1997–98 Florida Panthers season

The 1997–98 Florida Panthers season was the Panthers' fifth season. After making the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1997, the Panthers failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 1994–95 season. Regular season The Panthers' penalty kill struggled during the regular season and they allowed the most power-play goals in the NHL (82) and had the lowest penalty-kill percentage (79.65%). They also tied the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins for the most short-handed goals allowed, with 16.

On November 26, 1997, the Panthers defeated the Boston Bruins at home by a score of 10–5. Veteran forward Ray Sheppard had a hat trick in the game. It was the first time in franchise history that the Panthers had scored 10 goals in a regular-season game. It also came exactly one year after the last NHL team had scored 10 goals in a regular-season game, as the Edmonton Oilers had defeated their provincial rival Calgary Flames on the road by a score of 10–1 on November 26, 1996.

Final standings

Schedule and results

|1||October 1, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||0–1–0 ||

|2||October 4, 1997||5–3 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) ||1–1–0 ||

|3||October 11, 1997||3–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1997–98) ||1–2–0 ||

|4||October 13, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| New York Islanders (1997–98) ||1–2–1 ||

|5||October 15, 1997||2–1 || align="left"| Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||2–2–1 ||

|6||October 16, 1997||0–4 || align="left"| @ Dallas Stars (1997–98) ||2–3–1 ||

|7||October 19, 1997||1–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) ||2–4–1 ||

|8||October 22, 1997||0–3 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) ||2–5–1 ||

|9||October 23, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1997–98) ||2–5–2 ||

|10||October 25, 1997||5–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1997–98) ||3–5–2 ||

|11||October 28, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) ||3–5–3 ||

|12||October 30, 1997||2–5 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1997–98) ||3–6–3 ||

|13||November 1, 1997||3–4 OT|| align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) ||3–7–3 ||

|14||November 5, 1997||2–4 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||3–8–3 ||

|15||November 6, 1997||4–2 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) ||4–8–3 ||

|16||November 9, 1997||3–2 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||5–8–3 ||

|17||November 12, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| New York Islanders (1997–98) ||5–8–4 ||

|18||November 14, 1997||2–5 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||5–9–4 ||

|19||November 15, 1997||1–0 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1997–98) ||6–9–4 ||

|20||November 18, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1997–98) ||6–10–4 ||

|21||November 20, 1997||1–2 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1997–98) ||6–11–4 ||

|22||November 22, 1997||2–1 OT|| align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||7–11–4 ||

|23||November 23, 1997||2–5 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||7–12–4 ||

|24||November 26, 1997||10–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1997–98) ||8–12–4 ||

|25||November 28, 1997||2–3 || align="left"| Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) ||8–13–4 ||

|26||November 30, 1997||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1997–98) ||8–13–5 ||

|27||December 1, 1997||2–3 || align="left"| Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98) ||8–14–5 ||

|28||December 5, 1997||2–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||8–15–5 ||

|29||December 7, 1997||5–4 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||9–15–5 ||

|30||December 10, 1997||5–2 || align="left"| @ Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) ||10–15–5 ||

|31||December 12, 1997||4–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1997–98) ||11–15–5 ||

|32||December 13, 1997||1–4 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1997–98) ||11–16–5 ||

|33||December 15, 1997||2–6 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1997–98) ||11–17–5 ||

|34||December 17, 1997||2–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1997–98) ||11–18–5 ||

|35||December 18, 1997||4–0 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||12–18–5 ||

|36||December 20, 1997||0–2 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||12–19–5 ||

|37||December 23, 1997||2–3 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1997–98) ||12–20–5 ||

|38||December 26, 1997||5–2 || align="left"| @ Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) ||13–20–5 ||

|39||December 27, 1997||6–2 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1997–98) ||14–20–5 ||

|40||December 30, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| San Jose Sharks (1997–98) ||14–20–6 ||

|41||January 1, 1998||2–1 OT|| align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||15–20–6 ||

|42||January 2, 1998||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||15–20–7 ||

|43||January 4, 1998||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98) ||15–20–8 ||

|44||January 7, 1998||2–3 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) ||15–21–8 ||

|45||January 9, 1998||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1997–98) ||15–21–9 ||

|46||January 10, 1998||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1997–98) ||15–21–10 ||

|47||January 12, 1998||1–3 || align="left"| @ Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) ||15–22–10 ||

|48||January 14, 1998||2–3 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98) ||15–23–10 ||

|49||January 21, 1998||3–8 || align="left"| @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98) ||15–24–10 ||

|50||January 22, 1998||1–3 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) ||15–25–10 ||

|51||January 24, 1998||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ San Jose Sharks (1997–98) ||15–25–11 ||

|52||January 27, 1998||3–0 || align="left"| Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) ||16–25–11 ||

|53||January 29, 1998||3–2 || align="left"| Dallas Stars (1997–98) ||17–25–11 ||

|54||January 31, 1998||2–0 || align="left"| Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||18–25–11 ||

