1998–99 Toronto Maple Leafs season

NHLTeamSeason
Season=1998–99
Team=Toronto Maple Leafs
Conference=Eastern
ConferenceRank=4th
Division=Northeast
DivisionRank=2nd
Record=45–30–7
HomeRecord=23–13–5
RoadRecord=22–17–2
GoalsFor=268
GoalsAgainst=231
GeneralManager=Ken Dryden
Coach=Pat Quinn
Captain=Mats Sundin
AltCaptain=
Arena=Maple Leaf Gardens and Air Canada Centre
Attendance=
GoalsLeader=Sergei Berezin (37)
AssistsLeader=Mats Sundin (52)
PointsLeader=Mats Sundin (83)
PIMLeader=Tie Domi (198)
PlusMinusLeader=Alexander Karpovtsev (+39)
WinsLeader=Curtis Joseph (35)
GAALeader=Curtis Joseph (2.56)

Offseason

The Toronto Maple Leafs moved from the Central division of the Western Conference to the Northeast division of the Eastern Conference.

Regular season

The 1998–99 season was a tremendous improvement for the Maple Leafs over the 1997–98 season and the team got plenty of help from its new members, who included Bryan Berard, Sylvain Cote, Curtis Joseph, Alexander Karpovtsev (who led the league in +/- with +39 but wasn't eligible for the NHL Plus-Minus Award since he played in only 58 games), Yanic Perreault and Steve Thomas (who finished second on the team in points with 73). Former Vancouver Canucks head coach Pat Quinn replaced Mike Murphy as head coach of the team. Six Maple Leafs scored 20 or more goals. Toronto set a club record for most regular-season wins (45) and earned 97 points to finish second in the Northeast Division and fourth in the Eastern Conference. They lead the league in most goals for (268), and were the only team to score 200 or more even-strength goals.

Maple Leaf Gardens

* On February 13, 1999, the Toronto Maple Leafs ended a 67-year tradition when they played their last game at Maple Leaf Gardens. The Maple Leafs lost 6–2 to the Chicago Blackhawks. Former Leaf Doug Gilmour scored a fluke goal in that game and notorious tough guy Bob Probert scored the final NHL goal in MLG history during the third period. During the emotional post-game ceremony, legendary Canadian singer Anne Murray performed "The Maple Leaf Forever," clad in a Leafs jersey.

Air Canada Centre

* The first Maple Leafs home game took place on February 20, 1999, versus the Montreal Canadiens, won by the Leafs 3–2 on an overtime goal by Steve Thomas.

eason standings

Transactions

*March 23, 1999: Los Angeles traded C Yanic Perreault to Toronto for C Jason Podollan and a 3rd-round pick in the 1999 Entry Draft. [http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/3969 NHL trade deadline: Deals since 1980 | Habs Inside/Out ] ]
*March 23, 1999: Toronto traded D Jason Smith to Edmonton for a 4th-round pick in the 1999 Entry Draft and a 2nd-round pick in the 2000 Entry Draft.

Playoffs

Eastern Conference Finals

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres met in the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals. The Maple Leafs were coming off a six-game series win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, while the Sabres were coming off a six-game series win themselves, over the Boston Bruins. Toronto was having its best playoff since 1994, when they last made a conference final series. Buffalo, on the other hand, was in the third round for the second consecutive year.

With the series victory, the Sabres advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in 24 years.

Awards and honors

* Curtis Joseph, Runner-up, Vezina Trophy.
* Curtis Joseph, Runner-up, Lester B. Trophy.
* Pat Quinn, Runner-Up, Jack Adams Trophy. [National Hockey League Official Guide and Record Book 2006, p. 222, Dan Diamond & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 0-920445-98-5.]

References

* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000381999.html Maple Leafs on Hockey Database]