1996–97 San Jose Sharks season

The 1996–97 San Jose Sharks season was the Sharks' sixth season of operation in the National Hockey League. The Sharks again failed to make the playoffs, finishing 13th in the Western Conference.

1996–97 San Jose Sharks
Division	7th Pacific
Conference	13th Western
1996–97 record	27–47–8
Home record	14–23–4
Road record	13–24–4
Goals for	211
Goals against	278
Team information
General manager	Dean Lombardi
Coach	Al Sims
Captain	Todd Gill
Alternate captains	Tony Granato Owen Nolan
Arena	San Jose Arena
Average attendance	17,420
Minor league affiliate(s)	Kentucky Thoroughblades Louisville RiverFrogs
Team leaders
Goals	Owen Nolan (31)
Assists	Jeff Friesen (34)
Points	Owen Nolan (63)
Penalty minutes	Andrei Nazarov (222)
Plus/minus	Tim Hunter (0) Michal Sykora (0)
Wins	Kelly Hrudey (16)
Goals against average	Chris Terreri (2.75)
← 1995–96 1997–98 →

Offseason

Defenseman Todd Gill was named team captain, following the departure of Jeff Odgers.

Regular season

On October 18, the Sharks scored three short-handed goals in a 4–1 win over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.^[1]

The Sharks finished the regular season last in scoring (211 goals for) and had the most power-play opportunities against (409).^[2]

Final standings

Pacific Division

No.	CR		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Pts
1	1	Colorado Avalanche	82	49	24	9	277	205	107
2	4	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim	82	36	33	13	243	231	85
3	7	Edmonton Oilers	82	36	37	9	252	247	81
4	9	Vancouver Canucks	82	35	40	7	257	273	77
5	10	Calgary Flames	82	32	41	9	214	239	73
6	12	Los Angeles Kings	82	28	43	11	214	268	67
7	13	San Jose Sharks	82	27	47	8	211	278	62

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^[3]

