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The 2016–17 NHL season was the 100th season of operation (99th season of play) of the National Hockey League. Thirty teams were competing in an 82-game regular season from October 12, 2016, to April 9, 2017. The 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs began on April 12 and concluded on June 11, with the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup over the Nashville Predators in six games. On June 11, the Pittsburgh Penguins became the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997–98, winning the franchise's fifth Stanley Cup and their third in nine seasons.
| 2016–17 NHL season | |
|---|---|
The NHL's centennial logo | |
| League | National Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | October 12, 2016 – June 11, 2017 |
| Games | 82 |
| Teams | 30 |
| TV partner(s) | CBC, Sportsnet/SN1/SN360, Citytv, FX, TVA Sports (Canada) NBCSN, NBC, CNBC, USA (United States) |
| Draft | |
| Top draft pick | Auston Matthews |
| Picked by | Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Regular season | |
| Presidents' Trophy | Washington Capitals |
| Season MVP | Connor McDavid (Oilers) |
| Top scorer | Connor McDavid (Oilers) |
| Playoffs | |
| Playoffs MVP | Sidney Crosby (Penguins) |
| Stanley Cup | |
| Champions | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Runners-up | Nashville Predators |
League business
Salary cap
In December 2015, commissioner Gary Bettman informed teams that he projected the salary cap to be at least US$74.5 million for the 2016–17 season, and that it could increase as much as US$3.1 million. It was eventually set at US$73.1 million.[1]
Rule changes
No major rule changes were implemented this season.
Entry draft
The 2016 NHL entry draft was held on June 24–25, 2016, at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.[2] Auston Matthews was selected first overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Expansion
On June 22, 2016, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman officially announced that the league had approved an expansion team in Las Vegas, Nevada, later christened the Vegas Golden Knights, who were set to begin play in the 2017–18 season.[3]
Centennial celebration
On September 27, 2016, the NHL announced that it would organize a series of initiatives and events throughout 2017 to mark the league's 100th year of operations, and the upcoming 2017–18 season — the NHL's 100th season of play. The campaign began with the NHL Centennial Classic outdoor game on January 1, 2017, and continued throughout the calendar year, including documentaries and a daily "Time Capsule" feature across NHL media properties, a "Centennial Truck Tour" of all NHL cities with a traveling museum and other activities, a 2017 Winter Classic-themed float appearing during the Tournament of Roses Parade, and the unveiling of the top 100 players during the weekend of the All-Star Game, and the top 100 moments of the league's history later in the year.[4]
A centennial emblem was designed, which was displayed on all game pucks and as shoulder patches on all jerseys throughout 2017.[5][6][7] The centennial campaign extended into the following 2017–18 season. On March 17, 2017, the NHL announced that the Ottawa Senators would host an outdoor game against the Montreal Canadiens, the NHL 100 Classic, at TD Place Stadium on December 16, 2017.[8][9]
Coaching changes
| Off-season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 2015–16 coach | 2016–17 coach | Story / Accomplishments |
| Anaheim Ducks | Bruce Boudreau | Randy Carlyle | Boudreau was fired on April 29, 2016, after losing in the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs.[10] Boudreau accumulated a 208–104–40 regular season record and a 21–15 playoff record with the Ducks over five seasons. The Ducks won four consecutive Pacific Division titles from 2012–13 to 2015–16. On June 14, 2016, the Ducks announced that Carlyle, the Ducks' coach from 2005 to 2011, would return to the team to become their head coach for the second time; Carlyle had spent most of the interim coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2012 to 2015.[11] |
| Calgary Flames | Bob Hartley | Glen Gulutzan | Hartley was fired on May 3, 2016, after accumulating a record of 134–135–25 record over four seasons in Calgary.[12] He was fired just one season after winning the Jack Adams Award for Coach of the Year in the 2014–15 season. On June 17, 2016, Gulutzan was named head coach.[13] He was previously the head coach of the Dallas Stars and most recently an assistant coach for the Vancouver Canucks. |
