1998 Stanley Cup Finals

Infobox Stanley Cup Final
year=1998
team1=Detroit Red Wings
team1_1=2
team1_2=5
team1_3=2
team1_4=4
team1_tot=4
team2=Washington Capitals
team2_1=1
team2_2=4
team2_3=1
team2_4=1
team2_tot=0
dates=June 9–June 16
coaches=Detroit: Scotty Bowman
Washington: Ron Wilson
captains=Detroit: Steve Yzerman Washington: Dale Hunter
mvp=Steve Yzerman
location1=Detroit (Joe Louis Arena) (1,2)
location2=Washington (MCI Center) (3,4)
series_winner=Martin Lapointe (2:26, 2nd, G4)The 1998 Stanley Cup Finals were played in the 105th year of the Stanley Cup. The series was played between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals. The Red Wings won the series for the second year in a row, 4–0. It was the Wings' ninth Stanley Cup, and the Capitals' first appearance in the Stanley Cup finals since its inception in 1974. As of 2008, this is the last season that a defending Stanley Cup Championship team has successfully defended and retained the Stanley Cup. This is also the the most recent time that the finals concluded with a sweep.

Paths to the Final

Detroit defeated the Phoenix Coyotes 4–2, the St. Louis Blues 4–2 and the Dallas Stars to advance to the Final.

Washington defeated the Boston Bruins 4–2, the Ottawa Senators 4–1 and the Buffalo Sabres 4–2.

The series

Detroit Red Wings 1998 Stanley Cup Champions

Stanley Cup champion
centers=*19 Steve Yzerman (Captain)
*8 Igor Larionov
*33 Kris Draper
*41 Brent Gilchrist
*91 Sergei Fedorov
*21 Darryl Laplante†
wingers=*11 Mathieu Dandenault
*17 Doug Brown
*14 Brendan Shanahan (A. Capt.)
*18 Kirk Maltby
*20 Martin Lapointe
*22 Mike Knuble
*25 Darren McCarty
*26 Joe Kocur
*16 Vyacheslav Kozlov
*96 Tomas Holmström
defence=*3 Bob Rouse
*5 Nicklas Lidstrom (A. Capt.)
*13 Viacheslav Fetisov
*15 Dmitri Mironov
*16 Vladimir Konstantinov*
*27 Aaron Ward
*34 Jamie Macoun
*44 Anders Eriksson
*55 Larry Murphy
goaltenders=*30 Chris Osgood
*31 Kevin Hodson
*34 Norm Maracle†
non-players=
*Mike Ilitch Sr. (Owner/President/Governor), Marian Ilitch (Owner/Secretary-Treasurer)
*Atanas Ilitch, Christopher Ilitch (Vice Presidents), Denis Ilitch Lites, Ronald Ilitch (Minority Owners)
*Michael Ititch Jr., Lisa Ilitch Murray, Carole Ilitch Trepeck (Minority Owners)
*Jim Devellano (Sr. Vice President), Ken Holland (General Manager),
*Don Waddell (Ass’t General Manager), Scotty Bowman (Head Coach/Director of Player Personnel)
*Barry Smith, Dave Lewis (Associate Coaches),
*Jim Nill (Director of Player Development/Director of Amateur Scouting), Dan Belise, Mark Howe (Pro Scouts)
*Jim Bedard (Goaltending Consultant), Håkan Andersson (Director of European Scouting)
*Mark Leach, Joe McDonnell, Bruce Haralson (Scout)
*John Wharton (Athletic Trainer), Paul Boyer (Equipment Manager), Tim Abbott (Ass’t Equipment Manager)
*Bob Huddleston (Massage Therapist), Sergei Mnatsakanov* (Masseur), Wally Crossman (Dressing Room Assistant)
*Johnny Ramejes†, Mike Vella† (Dressing Room Assistants).

Stanley Cup engraving

*While Vladimir Konstantinov did not play due to the career-ending injuries he suffered in a limousine accident following the Red Wings' 1997 Stanley Cup victory, he was still considered to be a part of the team in 1998. Mnataskanov (Team Masseur) also had a career-ending injury in the same accident. Both names were engraved on the Stanley Cup following Detroit's second consecutive victory. Team Captain Steve Yzerman would hand the Stanley Cup first to a wheelchair-bound Konstantinov during the presentation ceremonies.

Detroit had 55 names engraved on the Stanley Cup. All 29 Non-players got their full first and last name on the Stanley Cup, without any positions. The 26 players were engraved by first intital and full last name. The bottom line is blank and could include more names. The NHL decided to limit the number of names to 52, because too many names were being engraved on it. Any person who played at least 40 regular season games for winning team (and with the team after the trading deadline), or played in the Stanley Cup Finals must be included. Teams may include other players, or non-playing members on the cup as well. There is no rule for which non-playing members are to be included on the Stanley Cup each year.

† Name was left off the Stanley Cup, but included on team winning picture.

*In 1998 Wally Crossman became the oldest person ever engraved on the Stanley Cup at age 87.

References

*
* Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Triumph Books, 12, 50. ISBN 1–55168–261–3.

ee also

* 1997–98 NHL season
* List of Stanley Cup champions