The 2002-03 NHL season was the 86th regular season of the National Hockey League. 30 teams each played 82 games. The Stanley Cup winners were the New Jersey Devils, who won the best of seven series 4–3 against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
Regular season
As always the regular saw several surprises. The San Jose Sharks who many felt would be one of the elite teams in the west stumbled early and badly and disassembled much of the team. The two year old Minnesota Wild, on the other hand, got out to an early start and held onto their first ever playoff berth throughout the season, winning coach Jacques Lemaire the Jack Adams Award.
The elite teams of previous years such as the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche and New Jersey Devils, were joined by two younger Canadian teams the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks. The Dallas Stars which had missed the playoffs the year before returned as a major power backed by the record setting goaltending of Marty Turco.
The most surprising team was perhaps the Tampa Bay Lightning, which many had predicted to finish last, contested for the Southeast Division title and made the playoffs for the first time in seven years. The most disappointing teams other than the sharks were the New York Rangers who finished out of the playoffs again despite the leagues leading payroll and the Carolina Hurricanes who finished last overall after a surprise run to the Stanley Cup finals the year before.
At the mid-point of the season the Canucks lead the western conference and Ottawa lead the east. Vancouver stumbled somewhat over the stretch and lost the Northwest Division title to Colorado and the Western conference one to Dallas. Ottawa continued to dominate, having the best season in franchise history and winning both the Eastern Conference and the Presidents Trophy.
The season was also marred by financial difficulties. Despite their success the Ottawa Senators were in bankruptcy protection for almost all of 2003, and at one point could not pay the players. Owner Rod Bryden tried a variety of innovative financing strategies, but these all failed and the team was purchased by billionaire Eugene Melnyk. The Buffalo Sabres also entered bankruptcy protection before being saved by New York businessman Tom Golisano. The financial struggles of the Pittsburgh Penguins continued as the team continued to unload most of its most expensive players.
The season was marked by a great number of coaches being fired from Bob Hartley in Colorado to Darryl Sutter in San Jose and Brian Trottier of the New York Rangers.
Worries over the decline in scoring and the neutral zone trap continued. The season began with an attempted crack down on obstruction and interference, but by the mid point of the season this effort had petered out. The expansion teams in the Southern United States began to suffer financially as many empty seats were found in each arena. Most teams lost money on the season. The one bright spot was the increasing value of the Canadian dollar that made the six Canadian teams more competitive than they had been in years.
Final standings
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, GF= Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
Stanley Cup playoffs
Note: All dates in 2003.
The Stanley Cup playoffs were one of shocking upsets in the Western Conference and hard fought battles in the Eastern Conference.
The most closely watched series in the first round was that between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Philadelphia Flyers. Two teams built around physical play with high salary and front-page trade deadline acquisitions. The series did not disappoint and the Flyers ousted the Leafs in seven games. The Senators easily dispatched the New York Islanders, who had traded away their starting goaltender before the playoffs. Despite losing the first two games, Tampa Bay rallied and defeated their division rival the Washington Capitals. New Jersey easily defeated the Boston Bruins, effectively shutting down star player Joe Thornton.
In the west, the first round was one of unmitigated shock to all hockey watchers. The defending champions and perennial cup favourite Detroit Red Wings were swept by the underdog Mighty Ducks of Anaheim behind the goaltending of Jean-Sebastien Giguere. After losing three out of the first four games, the Minnesota Wild came back and defeated the powerhouse Colorado Avalanche in game seven. Vancouver also lost three of its first games with the St. Louis Blues, but then rallied and won game seven. The only round that surprised no one was round seven of the Dallas Stars-Edmonton Oilers grudge match that saw the first place Stars oust the Oilers with only some difficulty.
The second round in the west brought more upsets. The Minnesota Wild again fell 3–1 behind while playing Vancouver, but rallied and defeated them in seven games. Giguerre's stellar goaltending continued to triumph as the Ducks ousted the Stars in six games. The Western Conference final was a meeting of two dark horse teams, but the superb goaltending of Giguerre and the Ducks triumphed over the tight checking of the Minnesota Wild.
The east was far more predictable as Tampa Bay's youth showed when playing the grizzled veterans of the New Jersey Devils and the Ottawa Senators dispatched a tired Flyers team for the second year in a row. The Eastern Conference finals were a contrast of styles between the offensively explosive Senators and the defense minded Devils. The Devils came out to an early lead in the series, Ottawa rallied, winning games five and six on the energizing play of rookie Jason Spezza, but then the Devils regained their form as goaltender Martin Brodeur helped them win game seven and advance to the Stanley Cup finals.
The Stanley Cup finals were a duel between two elite goaltenders, but after seven games the Devils triumphed to win their third cup in seven years.
