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1995–96 NHL season

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1995–96 NHL season
LeagueNational Hockey League
SportIce hockey
DurationOctober 6, 1995 – June 10, 1996
Number of games82
Number of teams26
TV partner(s)CBC, TSN, SRC (Canada)
ESPN, Fox (United States)
Draft
Top draft pickBryan Berard
Picked byOttawa Senators
Regular season
Presidents' TrophyDetroit Red Wings
Season MVPMario Lemieux (Penguins)
Top scorerMario Lemieux (Penguins)
Playoffs
Playoffs MVPJoe Sakic (Avalanche)
Stanley Cup
ChampionsColorado Avalanche
  Runners-upFlorida Panthers
NHL seasons

The 1995–96 NHL season was the 79th regular season of the National Hockey League. As part of the league's new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed after the 1994–95 NHL lockout, each team began playing 82 games per season. The Quebec Nordiques relocated to Denver, Colorado, becoming the Colorado Avalanche. The Stanley Cup winners were the Avalanche, who swept the Florida Panthers in the finals, in four games.

League business

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Franchise relocation

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The 1995–96 season was the first season in Denver for the Avalanche, who had relocated from Quebec City where they were previously known as the Quebec Nordiques. Prior to the season, Colorado was assigned to the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They played at McNichols Arena, the building that the Colorado Rockies played in from 1976 to 1982 before they were purchased and moved to become the New Jersey Devils. The Avs would play in that building until they moved to the Pepsi Center in 1999.

It was also the final season for the original Winnipeg Jets, as they announced that they would be moving from Manitoba to Arizona and become the Phoenix Coyotes at season's end. The NHL would not return to Manitoba until the Atlanta Thrashers moved there to become the "new" Winnipeg Jets following the 2010–11 season.

Implementation of an 82-game schedule

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During the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons, each team played 84 games (including two neutral site games). The 1994–95 NHL lockout had resulted in a shortened 48-game season and the cancellation of the planned neutral site games. Starting in the 1995–96 season, the neutral site games were eliminated, reducing the regular season to 82 games per team where it remains to date.

Implementation of the entry draft lottery

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This was the first year that the entry drafting order was partially set by a draft lottery system, allowing teams who had missed the playoffs to have a chance to move up in the order. Teams would no longer be guaranteed the first overall pick if they finished with the worst record during the previous regular season, and therefore have less incentive to "tank".

The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was then held at the Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta, on July 8. Bryan Berard was selected first overall by the Ottawa Senators.

Uniform changes

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Third jersey program

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Improvements in dye-sublimation printing on modern uniform fabrics, having been featured in recent seasons on uniforms in the National Basketball Association and the Canadian Football League, had caught the interest of the NHL, which decided to allow alternate jerseys that could take advantage of this technology to produce new and unusual designs not possible under traditional jersey-making techniques. Six teams elected to participate in the process, but St. Louis Blues coach and general manager Mike Keenan vetoed the Blues' proposed third jersey, which would have featured blaring trumpets across the front. The five teams that did participate were the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Boston Bruins, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Vancouver Canucks.

The Ducks' and Kings' third jerseys proved unpopular at the time and were retired by the end of the season, while the Canucks underwent a complete rebrand for the 1997–98 season. The Penguins' third jersey was promoted to their primary road jersey for the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs through the 2001–02 season, and the Bruins retained their third jersey the longest, through the 2005–06 season.

Additional uniform changes

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In addition to the Avalanche, two other teams underwent rebrands prior to the season, albeit only changing their logos and colors. The New York Islanders used the dye-sublimation technique to create new jerseys with wavy stripes as well as a logo bearing a fisherman mascot, which ended up being heavily derided and phased out over the next few seasons. The Washington Capitals abandoned their patriotic red, white, and blue scheme and their 1970s uniform design for a more modern look featuring a less saturated blue, black, and bronze, with the new logo featuring an attacking eagle with stars in its wings. This look would last (with slight changes) through the 2006–07 season.

The arrival of the Avalanche would also see the first new provider of on-ice jerseys in the NHL since 1989, when Nike ended its relationship with the Edmonton Oilers. For the next six seasons, CCM had been the sole provider of NHL jerseys; however, Starter, which had begun providing select NFL teams with their on-field jerseys and had also been selling consumer replica NHL jerseys, were tapped to provide Colorado's initial jerseys. Following the season, Starter would expand its presence in the NHL to nine other teams, while Nike would re-enter the league through the use of its subsidiary, Bauer Hockey.