| Colorado Avalanche | Patrick Roy | Jared Bednar | On August 11, 2016, Roy abruptly resigned from his positions as head coach and vice president of hockey operations in a dispute over Roy's input in personnel decisions. Roy had a record of 130–92–24 over three seasons in Colorado and won a Jack Adams Award after leading the Avalanche to the playoffs in his first season as head coach.[14] Bednar was most recently the head coach of the Calder Cup-winning Lake Erie Monsters. |
| Minnesota Wild | Mike Yeo John Torchetti* |
Bruce Boudreau | Yeo began the season as the head coach, but was fired on February 13, 2016, after posting a 23–22–10 record through 55 games. In 4½ seasons with the Wild, he compiled a record of 173–132–44. Yeo was named head coach in waiting for the St. Louis Blues and will serve one season as associate head coach before current head coach Ken Hitchcock retires. Torchetti finished the season with a record of 15–11–1, lost 4–2 to the Dallas Stars in the 2016 First Round, and was dismissed May 7, 2016; Torchetti eventually became an assistant with the Detroit Red Wings. On the same day, Boudreau, most recently head coach of the Anaheim Ducks, and the Wild reached an agreement for him to become their next head coach.[15] |
| Ottawa Senators | Dave Cameron | Guy Boucher | Cameron was fired on April 12, 2016, after accumulating a record of 70–50–17 after 1¾ seasons.[16] The team made the postseason once under his tenure losing to the Montreal Canadiens, 4–2 in the 2015 First Round. Boucher, who had previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2010–13, had spent parts of the last two seasons with SC Bern in Switzerland. |
| In-season | |||
| Team | Outgoing coach | Incoming coach | Story / Accomplishments |
| Boston Bruins | Claude Julien | Bruce Cassidy* | Julien was fired on February 7, 2017, after posting a 26–23–6 record through 55 games this season.[17] He was the longest tenured coach for one team at the time, serving with the Bruins since the start of the 2007–08 season. He left with a record of 419–246–94 over nine regular seasons, winning the Northeast/Atlantic Division title four times and the Presidents' Trophy once. The team made the postseason every year except 2015 and 2016 under his tenure, accumulating a 57–40 record and winning the Stanley Cup in 2011 and going to the Cup Final in 2013. Bruce Cassidy, who was serving as the assistant coach, and previously was head coach to the Bruins' AHL affiliate, stepped in to the fill the spot as interim head coach.[18] |
| Florida Panthers | Gerard Gallant | Tom Rowe* | Gallant was fired on November 27, 2016, after posting an 11–10–1 record through 22 games this season.[19] He served as the head coach since the start of the 2014–15 season. He left with a record of 96–65–25 in 186 games. The team made the postseason once during his tenure, winning the Atlantic Division with a 47–26–9 record, but went 2–4 during the playoffs. Tom Rowe, former coach of the Portland Pirates, the AHL affiliate of the Panthers, and general manager of the Panthers at the time, stepped in to fill the spot as interim head coach.[20] |
| Montreal Canadiens | Michel Therrien | Claude Julien | Therrien was fired by the Canadiens on February 14, 2017, after a 1–5–1 record in February.[21] Therrien led the team to a 31–19–8 record on the season (which was good for first in the Atlantic Division at the time) and a 165–107–32 record since taking over in 2012. In his second season, the Canadiens made it to the Eastern Conference Final. He was replaced by former Bruins coach Claude Julien, who before his firing on February 7, was the longest tenured head coach in the NHL. Ironically, in Michel Therrien's first tenure with Montreal, he was also replaced by Claude Julien. |
| New York Islanders | Jack Capuano | Doug Weight* | Capuano was fired on January 17, 2017, after posting a 17–17–8 record through 42 games this season.[22] He served as the head coach since the middle of the 2010–11 season. He left with a 227–192–64 record throughout the regular season. The Islanders made the playoffs three times under his tenure going 10–14 going as far as the second round in 2016. Doug Weight who was serving as the assistant manager, stepped in to fill the spot as interim head coach. |
| St. Louis Blues | Ken Hitchcock | Mike Yeo | Hitchcock was fired on February 1, 2017, after posting a 24–21–5 record through 50 games this season.[23] He served as the head coach since November 2011 during the 2011–12 season. He left with a record of 248–124–41 over five regular seasons. The team made the postseason during every season of his tenure going 20–27, making it as far as the Western Conference Final during the previous season. Mike Yeo, who was fired by the Minnesota Wild the previous season, and would have been the head coach starting the 2017–18 season, was promoted from his position of associate coach.[24] |
(*) Indicates interim.
