1997–98 New York Islanders season
The 1997–98 New York Islanders season was the 26th season in the franchise's history.
Off-season
In June 1997, New York Islanders general manager Mike Milbury extended an invitation to Cammi Granato to attend Islanders training camp. Granato eventually declined.Defenceman Bryan McCabe is named team captain.
Regular season
In February, Bryan McCabe was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Trevor Linden, who's named the Islanders' new captain upon arrival.The Islanders tied the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins for most short-handed goals allowed with 16.
Final standings
Schedule and results
Playoffs
The Islanders missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.Player statistics
Regular season
;Scoring| Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | PPG | SHG | GWG |
| RW | 82 | 45 | 42 | 87 | 34 | -2 | 17 | 2 | 5 | |
| C | 82 | 25 | 40 | 65 | 32 | -11 | 8 | 0 | 2 | |
| D | 75 | 14 | 32 | 46 | 59 | -32 | 8 | 1 | 2 | |
| C | 81 | 13 | 30 | 43 | 34 | -16 | 3 | 0 | 4 | |
| D | 81 | 14 | 26 | 40 | 58 | -2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | |
| LW | 82 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 39 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |
| LW | 74 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
| C | 54 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 66 | -19 | 8 | 0 | 2 | |
| RW | 68 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 23 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| LW/C | 78 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 47 | -9 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |
| RW | 52 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 58 | -19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| RW | 25 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 33 | -1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| D | 63 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 45 | -11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| LW | 74 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 27 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 56 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 145 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| LW | 62 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 138 | -12 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| D | 76 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 291 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 25 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 18 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| LW | 37 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 101 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| C | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 13 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 31 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 47 | -6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 19 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| D | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 25 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| G | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| G | 62 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| G | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| LW | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| C | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| RW | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | -2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
;Goaltending
| Player | MIN | GP | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO | SA | SV | SV% |
| 3461 | 62 | 23 | 29 | 5 | 152 | 2.64 | 4 | 1617 | 1465 | .906 | |
| 694 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 1.99 | 3 | 309 | 286 | .926 | |
| 807 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 40 | 2.97 | 0 | 422 | 382 | .905 | |
| Team: | 4962 | 82 | 30 | 41 | 11 | 215 | 2.60 | 7 | 2348 | 2133 | .908 |
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals
MIN = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;
Awards and records
Transactions
Roster
Draft picks
New York's draft picks at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club Team |
| 1 | 4 | Roberto Luongo | Val-d'Or Foreurs | |
| 1 | 5 | Eric Brewer | Prince George Cougars | |
| 2 | 31 | Jeff Zehr | Windsor Spitfires | |
| 3 | 59 | Jarrett Smith | Prince George Cougars | |
| 3 | 79 | Robert Schnabel | Slavia Prague | |
| 4 | 85 | Petr Mika | Slavia Prague | |
| 5 | 115 | Adam Edinger | Bowling Green State University | |
| 6 | 139 | Bobby Leavins | Brandon Wheat Kings | |
| 7 | 166 | Kris Knoblauch | Edmonton Ice | |
| 8 | 196 | Jeremy Symington | Petrolia Jets | |
| 9 | 222 | Ryan Clark | Lincoln Stars |