Arena changes

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Regular season

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All-Star Game

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The All-Star Game was held on January 20, 1996, at the FleetCenter in Boston, home of the Boston Bruins.

Highlights

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The Detroit Red Wings enjoyed a spectacular season, having finished the year as the Western Conferences's top seed with 131 points, and at the time second only to the 1976–77 Montreal Canadiens, and setting the NHL record for most wins ever in the regular season (62). Neither mark was eclipsed until 27 years later, when the Boston Bruins achieved a record-breaking 65 wins and 135 points in the 2022–23 season. However, the Wings fell to the future Stanley Cup champion Avalanche in the 1996 Western Conference Finals, the sixth game of which marked the beginning of the heated Detroit-Colorado rivalry, which would last for years to come. The New Jersey Devils became the first team since the 1969–70 Montreal Canadiens to miss the playoffs after winning the Stanley Cup during the previous season.

Four teams allowed 300 or more goals in 1995-96. A total of three would do so from 1996-97 through 2003-04.

Final standings

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Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
No. GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 Philadelphia Flyers 82 45 24 13 282 208 103
2 New York Rangers 82 41 27 14 272 237 96
3 Florida Panthers 82 41 31 10 254 234 92
4 Washington Capitals 82 39 32 11 234 204 89
5 Tampa Bay Lightning 82 38 32 12 238 248 88
6 New Jersey Devils 82 37 33 12 215 202 86
7 New York Islanders 82 22 50 10 229 315 54
Northeast Division
No. GP W L T GF GA PTS
1 Pittsburgh Penguins 82 49 29 4 362 284 102
2 Boston Bruins 82 40 31 11 282 269 91
3 Montreal Canadiens 82 40 32 10 265 248 90
4 Hartford Whalers 82 34 39 9 237 259 77
5 Buffalo Sabres 82 33 42 7 247 262 72
6 Ottawa Senators 82 18 59 5 191 291 41
Eastern Conference[1]
R Div GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 Philadelphia Flyers ATL 82 45 24 13 282 208 103
2 Pittsburgh Penguins NE 82 49 29 4 362 284 102
3 New York Rangers ATL 82 41 27 14 272 237 96
4 Florida Panthers ATL 82 41 31 10 254 234 92
5 Boston Bruins NE 82 40 31 11 282 269 91
6 Montreal Canadiens NE 82 40 32 10 265 248 90
7 Washington Capitals ATL 82 39 32 11 234 204 89
8 Tampa Bay Lightning ATL 82 38 32 12 238 248 88
9 New Jersey Devils ATL 82 37 33 12 215 202 86
10 Hartford Whalers NE 82 34 39 9 237 259 77
11 Buffalo Sabres NE 82 33 42 7 247 262 73
12 New York Islanders ATL 82 22 50 10 229 315 54
13 Ottawa Senators NE 82 18 59 5 191 291 41

Divisions: ATL – Atlantic, NE – Northeast

bold – Qualified for playoffs

Western Conference
Central Division
No. GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 Detroit Red Wings 82 62 13 7 325 181 131
2 Chicago Blackhawks 82 40 28 14 273 220 94
3 Toronto Maple Leafs 82 34 36 12 247 252 80
4 St. Louis Blues 82 32 34 16 219 248 80
5 Winnipeg Jets 82 36 40 6 275 291 78
6 Dallas Stars 82 26 42 14 227 280 66


Pacific Division
No. GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 Colorado Avalanche 82 47 25 10 326 240 104
2 Calgary Flames 82 34 37 11 241 240 79
3 Vancouver Canucks 82 32 35 15 278 278 79
4 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 82 35 39 8 234 247 78
5 Edmonton Oilers 82 30 44 8 240 304 68
6 Los Angeles Kings 82 24 40 18 256 302 66
7 San Jose Sharks 82 20 55 7 252 357 47