Arena changes
- This was the Edmonton Oilers' first season at Rogers Place replacing their old arena, the Northlands Coliseum. The team played its first regular season home game on October 12, 2016, against the Calgary Flames.
- This was the Detroit Red Wings' final season at Joe Louis Arena before moving into their new arena, Little Caesars Arena, in October 2017 in time for the 2017–18 NHL season.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins' home arena was renamed from "Consol Energy Center" to PPG Paints Arena on October 4, 2016, although previous rights owner Consol Energy will remain a corporate sponsor with the Penguins.[25]
- The Buffalo Sabres' home arena was renamed to KeyBank Center, following KeyCorp's acquisition of previous rights holder First Niagara Bank. This is the fourth name change for the arena since it opened in 1996, all related to bank mergers.[26][27]
Regular season
The regular season began on October 12, 2016, and ended on April 9, 2017. The playoffs began on April 12, 2017, and ended on June 11, 2017. The schedule was released on June 21, 2016.[28] Each team will receive a five-day "bye week" and no practices can be held during the time period.[29]
Outdoor games
Four outdoor games were played during the 2016–17 season.
The Winnipeg Jets hosted the Heritage Classic against the Edmonton Oilers at Investors Group Field on October 23, 2016.[30] The Oilers won the game, 3–0.[31]
The Toronto Maple Leafs hosted the Centennial Classic at BMO Field on January 1, 2017, against the Detroit Red Wings. The game commemorated the 100th season of the Maple Leafs and NHL as a whole.[32] The following day, January 2, 2017, the St. Louis Blues hosted the Winter Classic at Busch Stadium against the Chicago Blackhawks.[33]
On February 25, 2017, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4–2 at Heinz Field during the 2017 NHL Stadium Series.[34]
All–Star Game
The 62nd National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in Los Angeles at Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Kings, on January 29, 2017. The format was identical to the 2016 All-Star Game.
Postponed games
The Detroit Red Wings – Carolina Hurricanes game scheduled for December 19, 2016, at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, was postponed due to poor ice conditions.[35] The game was rescheduled for March 27, 2017. This resulted in the two teams playing in Raleigh on consecutive nights, as they were already scheduled to play each other on March 28,[36] and caused Detroit to play games on three consecutive nights.
The Winnipeg Jets – New Jersey Devils game scheduled for March 14, 2017, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, was postponed due to the effects of the March 2017 nor'easter.[37] The game was rescheduled for March 28. This resulted in both teams forfeiting a three-day break from March 27 to 29.[37]
Standings
.svg)
Eastern Conference:
Atlantic Division 
Metropolitan DivisionWestern Conference:
Central Division 
Pacific DivisionEastern Conference
| Pos | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | p – Washington Capitals | 82 | 55 | 19 | 8 | 53 | 263 | 182 | +81 | 118 |
| 2 | x – Pittsburgh Penguins | 82 | 50 | 21 | 11 | 46 | 282 | 234 | +48 | 111 |
| 3 | x – Columbus Blue Jackets | 82 | 50 | 24 | 8 | 47 | 249 | 195 | +54 | 108 |
| Pos | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | y – Montreal Canadiens | 82 | 47 | 26 | 9 | 44 | 226 | 200 | +26 | 103 |
| 2 | x – Ottawa Senators | 82 | 44 | 28 | 10 | 38 | 212 | 214 | −2 | 98 |
| 3 | x – Boston Bruins | 82 | 44 | 31 | 7 | 42 | 234 | 212 | +22 | 95 |