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

1996–97 regular season[4]
October: 5–5–3 (home: 1–1–2; road: 4–4–1) Game Date Score Opponent Record Recap 1 October 5, 1996 2–2 OT New York Islanders (1996–97) 0–0–1 T 2 October 6, 1996 7–6 OT @ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 1–0–1 W 3 October 8, 1996 0–6 @ Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 1–1–1 L 4 October 10, 1996 1–4 @ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 1–2–1 L 5 October 12, 1996 3–5 Boston Bruins (1996–97) 1–3–1 L 6 October 16, 1996 3–3 OT Florida Panthers (1996–97) 1–3–2 T 7 October 18, 1996 4–1 @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 2–3–2 W 8 October 20, 1996 3–2 @ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 3–3–2 W 9 October 22, 1996 3–4 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–97) 3–4–2 L 10 October 24, 1996 1–3 @ New Jersey Devils (1996–97) 3–5–2 L 11 October 26, 1996 2–2 OT @ New York Islanders (1996–97) 3–5–3 T 12 October 27, 1996 6–2 @ Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 4–5–3 W 13 October 30, 1996 3–1 Calgary Flames (1996–97) 5–5–3 W
November: 3–8–1 (home: 3–5–0; road: 0–3–1) Game Date Score Opponent Record Recap 14 November 1, 1996 3–4 @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 5–6–3 L 15 November 2, 1996 4–3 OT Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) 6–6–3 W 16 November 6, 1996 1–4 Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 6–7–3 L 17 November 8, 1996 3–1 Dallas Stars (1996–97) 7–7–3 W 18 November 12, 1996 3–4 Hartford Whalers (1996–97) 7–8–3 L 19 November 15, 1996 1–5 @ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 7–9–3 L 20 November 16, 1996 2–2 OT @ Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) 7–9–4 T 21 November 18, 1996 2–4 @ Boston Bruins (1996–97) 7–10–4 L 22 November 21, 1996 1–6 Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 7–11–4 L 23 November 23, 1996 0–3 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 7–12–4 L 24 November 27, 1996 3–2 Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 8–12–4 W 25 November 29, 1996 2–4 Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 8–13–4 L
December: 6–6–0 (home: 2–3–0; road: 4–3–0) Game Date Score Opponent Record Recap 26 December 1, 1996 4–3 @ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 9–13–4 W 27 December 4, 1996 2–1 @ Dallas Stars (1996–97) 10–13–4 W 28 December 7, 1996 3–4 Tampa Bay Lightning (1996–97) 10–14–4 L 29 December 11, 1996 3–2 Washington Capitals (1996–97) 11–14–4 W 30 December 13, 1996 0–4 Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) 11–15–4 L 31 December 17, 1996 3–6 Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–97) 11–16–4 L 32 December 20, 1996 2–3 @ Washington Capitals (1996–97) 11–17–4 L 33 December 21, 1996 1–3 @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) 11–18–4 L 34 December 23, 1996 2–1 @ Dallas Stars (1996–97) 12–18–4 W 35 December 26, 1996 6–1 Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 13–18–4 W 36 December 28, 1996 3–5 @ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 13–19–4 L 37 December 31, 1996 5–1 @ Calgary Flames (1996–97) 14–19–4 W
January: 4–7–1 (home: 2–4–1; road: 2–3–0) Game Date Score Opponent Record Recap 38 January 2, 1997 1–4 Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) 14–20–4 L 39 January 4, 1997 3–4 Calgary Flames (1996–97) 14–21–4 L 40 January 7, 1997 1–1 OT Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) 14–21–5 T 41 January 9, 1997 3–4 St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 14–22–5 L 42 January 11, 1997 2–1 @ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 15–22–5 W 43 January 13, 1997 5–4 Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 16–22–5 W 44 January 20, 1997 1–6 @ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 16–23–5 L 45 January 22, 1997 7–2 Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 17–23–5 W 46 January 24, 1997 1–3 New Jersey Devils (1996–97) 17–24–5 L 47 January 27, 1997 2–5 @ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 17–25–5 L 48 January 29, 1997 1–3 @ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 17–26–5 L 49 January 30, 1997 6–3 @ Calgary Flames (1996–97) 18–26–5 W
February: 4–7–2 (home: 3–2–0; road: 1–5–2) Game Date Score Opponent Record Recap 50 February 1, 1997 2–1 Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 19–26–5 W 51 February 3, 1997 2–4 Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 19–27–5 L 52 February 5, 1997 3–2 Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 20–27–5 W 53 February 8, 1997 3–3 OT @ Ottawa Senators (1996–97) 20–27–6 T 54 February 10, 1997 2–4 @ Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) 20–28–6 L 55 February 12, 1997 1–7 @ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 20–29–6 L 56 February 13, 1997 3–7 @ Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) 20–30–6 L 57 February 16, 1997 2–6 @ Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) 20–31–6 L 58 February 18, 1997 3–1 Dallas Stars (1996–97) 21–31–6 W 59 February 20, 1997 1–6 Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 21–32–6 L 60 February 23, 1997 3–4 @ Tampa Bay Lightning (1996–97) 21–33–6 L 61 February 25, 1997 2–2 OT @ Florida Panthers (1996–97) 21–33–7 T 62 February 28, 1997 3–2 @ Hartford Whalers (1996–97) 22–33–7 W
March: 3–10–0 (home: 2–6–0; road: 1–4–0) Game Date Score Opponent Record Recap 63 March 1, 1997 2–3 @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–97) 22–34–7 L 64 March 3, 1997 4–5 OT @ New York Rangers (1996–97) 22–35–7 L 65 March 6, 1997 2–0 Ottawa Senators (1996–97) 23–35–7 W 66 March 9, 1997 1–2 New York Rangers (1996–97) 23–36–7 L 67 March 11, 1997 3–4 St. Louis Blues (1996–97) 23–37–7 L 68 March 14, 1997 1–4 Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 23–38–7 L 69 March 15, 1997 4–7 Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) 23–39–7 L 70 March 19, 1997 2–4 @ Calgary Flames (1996–97) 23–40–7 L 71 March 20, 1997 2–1 @ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 24–40–7 W 72 March 22, 1997 1–2 @ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 24–41–7 L 73 March 24, 1997 1–5 Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 24–42–7 L 74 March 26, 1997 1–2 Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–97) 24–43–7 L 75 March 28, 1997 4–3 Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) 25–43–7 W
April: 2–4–1 (home: 1–2–1; road: 1–2–0) Game Date Score Opponent Record Recap 76 April 1, 1997 1–7 @ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) 25–44–7 L 77 April 2, 1997 5–5 OT Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 25–44–8 T 78 April 4, 1997 7–6 OT Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 26–44–8 W 79 April 7, 1997 2–3 Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) 26–45–8 L 80 April 9, 1997 4–1 @ Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) 27–45–8 W 81 April 11, 1997 3–4 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) 27–46–8 L 82 April 12, 1997 1–4 @ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) 27–47–8 L
Legend: W Win (2 points) L Loss (0 points) T Tie (1 point)

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 Sharks only.
• ‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Sharks only.

