2001–02 NHL season
The 2001–02 NHL season was the 85th regular season of the National Hockey League. Thirty teams competed in an 82-game regular season. The regular season began on October 3, and the playoffs concluded on June 13, with the Detroit Red Wings defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Finals in five games, winning their tenth Stanley Cup in franchise history.
| 2001–02 NHL season | |
|---|---|
| League | National Hockey League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Duration | October 3, 2001 – June 13, 2002 |
| Number of games | 82 |
| Number of teams | 30 |
| TV partner(s) | CBC, Sportsnet, SRC (Canada) ESPN, ABC (United States) |
| Draft | |
| Top draft pick | Ilya Kovalchuk |
| Picked by | Atlanta Thrashers |
| Regular season | |
| Presidents' Trophy | Detroit Red Wings |
| Season MVP | Jose Theodore (Canadiens) |
| Top scorer | Jarome Iginla (Flames) |
| Playoffs | |
| Playoffs MVP | Nicklas Lidstrom (Red Wings) |
| Stanley Cup | |
| Champions | Detroit Red Wings |
| Runners-up | Carolina Hurricanes |
This season wasn't without tragedy however, as it was marred by the death of Brittanie Cecil, a 13-year old fan who died after getting struck in the head by a puck during a match between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames on March 16, 2002 at the Nationwide Arena, she died two days later. As a result of the tragedy, the NHL made it mandatory to install protective nylon mesh nets above the glass behind both goals.