|55||February 1, 1998||2–5 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) ||18–26–11 ||

|56||February 3, 1998||1–1 OT|| align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1997–98) ||18–26–12 ||

|57||February 7, 1998||2–3 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98) ||18–27–12 ||

|58||February 25, 1998||2–3 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||18–28–12 ||

|59||February 27, 1998||1–3 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1997–98) ||18–29–12 ||

|60||March 4, 1998||3–4 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1997–98) ||18–30–12 ||

|61||March 7, 1998||3–6 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||18–31–12 ||

|62||March 9, 1998||1–6 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) ||18–32–12 ||

|63||March 11, 1998||3–5 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1997–98) ||18–33–12 ||

|64||March 13, 1998||0–4 || align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) ||18–34–12 ||

|65||March 15, 1998||4–8 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98) ||18–35–12 ||

|66||March 17, 1998||2–4 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1997–98) ||18–36–12 ||

|67||March 19, 1998||1–6 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) ||18–37–12 ||

|68||March 21, 1998||1–5 || align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||18–38–12 ||

|69||March 23, 1998||3–5 || align="left"| Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) ||18–39–12 ||

|70||March 26, 1998||5–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) ||19–39–12 ||

|71||March 28, 1998||3–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1997–98) ||20–39–12 ||

|72||March 29, 1998||4–0 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98) ||21–39–12 ||

|73||April 1, 1998||3–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) ||21–40–12 ||

|74||April 4, 1998||4–1 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||22–40–12 ||

|75||April 5, 1998||3–1 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) ||23–40–12 ||

|76||April 7, 1998||1–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98) ||23–41–12 ||

|77||April 9, 1998||3–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||24–41–12 ||

|78||April 11, 1998||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) ||24–41–13 ||

|79||April 12, 1998||5–5 OT|| align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||24–41–14 ||

|80||April 14, 1998||2–3 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1997–98) ||24–42–14 ||

|81||April 16, 1998||3–7 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||24–43–14 ||

|82||April 18, 1998||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||24–43–15 ||

Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Panthers only. = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Panthers only. Player Regular season 14 LW 68 32 29 61 10 28 15 C 78 20 28 48 −21 55 24 D 79 9 34 43 −3 113 27 RW 79 15 24 39 −14 127 19 RW 64 12 24 36 −1 33 26 RW 61 14 17 31 −13 21 9 LW 70 8 21 29 −14 54 11 RW 82 12 16 28 −2 80 25 C 46 12 11 23 −1 14 55 D 81 9 14 23 −12 158 51 RW 41 9 12 21 −3 8 17 C 58 11 8 19 −6 32 5 D 79 6 11 17 −3 46 22 RW 28 5 11 16 −2 28 21 RW 69 10 5 15 −4 57 44 C 33 8 7 15 −9 41 23 C 61 5 10 15 4 47 3 D 77 0 11 11 −5 293 10 LW 28 1 8 9 −7 16 2 D 74 1 7 8 6 63 6 D 19 0 7 7 −7 18 29 LW 39 2 3 5 −6 8 7 D 79 0 4 4 −16 99 34 G 60 0 3 3 6 12 RW 21 2 0 2 1 4 16 C 10 0 2 2 −4 0 8 D 23 0 1 1 1 44 12 D 1 0 0 0 0 2 30 G 12 0 0 0 2 4 D 2 0 0 0 −3 4 10 LW 7 0 0 0 −1 2 1 G 7 0 0 0 0 1 G 11 0 0 0 0 28 LW 19 0 0 0 −4 153

Goaltending = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Panthers only. = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Panthers only. Player Regular season 34 John Vanbiesbrouck 60 18 29 11 1638 165 2.87 .899 4 3451 1 Kirk McLean 7 4 2 1 207 22 3.25 .894 0 406 30 Mark Fitzpatrick 12 2 7 2 265 32 3.00 .879 1 640 1 Kevin Weekes 11 0 5 1 247 32 3.96 .870 0 485

Awards and records

Milestones MilestonePlayerDateRef First game Kevin Weekes October 16, 1997 Peter Worrell November 22, 1997 Ryan Johnson December 5, 1997 John Jakopin March 13, 1998 Chris Allen April 18, 1998 1,000th game played Kirk Muller January 14, 1998 Draft picks Florida's draft picks at the 1997 NHL entry draft held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)120Mike BrownRed Deer Rebels (WHL)247Kristian HuseliusFarjestad BK (Sweden)356Vratislav CechKitchener Rangers (OHL)374Nick SmithBarrie Colts (OHL)495Ivan NovoseltsevKrylya Sovetov (Russia)5127Pat ParthenaisDetroit Whalers (OHL)6155Keith DelaneyBarrie Colts (OHL)7183Tyler PalmerLake Superior State University (CCHA)8211Doug SchuellerTwin Cities Vulcans (USHL)9237Benoit CoteShawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

See also 1997–98 NHL season

Notes

References