Western Conference[2]
R Div GP W L T GF GA Pts
1 p – Detroit Red Wings CEN 82 62 13 7 325 181 131
2 Colorado Avalanche PAC 82 47 25 10 326 240 104
3 Chicago Blackhawks CEN 82 40 28 14 273 220 94
4 Toronto Maple Leafs CEN 82 34 36 12 247 252 80
5 St. Louis Blues CEN 82 32 34 16 219 248 80
6 Calgary Flames PAC 82 34 37 11 241 240 79
7 Vancouver Canucks PAC 82 32 35 15 278 278 79
8 Winnipeg Jets CEN 82 36 40 6 275 291 78
9 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim PAC 82 35 39 8 234 247 78
10 Edmonton Oilers PAC 82 30 44 8 240 304 68
11 Dallas Stars CEN 82 26 42 14 227 280 66
12 Los Angeles Kings PAC 82 24 40 18 256 302 66
13 San Jose Sharks PAC 82 20 55 7 252 357 47

Divisions: CEN – Central, PAC – Pacific

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

GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against
Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Playoffs

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Main article: 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs

Bracket

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The top eight teams in each conference made the playoffs, with the two division winners seeded 1–2 based on regular season records, and the six remaining teams seeded 3–8. In each round, teams competed in a best-of-seven series (scores in the bracket indicate the number of games won in each best-of-seven series). The NHL used "re-seeding" instead of a fixed bracket playoff system. During the first three rounds, the highest remaining seed in each conference was matched against the lowest remaining seed, the second-highest remaining seed played the second-lowest remaining seed, and so forth. The higher-seeded team was awarded home-ice advantage. The two conference winners then advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Conference quarterfinals Conference semifinals Conference finals Stanley Cup Finals
            
1 Philadelphia 4
8 Tampa Bay 2
1 Philadelphia 2
4 Florida 4
2 Pittsburgh 4
7 Washington 2
4 Florida 4
Eastern Conference
2 Pittsburgh 3
3 NY Rangers 4
6 Montreal 2
2 Pittsburgh 4
3 NY Rangers 1
4 Florida 4
5 Boston 1
E4 Florida 0
W2 Colorado 4
1 Detroit 4
8 Winnipeg 2
1 Detroit 4
5 St. Louis 3
2 Colorado 4
7 Vancouver 2
1 Detroit 2
Western Conference
2 Colorado 4
3 Chicago 4
6 Calgary 0
2 Colorado 4
3 Chicago 2
4 Toronto 2
5 St. Louis 4

Awards

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1995–96 NHL awards
Award Recipient(s) Runner(s)-up/Finalists
Stanley Cup Colorado Avalanche Florida Panthers
Presidents' Trophy
(Best regular-season record)		 Detroit Red Wings Colorado Avalanche
Prince of Wales Trophy
(Eastern Conference playoff champion)		 Florida Panthers Pittsburgh Penguins
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl
(Western Conference playoff champion)		 Colorado Avalanche Detroit Red Wings
Alka-Seltzer Plus-Minus Award
(Best plus-minus statistic)		 Vladimir Konstantinov (Detroit Red Wings) Sergei Fedorov (Detroit Red Wings)
Art Ross Trophy
(Player with most points)		 Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) Jaromír Jágr (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
(Perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication)		 Gary Roberts (Calgary Flames) N/A
Calder Memorial Trophy
(Best first-year player)		 Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa Senators) Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa Senators)
Éric Dazé (Chicago Blackhawks)
Ed Jovanovski (Florida Panthers)
Conn Smythe Trophy
(Most valuable player, playoffs)		 Joe Sakic (Colorado Avalanche) N/A
Frank J. Selke Trophy
(Best defensive forward)		 Sergei Fedorov (Detroit Red Wings) Sergei Fedorov (Detroit Red Wings)
Ron Francis (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Steve Yzerman (Detroit Red Wings)
Hart Memorial Trophy
(Most valuable player, regular season)		 Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins)
Eric Lindros (Philadelphia Flyers)
Mark Messier (New York Rangers)
Jack Adams Award
(Best coach)		 Scotty Bowman (Detroit Red Wings) Scotty Bowman (Detroit Red Wings)
Terry Crisp (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Doug MacLean (Florida Panthers)
James Norris Memorial Trophy
(Best defenceman)		 Chris Chelios (Chicago Blackhawks) Ray Bourque (Boston Bruins)
Chris Chelios (Chicago Blackhawks)
Brian Leetch (New York Rangers)
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
(Leadership and humanitarian contribution)		 Kris King (Winnipeg Jets) N/A
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
(Sportsmanship and excellence)		 Paul Kariya (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) Paul Kariya (Mighty Ducks of Anaheim)
Adam Oates (Boston Bruins)
Teemu Selänne (Winnipeg Jets/Mighty Ducks of Anaheim)
Lester B. Pearson Award
(Outstanding player)		 Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins) N/A
Vezina Trophy
(Best goaltender)		 Jim Carey (Washington Capitals) Jim Carey (Washington Capitals)
Chris Osgood (Detroit Red Wings)
Daren Puppa (Tampa Bay Lightning)
William M. Jennings Trophy
(Goaltender(s) of team with fewest goals against)		 Chris Osgood and Mike Vernon (Detroit Red Wings) N/A