| Pos | Div | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ME | x – New York Rangers | 82 | 48 | 28 | 6 | 45 | 256 | 220 | +36 | 102 |
| 2 | AT | x – Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 40 | 27 | 15 | 39 | 251 | 242 | +9 | 95 |
| 3 | ME | New York Islanders | 82 | 41 | 29 | 12 | 39 | 241 | 242 | −1 | 94 |
| 4 | AT | Tampa Bay Lightning | 82 | 42 | 30 | 10 | 38 | 234 | 227 | +7 | 94 |
| 5 | ME | Philadelphia Flyers | 82 | 39 | 33 | 10 | 32 | 219 | 236 | −17 | 88 |
| 6 | ME | Carolina Hurricanes | 82 | 36 | 31 | 15 | 33 | 215 | 236 | −21 | 87 |
| 7 | AT | Florida Panthers | 82 | 35 | 36 | 11 | 30 | 210 | 237 | −27 | 81 |
| 8 | AT | Detroit Red Wings | 82 | 33 | 36 | 13 | 24 | 207 | 244 | −37 | 79 |
| 9 | AT | Buffalo Sabres | 82 | 33 | 37 | 12 | 31 | 201 | 237 | −36 | 78 |
| 10 | ME | New Jersey Devils | 82 | 28 | 40 | 14 | 25 | 183 | 244 | −61 | 70 |
Western Conference
| Pos | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | z – Chicago Blackhawks | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 46 | 244 | 213 | +31 | 109 |
| 2 | x – Minnesota Wild | 82 | 49 | 25 | 8 | 46 | 266 | 208 | +58 | 106 |
| 3 | x – St. Louis Blues | 82 | 46 | 29 | 7 | 44 | 235 | 218 | +17 | 99 |
| Pos | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | y – Anaheim Ducks | 82 | 46 | 23 | 13 | 43 | 223 | 200 | +23 | 105 |
| 2 | x – Edmonton Oilers | 82 | 47 | 26 | 9 | 43 | 247 | 212 | +35 | 103 |
| 3 | x – San Jose Sharks | 82 | 46 | 29 | 7 | 44 | 221 | 201 | +20 | 99 |
| Pos | Div | Team | GP | W | L | OTL | ROW | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PA | x – Calgary Flames | 82 | 45 | 33 | 4 | 41 | 226 | 221 | +5 | 94 |
| 2 | CE | x – Nashville Predators | 82 | 41 | 29 | 12 | 39 | 240 | 224 | +16 | 94 |
| 3 | CE | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 40 | 35 | 7 | 37 | 249 | 256 | −7 | 87 |
| 4 | PA | Los Angeles Kings | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 37 | 201 | 205 | −4 | 86 |
| 5 | CE | Dallas Stars | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 33 | 223 | 262 | −39 | 79 |
| 6 | PA | Arizona Coyotes | 82 | 30 | 42 | 10 | 24 | 197 | 260 | −63 | 70 |
| 7 | PA | Vancouver Canucks | 82 | 30 | 43 | 9 | 26 | 182 | 243 | −61 | 69 |
| 8 | CE | Colorado Avalanche | 82 | 22 | 56 | 4 | 21 | 166 | 278 | −112 | 48 |
Tie Breakers:
1. Fewer number of games played.
2. Greater Regulation + OT Wins (ROW)
3. Greatest number of points earned in head-to-head play (If teams played an unequal # of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded.)
4. Greater Goal differential
Playoffs
Bracket
In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series following a 2–2–1–1–1 format (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series). The team with home ice advantage played at home for games one and two (and games five and seven, if necessary), and the other team was at home for games three and four (and game six, if necessary). The top three teams in each division made the playoffs, along with two wild cards in each conference, for a total of eight teams from each conference.
In the first round, the lower seeded wild card in each conference was played against the division winner with the best record while the other wild card was played against the other division winner, and both wild cards were de facto #4 seeds. The other series matched the second and third-place teams from the divisions. In the first two rounds, home ice advantage was awarded to the team with the better seed. In the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final, home ice advantage was awarded to the team with the better regular season record.
