The 1997–98 New York Islanders season was the 26th season in the franchise's history. The Islanders missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
Off-season In June 1997, New York Islanders general manager Mike Milbury extended an invitation to Cammi Granato to attend Islanders training camp. Granato eventually declined.
Defenseman Bryan McCabe was named team captain.
Regular season In February, Bryan McCabe was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Trevor Linden, who's named the Islanders' new captain upon arrival.
The Islanders tied the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins for most short-handed goals allowed with 16.
Final standings
Schedule and results
|1||October 3, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1997–98) ||0–0–1 ||
|2||October 4, 1997||3–0 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98) ||1–0–1 ||
|3||October 8, 1997||3–6 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||1–1–1 ||
|4||October 11, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||1–2–1 ||
|5||October 13, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Florida Panthers (1997–98) ||1–2–2 ||
|6||October 16, 1997||5–2 || align="left"| @ San Jose Sharks (1997–98) ||2–2–2 ||
|7||October 19, 1997||5–2 || align="left"| @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98) ||3–2–2 ||
|8||October 21, 1997||2–3 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) ||3–3–2 ||
|9||October 25, 1997||2–4 || align="left"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1997–98) ||3–4–2 ||
|10||October 27, 1997||1–2 || align="left"| San Jose Sharks (1997–98) ||3–5–2 ||
|11||October 29, 1997||5–2 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) ||4–5–2 ||
|12||October 30, 1997||5–3 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1997–98) ||5–5–2 ||
|13||November 1, 1997||4–2 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1997–98) ||6–5–2 ||
|14||November 5, 1997||4–4 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) ||6–5–3 ||
|15||November 7, 1997||3–2 || align="left"| @ Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) ||7–5–3 ||
|16||November 8, 1997||2–4 || align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98) ||7–6–3 ||
|17||November 10, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||7–7–3 ||
|18||November 12, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Florida Panthers (1997–98) ||7–7–4 ||
|19||November 14, 1997||4–1 || align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||8–7–4 ||
|20||November 15, 1997||0–1 || align="left"| Florida Panthers (1997–98) ||8–8–4 ||
|21||November 19, 1997||3–2 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1997–98) ||9–8–4 ||
|22||November 20, 1997||1–5 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||9–9–4 ||
|23||November 22, 1997||1–6 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) ||9–10–4 ||
|24||November 26, 1997||4–1 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1997–98) ||10–10–4 ||
|25||November 28, 1997||1–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||10–11–4 ||
|26||November 29, 1997||4–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1997–98) ||11–11–4 ||
|27||December 2, 1997||2–4 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1997–98) ||11–12–4 ||
|28||December 3, 1997||3–5 || align="left"| @ Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) ||11–13–4 ||
|29||December 6, 1997||4–0 || align="left"| Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98) ||12–13–4 ||
|30||December 9, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| Calgary Flames (1997–98) ||12–14–4 ||
|31||December 11, 1997||3–4 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||12–15–4 ||
|32||December 13, 1997||4–1 || align="left"| Florida Panthers (1997–98) ||13–15–4 ||
|33||December 16, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||13–15–5 ||
|34||December 17, 1997||4–0 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) ||14–15–5 ||
|35||December 20, 1997||4–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1997–98) ||15–15–5 ||
|36||December 22, 1997||1–4 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1997–98) ||15–16–5 ||
|37||December 26, 1997||3–4 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||15–17–5 ||
|38||December 27, 1997||2–6 || align="left"| Florida Panthers (1997–98) ||15–18–5 ||
|39||December 29, 1997||1–5 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) ||15–19–5 ||
|40||December 31, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| @ Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) ||15–20–5 ||
|41||January 2, 1998||1–2 || align="left"| @ Dallas Stars (1997–98) ||15–21–5 ||
|42||January 3, 1998||1–2 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Coyotes (1997–98) ||15–22–5 ||
|43||January 6, 1998||2–4 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) ||15–23–5 ||
|44||January 8, 1998||2–8 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) ||15–24–5 ||
|45||January 10, 1998||1–2 OT|| align="left"| Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) ||15–25–5 ||
|46||January 12, 1998||1–1 OT|| align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1997–98) ||15–25–6 ||
|47||January 14, 1998||7–1 || align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||16–25–6 ||
|48||January 20, 1998||2–5 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1997–98) ||16–26–6 ||