All-Star teams

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First team Position Second team
Jim Carey, Washington Capitals G Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings
Chris Chelios, Chicago Blackhawks D Vladimir Konstantinov, Detroit Red Wings
Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins D Brian Leetch, New York Rangers
Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins C Eric Lindros, Philadelphia Flyers
Jaromir Jagr, Pittsburgh Penguins RW Alexander Mogilny, Vancouver Canucks
Paul Kariya, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim LW John LeClair, Philadelphia Flyers

Player statistics

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Scoring leaders

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Czech superstar Jaromir Jagr of the Pittsburgh Penguins broke the record for assists and points by a right winger in a single season [1]. Mario Lemieux, a fellow teammate of Jagr's, achieved 161 points in 70 games, marking the NHL's final season in which a player would surpass the 150 point plateau during the 1990s. This record remained unbroken until Connor McDavid scored 153 points in the 2022–23 season, which would not occur until 27 years later.[3] This also marked the final season of the 1990s where at least one NHL player would score at least 60 goals (Jagr and Lemieux), a feat not repeated until Alexander Ovechkin's groundbreaking record of 65 goals in the 2007–08 season, set 12 years later in the modern era following the 2004–05 NHL lockout.[4] Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs would later go on to break Ovechkin's modern record by scoring his 66th goal on April 9, 2024, achieving the rare distinction of being the first NHL player in 28 years to score more than 65 goals in a single season since Lemieux last accomplished the feat nearly three decades earlier.[5] Matthew's would later equal Lemieux's feat by scoring a grand total of 69 goals as the 2023-24 NHL season drew to a close.[6]

Regular season Playoffs
Player Team GP G A Pts
Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh 70 69 92 161
Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh 82 62 87 149
Joe Sakic Colorado 82 51 69 120
Ron Francis Pittsburgh 77 27 92 119
Peter Forsberg Colorado 82 30 86 116
Eric Lindros Philadelphia 73 47 68 115
Paul Kariya Anaheim 82 50 58 108
Teemu Selanne Winnipeg/
Anaheim		 79 40 68 108
Alexander Mogilny Vancouver 79 55 52 107
Sergei Fedorov Detroit 78 39 68 107

Source: NHL.[7]

Player Team GP G A Pts
Joe Sakic Colorado 22 18 16 34
Mario Lemieux Pittsburgh 18 11 16 27
Jaromir Jagr Pittsburgh 18 11 12 23
Valeri Kamensky Colorado 22 10 12 22
Peter Forsberg Colorado 22 10 11 21
Petr Nedved Pittsburgh 18 10 10 20
Steve Yzerman Detroit 18 8 12 20
Sergei Fedorov Detroit 19 2 18 20
Sandis Ozolinsh Colorado 22 5 14 19
Dave Lowry Florida 22 10 7 17
Mike Ricci Colorado 22 6 11 17
Adam Deadmarsh Colorado 22 5 12 17

Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points

Leading goaltenders

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Regular season

Player Team GP MIN GA SO GAA SV%
Ron Hextall Philadelphia 53 3102 112 4 2.17 .913
Chris Osgood Detroit 50 2933 106 5 2.17 .911
Jim Carey Washington 71 4069 153 9 2.26 .906
Mike Vernon Detroit 32 1855 70 3 2.26 .903
Martin Brodeur New Jersey 77 4433 173 6 2.34 .911
Jeff Hackett Chicago 35 2000 80 4 2.40 .916
Daren Puppa Tampa Bay 57 3189 131 5 2.46 .918
Mike Richter New York Rangers 41 2396 107 3 2.68 .912
John Vanbiesbrouck Florida 57 3178 142 2 2.68 .904
Ed Belfour Chicago 50 2956 135 1 2.74 .902