| First round | Second round | Conference finals | Stanley Cup Finals | ||||||||||||||||
| A1 | Montreal | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| WC1 | NY Rangers | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| WC1 | NY Rangers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| A2 | Ottawa | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| A2 | Ottawa | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| A3 | Boston | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| A2 | Ottawa | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| M2 | Pittsburgh | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| M1 | Washington | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| WC2 | Toronto | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| M1 | Washington | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| M2 | Pittsburgh | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| M2 | Pittsburgh | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| M3 | Columbus | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| M2 | Pittsburgh | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| WC2 | Nashville | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| C1 | Chicago | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| WC2 | Nashville | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| WC2 | Nashville | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| C3 | St. Louis | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| C2 | Minnesota | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| C3 | St. Louis | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| WC2 | Nashville | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| P1 | Anaheim | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| P1 | Anaheim | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| WC1 | Calgary | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| P1 | Anaheim | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| P2 | Edmonton | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| P2 | Edmonton | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| P3 | San Jose | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
Statistics
Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in regular season points at the conclusion of games played on April 9, 2017.[44]
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/– | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 82 | 30 | 70 | 100 | +27 | 26 |
| Sidney Crosby | Pittsburgh Penguins | 75 | 44 | 45 | 89 | +17 | 24 |
| Patrick Kane | Chicago Blackhawks | 82 | 34 | 55 | 89 | +11 | 32 |
| Nicklas Backstrom | Washington Capitals | 82 | 23 | 63 | 86 | +17 | 38 |
| Nikita Kucherov | Tampa Bay Lightning | 74 | 40 | 45 | 85 | +13 | 38 |
| Brad Marchand | Boston Bruins | 80 | 39 | 46 | 85 | +18 | 81 |
| Mark Scheifele | Winnipeg Jets | 79 | 32 | 50 | 82 | +18 | 38 |
| Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers | 82 | 29 | 48 | 77 | +7 | 20 |
| Brent Burns | San Jose Sharks | 82 | 29 | 47 | 76 | +19 | 40 |
| Vladimir Tarasenko | St. Louis Blues | 82 | 39 | 36 | 75 | –1 | 12 |
Leading goaltenders
The following goaltenders led the league in regular season goals against average at the conclusion of games played on April 9, 2017, while playing at least 1800 minutes.[45]
| Player | Team | GP | TOI | W | L | OTL | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergei Bobrovsky | Columbus Blue Jackets | 63 | 3707:04 | 41 | 17 | 5 | 127 | 7 | .931 | 2.06 |
| Braden Holtby | Washington Capitals | 63 | 3680:10 | 42 | 13 | 6 | 127 | 9 | .925 | 2.07 |
| Peter Budaj | Los Angeles/Tampa Bay | 60 | 3308:16 | 30 | 21 | 3 | 120 | 7 | .915 | 2.18 |
| John Gibson | Anaheim Ducks | 52 | 2950:21 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 109 | 6 | .924 | 2.22 |
| Carey Price | Montreal Canadiens | 62 | 3708:08 | 37 | 20 | 5 | 138 | 3 | .923 | 2.23 |
| Tuukka Rask | Boston Bruins | 65 | 3679:30 | 37 | 20 | 5 | 137 | 8 | .915 | 2.23 |
| Devan Dubnyk | Minnesota Wild | 65 | 3758:00 | 40 | 19 | 5 | 141 | 5 | .923 | 2.25 |
| Craig Anderson | Ottawa Senators | 40 | 2421:14 | 25 | 11 | 4 | 92 | 5 | .926 | 2.28 |
| Cam Talbot | Edmonton Oilers | 73 | 4294:00 | 42 | 22 | 8 | 171 | 7 | .919 | 2.39 |
| Martin Jones | San Jose Sharks | 65 | 3800:21 | 35 | 23 | 6 | 152 | 2 | .912 | 2.40 |
NHL awards
Awards were presented at the NHL Awards ceremony, to be held following the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs. Finalists for voted awards are announced during the playoffs and winners are presented at the award ceremony. Voting will conclude immediately after the end of the regular season. The Presidents' Trophy, the Prince of Wales Trophy and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl are not presented at the awards ceremony.
