General manager Harry Sinden signed no free agents in the offseason and made no significant moves heading into the season.
Goaltender Byron Dafoe was to be the starter for the third straight year following his best season in 1998–99, going 32–23–11 with a .926 save percentage.
On February 21, 2000, Marty McSorley, playing for the Bruins, swung his stick and hit Donald Brashear in the head with seconds left in the Bruins-Vancouver Canucks game.
As a result of the stick incident, McSorley was charged with assault and suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the 1999–2000 season (including playoffs) missing 23 games.
On October 4, 2000, a jury found McSorley guilty of assault with a weapon for his attack on Brashear.