No.	Player	Pos	Regular season
			GP	G	A	Pts	+/-	PIM
11	Owen Nolan	RW	72	31	32	63	−19	155
39	Jeff Friesen	LW	82	28	34	62	−8	75
9	Bernie Nicholls	C	65	12	33	45	−21	63
25	Viktor Kozlov	C	78	16	25	41	−16	40
21	Tony Granato	RW	76	25	15	40	−7	159
8	Darren Turcotte	C	65	16	21	37	−8	16
62	Andrei Nazarov	LW	60	12	15	27	−4	222
17	Steve Guolla	C	43	13	8	21	−10	14
23	Todd Gill	D	79	0	21	21	−20	101
22	Ulf Dahlen‡	LW	43	8	11	19	−11	8
4	Greg Hawgood	D	63	6	12	18	−22	69
10	Marcus Ragnarsson	D	69	3	14	17	−18	63
33	Marty McSorley	D	57	4	12	16	−6	186
3	Doug Bodger	D	81	1	15	16	−14	64
42	Shean Donovan	RW	73	9	6	15	−18	42
43	Al Iafrate	D	38	6	9	15	−10	91
12	Ron Sutter†	C	78	5	7	12	−8	65
22[a]	Bob Errey†	LW	30	3	6	9	−2	20
44	Vlastimil Kroupa	D	35	2	6	8	−17	12
40	Mike Rathje	D	31	0	8	8	−1	21
38	Michal Sykora‡	D	35	2	5	7	0	59
16	Dody Wood	C	44	3	2	5	−3	193
7	Ville Peltonen	LW	28	2	3	5	−8	0
18	Chris Tancill	C	25	4	0	4	−5	8
19	Tim Hunter	RW	46	0	4	4	0	135
36	Todd Ewen	RW	51	0	2	2	−5	162
14	Ray Whitney	LW	12	0	2	2	−6	4
5	Jason Widmer	D	2	0	1	1	1	0
15	Alexei Yegorov	RW	2	0	1	1	1	0
20[b]	Ed Belfour†	G	13	0	0	0		8
91	Jan Caloun	RW	2	0	0	0	−2	0
31	Wade Flaherty	G	7	0	0	0		0
28	Iain Fraser	C	2	0	0	0	−1	2
32	Kelly Hrudey	G	48	0	0	0		0
26	Chris Lipuma‡†	D	8	0	0	0	−2	22
30	Chris Terreri‡	G	22	0	0	0		0

Goaltending

No.	Player	Regular season
		GP	W	L	T	SA	GA	GAA	SV%	SO	TOI
32	Kelly Hrudey	48	16	24	5	1263	140	3.19	.889	0	2631
30	Chris Terreri	22	6	10	3	553	55	2.75	.901	0	1200
20[b]	Ed Belfour	13	3	9	0	371	43	3.41	.884	1	757
31	Wade Flaherty	7	2	4	0	202	31	5.18	.847	0	359

Awards and records

Awards

Type	Award/honor	Recipient	Ref
League (annual)	Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy	Tony Granato	[5]
League (in-season)	NHL All-Star Game selection	Tony Granato[c]	[7]
		Owen Nolan
Team	Sharks Player of the Year	Jeff Friesen	[8]
	Sharks Rookie of the Year	Steve Guolla	[8]

Milestones

Milestone	Player	Date	Ref
1,000th game played	Bernie Nicholls	October 20, 1996	[9]
First game	Steve Guolla	January 7, 1997	[10]

Transactions

Draft picks

San Jose's picks at the 1996 NHL entry draft held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri.^[11]

Round	#	Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team
1	2	Andrei Zyuzin	Defense	Russia	Salavat Yulajev
1	21	Marco Sturm	Right wing	Germany	Landshut EV
3	55	Terry Friesen	Goalie	Canada	Swift Current Broncos
4	102	Matt Bradley	Right wing	Canada	Kingston Frontenacs
6	137	Michel Larocque	Goalie	Germany	Boston University
7	164	Jake Deadmarsh	Defense	Canada	Kamloops Blazers
8	191	Cory Cyrenne	Center	Canada	Brandon Wheat Kings
9	217	David Thibeault	Left wing	Canada	Drummondville Voltigeurs

See also

• 1996–97 NHL season

Notes

1. Errey wore number 14 in his first two games.
2. Belfour wore number 30 in his first game.
3. Granato was selected by the commissioner.^[6]