| Award | Recipient(s) | Runner(s)-up/Finalists |
|---|---|---|
| Presidents' Trophy (Best regular season record) | Washington Capitals | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| Prince of Wales Trophy (Eastern Conference playoff champion) | Pittsburgh Penguins | Ottawa Senators |
| Clarence S. Campbell Bowl (Western Conference playoff champion) | Nashville Predators | Anaheim Ducks |
| Art Ross Trophy (Player with most points) | Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) | Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks) |
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (Perseverance, Sportsmanship, and Dedication) | Craig Anderson (Ottawa Senators) | Andrew Cogliano (Anaheim Ducks) Derek Ryan (Carolina Hurricanes) |
| Calder Memorial Trophy (Best first-year player) | Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) | Patrik Laine (Winnipeg Jets) Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) |
| Conn Smythe Trophy (Most valuable player, playoffs) | Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) | Evgeni Malkin (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| Frank J. Selke Trophy (Defensive forward) | Patrice Bergeron (Boston Bruins) | Ryan Kesler (Anaheim Ducks) Mikko Koivu (Minnesota Wild) |
| Hart Memorial Trophy (Most valuable player, regular season) | Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) | Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets) Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| Jack Adams Award (Best coach) | John Tortorella (Columbus Blue Jackets) | Mike Babcock (Toronto Maple Leafs) Todd McLellan (Edmonton Oilers) |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy (Best defenceman) | Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks) | Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning) Erik Karlsson (Ottawa Senators) |
| King Clancy Memorial Trophy (Leadership and humanitarian contribution) | Nick Foligno (Columbus Blue Jackets)[46] | Mark Giordano (Calgary Flames) Victor Hedman (Tampa Bay Lightning) |
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Sportsmanship and excellence) | Johnny Gaudreau (Calgary Flames) | Mikael Granlund (Minnesota Wild) Vladimir Tarasenko (St. Louis Blues) |
| Ted Lindsay Award (Outstanding player) | Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) | Brent Burns (San Jose Sharks) Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) |
| Mark Messier Leadership Award (Leadership and community activities) | Nick Foligno (Columbus Blue Jackets) | Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim Ducks) Mark Giordano (Calgary Flames) |
| Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy (Top goal-scorer) | Sidney Crosby (Pittsburgh Penguins) | Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning) Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs) |
| NHL Foundation Player Award (Award for community enrichment) | Travis Hamonic (New York Islanders) | Wayne Simmonds (Philadelphia Flyers) |
| NHL General Manager of the Year Award (Top general manager) | David Poile (Nashville Predators) | Peter Chiarelli (Edmonton Oilers) Pierre Dorion (Ottawa Senators) |
| Vezina Trophy (Best goaltender) | Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets) | Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) Carey Price (Montreal Canadiens) |
| William M. Jennings Trophy (Goaltender(s) of team with fewest goals against) | Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals) | Sergei Bobrovsky (Columbus Blue Jackets) |
All-Star teams
| Position | First Team | Second Team | Position | All-Rookie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets | Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals | G | Matt Murray, Pittsburgh Penguins |
| D | Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators | Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay Lightning | D | Brady Skjei, New York Rangers |
| D | Brent Burns, San Jose Sharks | Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks | D | Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets |
| C | Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers | Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins | F | Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| RW | Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks | Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning | F | Patrik Laine, Winnipeg Jets |
| LW | Brad Marchand, Boston Bruins | Artemi Panarin, Chicago Blackhawks | F | Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs |
Milestones
First games
The following is a list of notable players who played their first NHL game during the 2016–17 season, listed with their first team.
| Player | Team | Notability |
|---|---|---|
| Mathew Barzal | New York Islanders | 2017–18 Calder Memorial Trophy winner, three-time NHL All-Star |
| Kyle Connor | Winnipeg Jets | Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner, two-time NHL All-Star, One-time NHL All-Star team selection |
| Mitch Marner | Toronto Maple Leafs | Two-time NHL All-Star team selection, three-time NHL All-Star, NHL All-Rookie Team selection |
| Auston Matthews | Toronto Maple Leafs | First overall pick in the 2016 Draft, 2016–17 Calder Memorial Trophy winner, Hart Memorial Trophy winner, Ted Lindsay Award winner, three-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner, two-time NHL All-Star team selection, seven-time NHL All-Star, NHL All-Rookie Team selection |
| Matthew Tkachuk | Calgary Flames | Two-time NHL All-Star team selection, two-time NHL All-Star |
| Zach Werenski | Columbus Blue Jackets | James Norris Memorial Trophy winner, two-time NHL All-Star team selection, two-time NHL All-Star |
Last games
The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2016–17, listed with their team:
| Player | Team | Notability |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Campbell[47] | Chicago Blackhawks | Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winner, over 1,000 games played |
