1996–97 Tampa Bay Lightning season

The 1996–97 Tampa Bay Lightning season was the Lightning's fifth season of operation. The Lightning were unable to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since the 1994–95 season despite making their first playoff appearance the previous year and losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round.

Regular season

Final standings

Schedule and results

|1||October 5, 1996||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||1–0–0 ||

|2||October 11, 1996||2–6 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||1–1–0 ||

|3||October 12, 1996||7–4 || align="left"| @ Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–97) ||2–1–0 ||

|4||October 15, 1996||4–0 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||3–1–0 ||

|5||October 20, 1996||5–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1996–97) ||4–1–0 ||

|6||October 22, 1996||6–3 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1996–97) ||5–1–0 ||

|7||October 24, 1996||2–5 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||5–2–0 ||

|8||October 26, 1996||1–4 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||5–3–0 ||

|9||October 29, 1996||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) ||5–3–1 ||

|10||October 31, 1996||3–4 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||5–4–1 ||

|11||November 2, 1996||1–2 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||5–5–1 ||

|12||November 4, 1996||5–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1996–97) ||6–5–1 ||

|13||November 6, 1996||1–2 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||6–6–1 ||

|14||November 8, 1996||5–5 OT|| align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||6–6–2 ||

|15||November 10, 1996||2–4 || align="left"| @ Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) ||6–7–2 ||

|16||November 14, 1996||3–5 || align="left"| @ St. Louis Blues (1996–97) ||6–8–2 ||

|17||November 16, 1996||3–6 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||6–9–2 ||

|18||November 19, 1996||3–0 || align="left"| Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) ||7–9–2 ||

|19||November 23, 1996||1–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||7–10–2 ||

|20||November 25, 1996||2–4 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||7–11–2 ||

|21||November 27, 1996||0–3 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||7–12–2 ||

|22||November 29, 1996||1–2 || align="left"| Dallas Stars (1996–97) ||7–13–2 ||

|23||November 30, 1996||3–6 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1996–97) ||7–14–2 ||

|24||December 4, 1996||1–3 || align="left"| @ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) ||7–15–2 ||

|25||December 5, 1996||2–1 || align="left"| @ Los Angeles Kings (1996–97) ||8–15–2 ||

|26||December 7, 1996||4–3 || align="left"| @ San Jose Sharks (1996–97) ||9–15–2 ||

|27||December 12, 1996||2–2 OT|| align="left"| Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) ||9–15–3 ||

|28||December 14, 1996||4–1 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1996–97) ||10–15–3 ||

|29||December 16, 1996||4–2 || align="left"| @ Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||11–15–3 ||

|30||December 18, 1996||3–5 || align="left"| @ Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||11–16–3 ||

|31||December 19, 1996||0–3 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||11–17–3 ||

|32||December 21, 1996||5–6 OT|| align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1996–97) ||11–18–3 ||

|33||December 23, 1996||1–3 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||11–19–3 ||

|34||December 26, 1996||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||11–19–4 ||

|35||December 28, 1996||4–4 OT|| align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||11–19–5 ||

|36||December 31, 1996||4–2 || align="left"| New York Rangers (1996–97) ||12–19–5 ||

|37||January 3, 1997||3–2 || align="left"| Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1996–97) ||13–19–5 ||

|38||January 4, 1997||3–7 || align="left"| @ Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||13–20–5 ||

|39||January 6, 1997||4–3 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||14–20–5 ||

|40||January 8, 1997||4–3 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1996–97) ||15–20–5 ||

|41||January 9, 1997||3–1 || align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||16–20–5 ||

|42||January 11, 1997||4–4 OT|| align="left"| New York Islanders (1996–97) ||16–20–6 ||

|43||January 13, 1997||2–0 || align="left"| @ Chicago Blackhawks (1996–97) ||17–20–6 ||

|44||January 15, 1997||2–4 || align="left"| @ Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) ||17–21–6 ||

|45||January 21, 1997||3–2 OT|| align="left"| Colorado Avalanche (1996–97) ||18–21–6 ||

|46||January 25, 1997||2–3 || align="left"| @ Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||18–22–6 ||

|47||January 27, 1997||3–5 || align="left"| @ Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||18–23–6 ||

|48||January 30, 1997||1–4 || align="left"| Montreal Canadiens (1996–97) ||18–24–6 ||

|49||February 1, 1997||0–3 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||18–25–6 ||

|50||February 4, 1997||2–0 || align="left"| @ Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) ||19–25–6 ||

|51||February 5, 1997||0–4 || align="left"| @ Dallas Stars (1996–97) ||19–26–6 ||

|52||February 8, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| Buffalo Sabres (1996–97) ||19–27–6 ||

|53||February 12, 1997||2–5 || align="left"| @ Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||19–28–6 ||

|54||February 14, 1997||4–5 OT|| align="left"| @ Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||19–29–6 ||

|55||February 15, 1997||4–1 || align="left"| Washington Capitals (1996–97) ||20–29–6 ||

|56||February 17, 1997||3–3 OT|| align="left"| Detroit Red Wings (1996–97) ||20–29–7 ||

|57||February 20, 1997||5–2 || align="left"| Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||21–29–7 ||

|58||February 22, 1997||3–1 || align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||22–29–7 ||

|59||February 23, 1997||4–3 || align="left"| San Jose Sharks (1996–97) ||23–29–7 ||

