1997 RHI season

The 1997 RHI season was the 5th season of Roller Hockey International. It began in May 1997, with the regular season ending in August 1997. The Murphy Cup playoffs ended in September, with the Anaheim Bullfrogs defeating the New Jersey Rockin Rollers to win their second Murphy Cup.

League business

Franchise changes

New uniforms

The Los Angeles Blades, New Jersey Rockin Rollers, Sacramento River Rats, and St. Louis Vipers all debuted new uniforms.

Contraction

Three original teams, the Oakland Skates, San Diego Barracudas, and Vancouver Voodoo, all folded after four seasons in the league. The Minnesota Arctic Blast folded after three seasons in the league, one of which was spent on hiatus. The Philadelphia BulldogsThe Denver Daredevils and Long Island Jawz both folded after only one season in the league. Also, the Oklahoma Coyotes were placed on hiatus for the 1997 season.

Relocation

The Empire State Cobras relocated to Buffalo, New York to become the Buffalo Wings.

Expansion

For the first time since the 1994 expansion, the league did not add any expansion teams.

Realignment

With the contraction of the Denver Daredevils, Long Island Jawz, Minnesota Arctic Blast, Oakland Skates, Oklahoma Coyotes, Philadelphia Bulldogs, San Diego Barracudas, and Vancouver Voodoo, the league was left with ten teams. The four division alignment was dropped and the league was aligned into just two conferences, still named the Eastern and Western.

Of the remaining teams, six remained in the Eastern Conference, the Buffalo Wings, Montreal Roadrunners, New Jersey Rockin Rollers, Orlando Jackals, Ottawa Loggers, and St. Louis Vipers, and four remained in the Western Conference, the Anaheim Bullfrogs, Los Angeles Blades, Sacramento River Rats, and San Jose Rhinos. To even each conference at five teams, the St. Louis Vipers were moved to the Western Conference.

Season schedule

For the first time, the league decreased its regular season schedule from 28 back to 24 games per team.

Regular season

After only one game into its schedule, Roller Hockey International took over control of the Ottawa Loggers. The team was renamed to the Ottawa Wheels and used the same uniforms previously used by the contracted San Diego Barracudas.

Divisional standings

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Note: x – clinched playoff spot, y – clinched division title, z – clinched regular season conference title, b – clinched best overall record, e – eliminated from playoff contention

Tiebreaking procedures

If two or more clubs are tied in points during the regular season, the ranking of the clubs is determined in the following order:

1. The fewer number of games played.
2. The greater number of games won.
3. The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included. If more than two clubs are tied, the higher percentage of available points earned in games among those clubs, and not including any "odd" games, shall be used to determine the standing.
4. The greater differential between goals for and against for the entire regular season.
5. The fewer number of goals against.

Statistical leaders

Scoring leaders

Leading goaltenders

Playoffs

Playoff seeds

After the regular season, 8 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Orlando Jackals were the Eastern Conference regular season champions and had the best overall record with 40 points. The San Jose Rhinos had the best record in the Western Conference with 32 points.

Eastern Conference

1. Orlando Jackals – Eastern Conference regular season champions; Best Overall Record winners, 40 points
2. New Jersey Rockin Rollers – 32 points
3. Montreal Roadrunners – 23 points
4. Ottawa Wheels – 22 points

Western Conference

1. San Jose Rhinos – Western Conference regular season champions, 32 points
2. Anaheim Bullfrogs – 30 points
3. Los Angeles Blades – 27 points
4. St. Louis Vipers – 26 points

Playoff bracket

In each round, the higher-seeded team is awarded home floor advantage. In the Murphy Cup Finals, home floor is determined based on regular season points. Each best-of-three series follows a 1–2 format: the lower-seeded team will play at home for game 1, and the higher-seeded team will be at home for game 2 and 3 (if necessary).

RHI awards

See also

• Season structure of RHI
• 1997 Murphy Cup playoffs
• 1997 RHI Draft
• 1996 RHI season
• 1997 RHI transactions
• 1997 in sports