| Shane Doan[48] | Arizona Coyotes | 2-time NHL All-Star, King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner, Mark Messier Leadership Award winner, over 1,500 games played, the last active player to have been a member of the original Winnipeg Jets |
| Marian Hossa[49] | Chicago Blackhawks | 5-time NHL All-Star, over 1,300 games played, 1,134 career points |
| Jarome Iginla[50] | Los Angeles Kings | Art Ross Trophy winner, Lester B. Pearson Trophy winner, King Clancy Memorial Trophy winner, Mark Messier Leadership Award winner, 2-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy winner, 6-time NHL All-Star, over 1,500 games played |
| Chris Neil[51] | Ottawa Senators | Over 1,000 games played |
| Mike Ribeiro[52] | Nashville Predators | Over 1,000 games played |
Major milestones reached
- On October 12, 2016, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews became the first player in the modern era to score four goals in his NHL debut.[53][54]
- On October 18, 2016, Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa became the 44th player in league history to score 500 goals.[55]
- On October 20, 2016, Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr became the third player in league history to score 750 goals.[56]
- On November 1, 2016, St. Louis Blues defenceman Jay Bouwmeester played his 1,000th NHL game. becoming the 307th player in league history to reach the mark.[57]
- On November 12, 2016, Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price became the first goaltender in league history to win his first 10 games of the season.[58]
- On November 20, 2016, Los Angeles Kings forward Jeff Carter scored his 600th point.[59]
- On December 10, 2016, Ottawa Senators forward Chris Neil played his 1,000th NHL game. becoming the 308th player in league history to reach the mark.[60]
- On December 10, 2016, Colorado Avalanche forward Jarome Iginla participated in his 1,500th NHL game becoming the 16th player to do so.[61]
- On December 18, 2016, Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella won his 500th game, becoming the first American-born coach, as well as 24th overall, with 500 victories.[62]
- On December 22, 2016, Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr scored his 1,888th career point, surpassing Mark Messier to become second in career points.[63]
- On December 22, 2016, Los Angeles Kings forward Anze Kopitar scored his 700th point.[64]
- On December 23, 2016, Arizona Coyotes forward Shane Doan scored his 400th goal and played his 1,500th game with the Coyotes.[65]
- On December 31, 2016, New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist recorded his 390th career win, surpassing Dominik Hasek to become the all-time wins leader among European-born goaltenders.[66]
- On January 2, 2017, St. Louis Blues forward Alexander Steen scored his 500th point.[67]
- On January 7, 2017, San Jose Sharks forward Joe Pavelski scored his 600th point.[68]
- On January 11, 2017, Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin became the 84th player in league history to score 1,000 points.[69]
- On January 13, 2017, New York Islanders forward John Tavares scored his 500th point.[70]
- On January 20, 2017, Vancouver Canucks forward Henrik Sedin became the 85th player in league history to score 1,000 points.[71]
- On January 22, 2017, Nashville Predators head coach Peter Laviolette won his 500th game, becoming the 25th coach, and second American-born, to reach the mark.[72]
- On February 2, 2017, San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau became the 45th player in league history to score 500 goals.[73]
- On February 3, 2017, New York Islanders forward Jason Chimera played his 1,000th game, becoming the 309th player in league history to reach the mark.[74]
- On February 11, 2017, New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist became the 12th goaltender in league history to win 400 games.[75]
- On February 15, 2017, Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr scored his 1,900th point.[76]
- On February 16, 2017, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby became the 86th player in league history to score 1,000 points.[77]
- On February 19, 2017, Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane became the first American-born player in league history to score 20 or more goals in his first 10 seasons.[78]
- On February 26, 2017, Arizona Coyotes forward Radim Vrbata scored his 600th point.[79]
- On February 28, 2017, Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz won his 700th game, becoming the sixth coach to reach the mark.[80]
- On March 6, 2017, San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton became the 13th player in league history to reach 1,000 assists.[81]
- On March 9, 2017, Arizona Coyotes forward Radim Vrbata played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 310th player in league history to reach the mark.[82]
- On March 13, 2017, the Calgary Flames won their tenth consecutive game, joining the Columbus Blue Jackets (16 games), Minnesota Wild (12) and Philadelphia Flyers (10), marking the 2016–17 season as the first with a win streak of 10 or more games from four teams.[83]
- On March 19, 2017, Minnesota Wild forward Eric Staal played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 311th player in league history to reach the mark.[84]
- On March 19, 2017, Florida Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr played his 1,700th NHL game, becoming the fourth player in league history to reach the mark.[85]
- On March 27, 2017, Buffalo Sabres forward Brian Gionta played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 312th player in league history to reach the mark.[86]
- On March 28, 2017, Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby became the third goaltender in league history to record at least 40 wins in three consecutive seasons, joining Martin Brodeur (2005–2008) and Evgeni Nabokov (2007–2010).[87][88]
- On March 28, 2017, Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin scored his 558th career goal, passing Johnny Bucyk for 26th on the NHL's all-time scoring list.[89]
- On April 9, 2017, Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the 313th player to reach the mark.