Conference quarterfinals
Eastern Conference
| Ottawa vs. NY Islanders
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 9 | NY Islanders 3 | 0 Ottawa
|
| April 12 | NY Islanders 0 | 3 Ottawa
|
| April 14 | Ottawa 3 | 2 NY Islanders | 2OT
|
| April 16 | Ottawa 3 | 1 NY Islanders
|
| April 17 | NY Islanders 1 | 4 Ottawa
|
| Ottawa wins series 4–1
|
|
| New Jersey vs. Boston
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 9 | Boston 1 | 2 New Jersey
|
| April 11 | Boston 2 | 4 New Jersey
|
| April 13 | New Jersey 3 | 0 Boston
|
| April 15 | New Jersey 1 | 5 Boston
|
| April 17 | Boston 0 | 3 New Jersey
|
| New Jersey wins series 4–1
|
|
| Tampa Bay vs. Washington
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 10 | Washington 3 | 0 Tampa Bay
|
| April 12 | Washinton 6 | 3 Tampa Bay
|
| April 15 | Tampa Bay 4 | 3 Washington | OT
|
| April 16 | Tampa Bay 3 | 1 Washington
|
| April 18 | Washington 1 | 2 Tampa Bay
|
| April 20 | Tampa Bay 2 | 1 Washington | 3OT
|
| Tampa Bay wins series 4–2
|
|
|
Western Conference
|
|
| Detroit vs. Anaheim
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 10 | Anaheim 2 | 1 Detroit | 3OT
|
| April 12 | Anaheim 3 | 2 Detroit
|
| April 14 | Detroit 1 | Anaheim 2
|
| April 16 | Detroit 2 | Anaheim 3 | OT
|
| Anaheim wins series 4–0
|
|
| Colorado vs. Minnesota
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 10 | Minnesota 4 | 2 Colorado
|
| April 12 | Minnesota 2 | 3 Colorado
|
| April 14 | Colorado 3 | 0 Minnesota
|
| April 16 | Colorado 3 | 1 Minnesota
|
| April 19 | Minnesota 3 | 2 Colorado
|
| April 21 | Colorado 2 | 3 Minnesota | OT
|
| April 22 | Minnesota 3 | 2 Colorado | OT
|
| Minnesota wins series 4–3
|
|
| Vancouver vs. St. Louis
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 10 | St. Louis 6 | 0 Vancouver
|
| April 12 | St. Louis 1 | 2 Vancouver
|
| April 14 | Vancouver 1 | 3 St. Louis
|
| April 16 | Vancouver 1 | 4 St. Louis
|
| April 18 | St. Louis 3 | 5 Vancouver
|
| April 20 | Vancouver 4 | 3 St. Louis
|
| April 22 | St. Louis 1 | 4 Vancouver
|
| Vancouver wins series 4–3
|
|
Conference semifinals
| Eastern Conference
|
| Ottawa vs. Philadelphia
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 25 | Philadelphia 2 | 4 Ottawa
|
| April 27 | Philadelphia 2 | 0 Ottawa
|
| April 29 | Ottawa 3 | 2 Philadelphia | OT
|
| May 1 | Ottawa 0 | 1 Philadelphia
|
| May 3 | 2 Philadelphia | 5 Ottawa
|
| May 5 | Ottawa 5 | 1 Philadelphia
|
| Ottawa wins series 4–2
|
|
| New Jersey vs. Tampa Bay
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 24 | Tampa Bay 0 | 3 New Jersey
|
| April 26 | Tampa Bay 2 | 3 New Jersey | OT
|
| April 28 | New Jersey 3 | 4 Tampa Bay
|
| April 30 | New Jersey 3 | 1 Tampa Bay
|
| May 2 | Tampa Bay 1 | 2 New Jersey | 3OT
|
| New Jersey wins series 4–1
|
|
| Western Conference
|
|
|
| Vancouver vs. Minnesota
|
| Date | Away | Home
|
| April 25 | Minnesota 3 | 4 Vancouver | OT
|
| April 27 | Minnesota 3 | 2 Vancouver
|
| April 29 | Vancouver 3 | 2 Minnesota
|
| May 2 | Vancouver 3 | 2 Minnesota | OT
|
| May 5 | Minnesota 7 | 2 Vancouver
|
| May 7 | Vancouver 1 | 5 Minnesota
|
| May 8 | Minnesota 4 | 2 Vancouver
|
| Minnesota wins series 4–3
|
|
Conference finals
| Eastern Conference | Western Conference
|
|
|
|
Stanley Cup final
|
| Missing image
Stanleycuptrophy.jpg
|
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
NHL Awards
The NHL Awards presentation took place in Toronto.
| Art Ross Memorial Trophy: | Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche
|
| Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: | Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings
|
| Calder Memorial Trophy: | Barret Jackman, St. Louis Blues
|
| Frank J. Selke Trophy: | Jere Lehtinen, Dallas Stars
|
| Hart Memorial Trophy: | Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche
|
| Jack Adams Award: | Jacques Lemaire, Minnesota Wild
|
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: | Nicklas Lidström, Detroit Red Wings
|
| King Clancy Memorial Trophy: | Brendan Shanahan, Detroit Red Wings
|
| Lady Byng Memorial Trophy: | Alexander Mogilny, Toronto Maple Leafs
|
| Lester B. Pearson Award: | Markus Näslund, Vancouver Canucks
|
| Lester Patrick Trophy: | Willie O'Ree, Raymond Bourque, Ron DeGregorio
|
| Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy: | Milan Hejduk, Colorado Avalanche
|
| NHL Plus/Minus Award: | Peter Forsberg & Milan Hejduk, Colorado Avalanche
|
| Vezina Trophy: | Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils
|
| William M. Jennings Trophy: | Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils; and
Roman Cechmanek/Robert Esche, Philadelphia Flyers
|
Related topics
