The 1998 Calder Cup playoffs of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
began on April 14, 1998.
[1998 Calder Cup Playoffs]
''caldercup.com''. Retrieved on May 2, 2008. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played
best-of-five series for division semifinals and
best-of-seven series for division finals and conference finals. The conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League (AHL). It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In it ...
. The Calder Cup Final ended on June 10, 1998, with the
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and played most of its home games at the Spectrum (arena), Spectrum ...
defeating the
Saint John Flames
The Saint John Flames were a Canadian ice hockey team in the American Hockey League from 1993 to 2003 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The Calgary Flames bought and relocated the Utica Devils, to be their AHL affiliate.
History
The Saint ...
four games to two to win the first Calder Cup in team history. Philadelphia's
Mike Maneluk won the
Jack A. Butterfield Trophy
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League (AHL). First awarded in the 1937–38 season, it is named after Frank Calder, inaugural president of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Calder ...
as the AHL playoff
MVP
MVP most commonly refers to:
* Most valuable player, an award, typically for the best performing player in a sport or competition
* Minimum viable product, a concept for feature estimating used in business and engineering
MVP may also refer to:
...
.
The Philadelphia Phantoms set an AHL playoff record by winning 9 road games in one playoff year.
Playoff seeds
After the
1997–98 AHL regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. However, due to the uneven number of teams in the each conference, it was possible for the fifth-placed team in the five team divisions to crossover to the playoffs for the four team divisions. This could only happen if the fifth-placed team in a five team division earned more points than the fourth-placed team in the four team division in the same conference. In this case, the fifth-placed team from the five team division would play in place of the fourth-placed team from the four team division in that part of the playoff bracket. The
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and played most of its home games at the Spectrum (arena), Spectrum ...
were the Western Conference regular season champions as well as the
Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners with the best overall regular season record. The
Springfield Falcons
The Springfield Falcons were a ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center.
In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Arizona Co ...
were the Eastern Conference regular season champions.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
#
Saint John Flames
The Saint John Flames were a Canadian ice hockey team in the American Hockey League from 1993 to 2003 in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. The Calgary Flames bought and relocated the Utica Devils, to be their AHL affiliate.
History
The Saint ...
– 99 points
#
Fredericton Canadiens
The Fredericton Canadiens, or the 'Baby Habs', were a professional ice hockey team in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The Canadiens played their home games at the Aitken Centre. They were a member of the American Hockey League from 1990 to 1999, and ...
– 81 points
#
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). Their home arena was the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the Baltimore Skipjacks ...
– 80 points
#
St. John's Maple Leafs – 73 points
New England Division
#
Springfield Falcons
The Springfield Falcons were a ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) and played in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center.
In 2016, the Falcons' franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Arizona Co ...
– Eastern Conference regular season champions, 99 points
#
Hartford Wolf Pack
The Hartford Wolf Pack are a professional ice hockey team based in Hartford, Connecticut. A member of the American Hockey League (AHL), they play their home games at the PeoplesBank Arena. The team was established in 1926 as the Providence Reds. ...
– 99 points
#
Beast of New Haven – 85 points
#
Worcester IceCats
The Worcester IceCats were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the Worcester Centrum (Renamed to the DCU Center in 2004). In 2005 the team was renamed the Peoria Rivermen and ...
– 83 points
Western Conference
Empire Division
#
Albany River Rats
The Albany River Rats were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.
History
Before the formation of the franchise
Without a viable indoor arena with ...
– 103 points
#
Hamilton Bulldogs – 94 points
#
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a professional ice hockey team based in Syracuse, New York. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning. They play in they home games at the Upstate Medical Univer ...
– 83 points
#
Adirondack Red Wings
The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, United States at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the Nati ...
– 74 points
#
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Rochester, New York. They are the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home g ...
– 72 points ''(Played in the Mid-Atlantic Division bracket by virtue of earning more points than the fourth-placed team in that division)''
Mid-Atlantic Division
#
Philadelphia Phantoms
The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and played most of its home games at the Spectrum (arena), Spectrum ...
– Western Conference regular season champions; Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners, 106 points
#
Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears are a professional ice hockey team based in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The Bears have played in the American Hockey League (AHL) since the 1938–39 season, making it the longest continuously operating member club of the league still ...
– 85 points
#
Kentucky Thoroughblades
The Kentucky Thoroughblades were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, who existed from 1996 to 2001. The Thoroughblades were based in Lexington, Kentucky, playing home games at Rupp Arena. The Thoroughblades were ...
– 70 points
Bracket
In each round the team that earned more points during the regular season receives home ice advantage, meaning they receive the "extra" game on home-ice if the series reaches the maximum number of games. There is no set series format due to arena scheduling conflicts and travel considerations.
Frequently asked questions
''theahl.com''. Retrieved on May 12, 2008.
Division Semifinals
:Note 1: ''All times are in Eastern Time
The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, and the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico.
* Eastern Standard Time (EST) is five hours behi ...
( UTC−4).''
:Note 2: ''Game times in italics signify games to be played only if necessary.''
:Note 3: ''Home team is listed first.''
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
=(A1) Saint John Flames vs. (A4) St. John's Maple Leafs
=
=(A2) Fredericton Canadiens vs. (A3) Portland Pirates
=
New England Division
= (N1) Springfield Falcons vs. (N4) Worcester IceCats
=
=(N2) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (N3) Beast of New Haven
=
Western Conference
Empire Division
=(E1) Albany River Rats vs. (E4) Adirondack Red Wings
=
=(E2) Hamilton Bulldogs vs. (E3) Syracuse Crunch
=
Mid-Atlantic Division
=(M1) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (E5) Rochester Americans
=
=(M2) Hershey Bears vs. (M3) Kentucky Thoroughblades
=
Division Finals
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
=(A1) Saint John Flames vs. (A3) Portland Pirates
=
New England Division
=(N2) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (N4) Worcester IceCats
=
Western Conference
Empire Division
=(E1) Albany River Rats vs. (E2) Hamilton Bulldogs
=
Mid-Atlantic Division
=(M1) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (M2) Hershey Bears
=
Conference finals
Eastern Conference
(N2) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (A1) Saint John Flames
Western Conference
(M1) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (E1) Albany River Rats
Calder Cup Final
(M1) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (A1) Saint John Flames
See also
*1997–98 AHL season
The 1997–98 AHL season was the 62nd season of the American Hockey League. The AHL shifts teams in their divisions, and the Canadian division reverts to being named Atlantic division. The Northern conference is renamed the Eastern conference, a ...
*List of AHL seasons
The American Hockey League is a minor professional ice hockey league in the United States and Canada. It serves as the top developmental league for the National Hockey League. The league played its first season in 1936 as the International-America ...
References
{{AHL
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League (AHL). It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In it ...
Calder Cup playoffs