|60||February 25, 1997||3–2 || align="left"| St. Louis Blues (1996–97) ||24–29–7 ||

|61||February 27, 1997||2–6 || align="left"| @ Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||24–30–7 ||

|62||March 1, 1997||2–0 || align="left"| Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||25–30–7 ||

|63||March 4, 1997||6–3 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1996–97) ||26–30–7 ||

|64||March 6, 1997||0–5 || align="left"| Phoenix Coyotes (1996–97) ||26–31–7 ||

|65||March 8, 1997||4–6 || align="left"| Boston Bruins (1996–97) ||26–32–7 ||

|66||March 9, 1997||2–1 OT|| align="left"| Calgary Flames (1996–97) ||27–32–7 ||

|67||March 13, 1997||0–3 || align="left"| New York Islanders (1996–97) ||27–33–7 ||

|68||March 15, 1997||2–5 || align="left"| Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) ||27–34–7 ||

|69||March 16, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| Toronto Maple Leafs (1996–97) ||27–35–7 ||

|70||March 19, 1997||1–3 || align="left"| @ Edmonton Oilers (1996–97) ||27–36–7 ||

|71||March 21, 1997||4–3 OT|| align="left"| @ Calgary Flames (1996–97) ||28–36–7 ||

|72||March 22, 1997||2–3 || align="left"| @ Vancouver Canucks (1996–97) ||28–37–7 ||

|73||March 25, 1997||5–0 || align="left"| Ottawa Senators (1996–97) ||29–37–7 ||

|74||March 27, 1997||2–5 || align="left"| Hartford Whalers (1996–97) ||29–38–7 ||

|75||March 29, 1997||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ Florida Panthers (1996–97) ||29–38–8 ||

|76||April 1, 1997||1–1 OT|| align="left"| @ Philadelphia Flyers (1996–97) ||29–38–9 ||

|77||April 4, 1997||0–3 || align="left"| @ New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||29–39–9 ||

|78||April 5, 1997||3–2 || align="left"| @ New York Islanders (1996–97) ||30–39–9 ||

|79||April 8, 1997||2–2 OT|| align="left"| New Jersey Devils (1996–97) ||30–39–10 ||

|80||April 10, 1997||4–3 || align="left"| Pittsburgh Penguins (1996–97) ||31–39–10 ||

|81||April 11, 1997||4–2 || align="left"| @ New York Rangers (1996–97) ||32–39–10 ||

|82||April 13, 1997||1–2 || align="left"| @ Hartford Whalers (1996–97) ||32–40–10 ||

Legend:

Player statistics

Scoring Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Lightning only. = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Lightning only. Player Regular season 77 C 82 30 32 62 −28 201 22 RW 77 35 25 60 −11 116 12 C 70 18 37 55 −14 95 7 LW 82 17 33 50 3 56 44 D 79 12 28 40 −29 57 11 LW 74 14 21 35 5 106 29 RW 69 15 18 33 −3 61 18 C 79 15 13 28 1 35 28 C 73 12 14 26 −16 56 2 D 79 4 21 25 16 30 19 C 35 7 17 24 2 16 34 LW 70 5 14 19 1 8 15 C 39 5 12 17 1 4 55 D 64 4 13 17 −21 44 24 C 63 9 5 14 −13 134 27 D 57 1 10 11 1 72 9 C 34 2 8 10 2 10 4 D 72 4 5 9 6 95 5 D 59 1 7 8 2 108 20 RW 60 0 6 6 −3 120 6 D 13 0 5 5 0 16 74 RW 47 3 1 4 1 136 23 LW 7 1 2 3 −4 0 92 C 16 1 2 3 −1 12 17 LW 17 2 0 2 −4 4 8 D 13 0 1 1 −4 34 32 G 31 0 1 1 10 31 G 55 0 1 1 12 10 RW 6 0 0 0 −4 0 25 C 4 0 0 0 −3 5 93 G 6 0 0 0 2 26 D 21 0 0 0 −3 13 35 G 5 0 0 0 0 6 D 15 0 0 0 −9 8

Goaltending = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Lightning only. Player Regular season 31 Rick Tabaracci 55 20 25 6 1415 138 2.75 .902 4 3012 32 Corey Schwab 31 11 12 1 719 74 3.04 .897 2 1462 93 Daren Puppa 6 1 1 2 150 14 2.59 .907 0 325 35 Derek Wilkinson 5 0 2 1 72 12 4.26 .833 0 169

Awards and records

Awards TypeAward/honorRecipientRef League(in-season) NHL All-Star Game selection Dino Ciccarelli NHL Rookie of the Month Daymond Langkow (February)

Milestones MilestonePlayerDateRef First game Brent Peterson November 2, 1996

Draft picks Tampa Bay's draft picks at the 1996 NHL entry draft held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Round # Player Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)116Mario LarocqueHull Olympiques (QMJHL)369Curtis TiplerRegina Pats (WHL)5125Jason RobinsonNiagara Falls Thunder (OHL)6152Nikolai IgnatovCSKA Moscow (Russia)6157Xavier DelisleGranby Predateurs (QMJHL)7179Pavel KubinaHC Vitkovice (Czech Republic)

See also 1996–97 NHL season

Notes

References