Many regulatory factors, including ruling changes that resulted in fewer power plays, more calls of the skate-in-the-crease rule, fewer shots on goal and more injuries to star players than the season before, contributed to the reduction in scoring and skyrocketing in shutouts.
On November 16, 1996, the eight-sided scoreboard at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo crashed to the ice during a maintenance check.
The accident occurred only 90 minutes after the visiting Boston Bruins players had conducted their morning practice.
Divisions: CEN – Central, PAC – Pacific bold – Qualified for playoffs; p – Won Presidents' Trophy
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points 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.
Coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs was primarily on CBC, with TSN airing first round all-U.S. series.
During the first two rounds of the playoffs, ESPN and ESPN2 aired selected games, while Fox provided Sunday regional telecasts.
Fox's Sunday telecasts continued into the Conference Finals, while ESPN had the rest of the third round games.