2006 in Ice Hockey - National Hockey League

National Hockey League

• 2006 Stanley Cup: The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games to capture their first Stanley Cup.

• In the Western Conference, it was a year of upsets, as the top four seeds in the playoffs all fell in the first round, the first time this has happened since the NHL moved to a conference playoff format in 1994. In the Eastern Conference, however, the top four seeds all advanced. It was a disappointing playoffs for last seasons finalists, as both the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning and their finals opponents the Calgary Flames were defeated in the first round.

• On February 6, Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach, Rick Tocchet was arrested by New Jersey State Police on the suspicion that he was involved in an illegal gambling ring with ties to the Bruno-Scarfo crime family. Janet Gretzky, wife of Coyotes' head coach, Wayne Gretzky, was also implicated. The police dubbed the investigation Operation Slapshot.

• On June 6, Chris Pronger scores on Cam Ward, marking the first successful penalty shot in the Stanley Cup Finals history.

• The newly renamed Anaheim Ducks began the season by earning a point in 16 consecutive games (12-0-4) to break the Edmonton Oilers record of 15 set in 1984.

• The Russian Ice Hockey Federation launched lawsuits against the NHL, the Oilers, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Calgary Flames after players Evgeni Malkin, Andrei Taratukhin and Alexei Mikhnov left their Russian teams to sign with the NHL despite having valid contracts in Europe.

• Malkin would set a modern NHL record by scoring a goal in each of his first six games with the Penguins.