Uniforms
- The Calgary Flames changed alternate jerseys, retiring the script-laden, Western-style alternate used since 2013 in favor of their throwback red uniforms, which had previously been given alternate distinction from 2010 to 2013.[90]
- The Florida Panthers unveiled a brand new logo and uniform set on June 2, 2016, for the 2016–17 season.[91][92]
- The Los Angeles Kings unveiled a special third jersey for their 50th anniversary.[93]
- The Nashville Predators switched to gold helmets full-time when playing at home.[94]
- The Philadelphia Flyers released a special third jersey for their 50th anniversary. The team had previously unveiled a teaser photo of this jersey, showing the 50th anniversary patch on the right shoulder of the uniform. The numbers on the back and sleeves of this jersey are gold, and the main crest is also outlined in gold. The team has also announced a black Stadium Series jersey with orange detailing for its Stadium Series game against the Penguins.[95]
- The Pittsburgh Penguins return to using black and "Pittsburgh gold" as their primary colors and will debut a new away uniform retiring "Vegas gold" that has been used in at least some capacity since 2000.[96] As with the Flyers, the Penguins are debuting a new Stadium Series jersey for the February 25 outdoor game, this one being predominantly yellow with black sleeves and a keystone-shaped "City of Champions" patch.[97]
- The Toronto Maple Leafs unveiled a new logo on February 2, 2016, for the team's centennial season.[98] Their new uniforms were unveiled during the 2016 NHL entry draft.[99] For the 2017 Centennial Classic, the Leafs wore specially designed jerseys which recalled their history as the Toronto Arenas and Toronto St. Patricks.[100]
- The Detroit Red Wings joined the Maple Leafs in unveiling Centennial Classic jerseys for the game played on January 1, 2017.[100]
- Beginning January 1, 2017, all jerseys contain patches of the NHL's centennial emblem, located above or below the numbers on their right sleeves.[6]
- From February 15, 2017, until the end of the regular season, the Detroit Red Wings wore a commemorative "Mr. I" patch on the shoulder of their jerseys in memory of team owner, Mike Ilitch, who died on February 10, 2017.[101]
Media rights
National
This was the sixth season under the NHL's ten-year U.S. rights deal with NBC Sports, and the third season of its twelve-year Canadian rights deals with Rogers Media to show games on Sportsnet. This included Sportsnet's sub-licensing agreements to air Hockey Night in Canada games on CBC Television and French-language broadcasts on TVA Sports.
Ron MacLean was reinstated as host of Hockey Night in Canada for the 2016–17 season to replace George Stroumboulopoulos, whose introduction in the 2014–15 season was met with mixed reception by viewers. MacLean hosted the early game of the weekly doubleheader, with David Amber handling the late games. Alongside HNIC, MacLean continued to host the travelling, Sunday-night Hometown Hockey games on Sportsnet.[102][103][104]
Local
- On June 20, 2016, the Buffalo Sabres announced that it had agreed to a 10-year extension of its regional television rights deal with MSG. As part of the agreement, MSG established a joint venture with the team's ownership group Pegula Sports and Entertainment known as MSG Western New York, which subsumed the existing regional feed for the Sabres' home market, and featured additional team-produced programming for the Sabres and their sister NFL team, the Buffalo Bills. There were no on-air changes in staffing for Sabres telecasts.[105][106]
- On June 27, 2016, Sports Business Daily reported that the NHL had reached a deal in principle with Fox Sports to allow in-market, authenticated online streaming for eligible pay TV subscribers, of regional NHL games on Fox Sports Networks via the Fox Sports Go service.[107]