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Milestones

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Debuts

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The following is a list of players of note who played their first NHL game in 1995–96 (listed with their first team, asterisk(*) marks debut in playoffs):

Last games

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The following is a list of players of note who played their last game in the NHL in 1995–96 (listed with their last team):

Coaches

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Eastern Conference

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Team Coach Comments
Boston Bruins Steve Kasper
Buffalo Sabres Ted Nolan
Florida Panthers Doug MacLean
Hartford Whalers Paul Holmgren Replaced midseason by Paul Maurice
Montreal Canadiens Jacques Demers Replaced early in the season by Mario Tremblay
New Jersey Devils Jacques Lemaire
New York Islanders Mike Milbury
New York Rangers Colin Campbell
Ottawa Senators Rick Bowness Replaced early in the season by Dave Allison, who would be replaced after 25 games by Jacques Martin
Philadelphia Flyers Terry Murray
Pittsburgh Penguins Eddie Johnston
Tampa Bay Lightning Terry Crisp
Washington Capitals Jim Schoenfeld

Western Conference

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Team Coach Comments
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Ron Wilson
Calgary Flames Pierre Page
Chicago Blackhawks Craig Hartsburg
Colorado Avalanche Marc Crawford
Dallas Stars Bob Gainey Replaced midseason by Ken Hitchcock
Detroit Red Wings Scotty Bowman
Edmonton Oilers Ron Low
Los Angeles Kings Larry Robinson
St. Louis Blues Mike Keenan
San Jose Sharks Kevin Constantine Replaced early in the season by Jim Wiley
Toronto Maple Leafs Pat Burns Replaced late in the season by Nick Beverley
Vancouver Canucks Rick Ley Replaced late in the season by Pat Quinn
Winnipeg Jets Terry Simpson

Broadcasting

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Canada

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This was the eighth season that the league's Canadian national broadcast rights were split between TSN and Hockey Night in Canada on CBC. During the regular season, Saturday night games aired on CBC, while TSN primarily had Monday and Thursday night games. Coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs was primarily on CBC, with TSN airing first round all-U.S. series.

United States

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This was the second season of the league's five-year U.S. national broadcast rights deals with Fox and ESPN. Both ESPN and ESPN2 aired weeknight games throughout the regular season, and Fox had the All-Star Game and weekly regional telecasts on six selected weekend afternoons between January and April. During the first two rounds of the playoffs, ESPN and ESPN2 aired selected games, while Fox had Sunday regional telecasts. Each U.S. team's regional broadcaster produced local coverage of first and second round games (except for those games on Fox). Fox's Sunday telecasts continued into the Conference Finals, while ESPN had the rest of the third round games. The Stanley Cup Finals were also split between Fox and ESPN.

See also

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References

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  • Diamond, Dan, ed. (2000). Total Hockey. Kingston, New York: Total Sports. ISBN 1-892129-85-X.
  • Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5.
  • Dryden, Steve, ed. (2000). Century of hockey. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. ISBN 0-7710-4179-9.
  • Fischler, Stan; Fischler, Shirley; Hughes, Morgan; Romain, Joseph; Duplacey, James (2003). The Hockey Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of the National Hockey League. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International Inc. ISBN 0-7853-9624-1.
Notes
  1. ^ "1995–1996 Conference Standings". National Hockey League. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  2. ^ "1995-1996 Conference Standings Standings - NHL.com - Standings". NHL.
  3. ^ Williams, Rob (April 14, 2023). "Only three NHL players have ever scored more points than McDavid did this year". Daily Hive. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  4. ^ "Ovechkin passes single-season mark as Capitals keep playoff hopes alive". ESPN. April 3, 2008. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
  5. ^ "Matthews scores No. 66, Maple Leafs top Devils to keep pace in Atlantic". NHL. April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  6. ^ "Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals". CTV News. April 17, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  7. ^ Dinger 2011, p. 154.
  8. ^ "1995-96 NHL Leaders".
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