|49||January 22, 1998||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1997–98) ||16–26–7 ||
|50||January 24, 1998||2–3 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1997–98) ||16–27–7 ||
|51||January 26, 1998||1–3 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||16–28–7 ||
|52||January 28, 1998||6–1 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||17–28–7 ||
|53||January 30, 1998||2–0 || align="left"| Carolina Hurricanes (1997–98) ||18–28–7 ||
|54||February 1, 1998||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Boston Bruins (1997–98) ||18–28–8 ||
|55||February 2, 1998||4–2 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) ||19–28–8 ||
|56||February 4, 1998||4–2 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) ||20–28–8 ||
|57||February 7, 1998||2–3 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||20–29–8 ||
|58||February 25, 1998||1–4 || align="left"| Dallas Stars (1997–98) ||20–30–8 ||
|59||March 1, 1998||4–5 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1997–98) ||20–31–8 ||
|60||March 3, 1998||3–1 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1997–98) ||21–31–8 ||
|61||March 6, 1998||4–2 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) ||22–31–8 ||
|62||March 7, 1998||2–4 || align="left"| Colorado Avalanche (1997–98) ||22–32–8 ||
|63||March 10, 1998||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1997–98) ||22–32–9 ||
|64||March 12, 1998||1–2 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||22–33–9 ||
|65||March 14, 1998||2–6 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1997–98) ||22–34–9 ||
|66||March 18, 1998||4–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1997–98) ||22–34–10 ||
|67||March 20, 1998||1–4 || align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1997–98) ||22–35–10 ||
|68||March 22, 1998||3–1 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1997–98) ||23–35–10 ||
|69||March 24, 1998||3–4 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1997–98) ||23–36–10 ||
|70||March 26, 1998||4–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1997–98) ||24–36–10 ||
|71||March 28, 1998||3–4 OT|| align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1997–98) ||24–37–10 ||
|72||March 31, 1998||2–5 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||24–38–10 ||
|73||April 1, 1998||4–0 || align="left"| Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||25–38–10 ||
|74||April 4, 1998||3–0 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1997–98) ||26–38–10 ||
|75||April 6, 1998||3–0 || align="left"| @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||27–38–10 ||
|76||April 8, 1998||3–2 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||28–38–10 ||
|77||April 9, 1998||1–4 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1997–98) ||28–39–10 ||
|78||April 11, 1998||3–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1997–98) ||28–39–11 ||
|79||April 13, 1998||0–2 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1997–98) ||28–40–11 ||
|80||April 15, 1998||2–4 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1997–98) ||28–41–11 ||
|81||April 16, 1998||4–0 || align="left"| Tampa Bay Lightning (1997–98) ||29–41–11 ||
|82||April 18, 1998||2–1 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1997–98) ||30–41–11 ||
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 Islanders only. = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Islanders only. Player Regular season 16 RW 82 45 42 87 −2 34 21 C 82 25 40 65 −11 32 34 D 75 14 32 46 −32 59 20 C 81 13 30 43 −16 34 29 D 81 14 26 40 −2 58 14 LW 82 12 23 35 7 39 17 LW 74 10 19 29 3 24 39 C 54 14 12 26 −19 66 25 RW 68 12 13 25 11 23 13 C 78 10 10 20 −9 47 44 RW 52 7 11 18 −19 58 32 RW 25 10 7 17 −1 33 7 D 63 2 11 13 −11 45 18 LW 74 5 7 12 −4 27 4 D 56 3 9 12 9 145 24 LW 62 6 1 7 −12 138 2 D 76 0 7 7 1 291 10 RW 25 3 3 6 1 10 36 D 18 0 6 6 1 21 33 LW 37 3 1 4 1 101 54 C 9 1 3 4 −2 2 44 RW 13 1 2 3 −2 6 6 D 31 1 2 3 −6 47 28 D 19 0 3 3 2 12 36 RW 8 1 1 2 1 4 55 D 2 0 2 2 −1 0 3 D 25 0 1 1 1 50 30 G 16 0 1 1 0 58 D 6 0 1 1 −1 4 49 RW 11 0 1 1 −3 2 42 RW 7 0 1 1 −1 6 35 G 62 0 1 1 31 60 D 13 0 1 1 3 45 43 D 17 0 1 1 1 36 1 G 17 0 0 0 0 11 LW 5 0 0 0 −3 0 46 D 8 0 0 0 −4 4 12 C 12 0 0 0 −3 34 52 RW 2 0 0 0 0 2 37 D 1 0 0 0 0 0 48 RW 8 0 0 0 −4 0 24 RW 13 0 0 0 1 31 8 RW 20 0 0 0 −2 35
Goaltending Player Regular season 35 Tommy Salo 62 23 29 5 1617 152 2.64 .906 4 3461 30 Wade Flaherty 16 4 4 3 309 23 1.99 .926 3 694 1 Eric Fichaud 17 3 8 3 422 40 2.97 .905 0 807
Awards and records
Awards TypeAward/honorRecipientRef League(in-season) NHL All-Star Game selection Zigmund Palffy Team Bob Nystrom Award Rich Pilon
Milestones MilestonePlayerDateRef First game Warren Luhning October 4, 1997 Zdeno Chara November 19, 1997 Vladimir Orszagh November 22, 1997 Vladimir Chebaturkin March 24, 1998 Ray Schultz Jeff Libby March 26, 1998
Draft picks New York'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)14Roberto LuongoVal-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)15Eric BrewerPrince George Cougars (WHL)231Jeff ZehrWindsor Spitfires (OHL)359Jarrett SmithPrince George Cougars (WHL)379Robert SchnabelSlavia Prague (Czech Republic)485Petr MikaSlavia Prague (Czech Republic)5115Adam EdingerBowling Green State University (CCHA)6139Bobby LeavinsBrandon Wheat Kings (WHL)7166Kris KnoblauchEdmonton Ice (WHL)8196Jeremy SymingtonPetrolia Jets (WOHL)9222Ryan ClarkLincoln Stars (USHL)
Notes
References