The NHL Belt · season
The 1996–97 season
103 belt games · 39 title changesColorado Avalanche carried the belt into the 1996–97 season. It changed hands 39 times among 21 franchises, 7 of those in the playoffs, and Detroit Red Wings finished the season with it. Most defenses: Detroit Red Wings, 11.
Who held it, in order
BluesBlackhawksDucksCoyotesOilersAvalanchePanthersFlyersIslandersDevilsCanucksCanadiensHurricanesPenguinsBlackhawksStarsSharksOilersBlackhawksLightningAvalancheLightningPanthersCapitalsFlamesRed WingsDucksAvalancheFlyersBluesDevilsPanthersRangersDevilsRangersFlyersRangersFlyersRed Wings
Every belt game
| Belt game | Date | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5,685 | Oct 4, 1996 | St. Louis Blues beat Colorado Avalanche 4–2 | Title change |
| 5,686 | Oct 6, 1996 | Chicago Blackhawks beat St. Louis Blues 4–1 | Title change |
| 5,687 | Oct 9, 1996 | Anaheim Ducks beat Chicago Blackhawks 2–0 | Title change |
| 5,688 | Oct 10, 1996 | Anaheim Ducks and Colorado Avalanche tied 6–6 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,689 | Oct 12, 1996 | Phoenix Coyotes beat Anaheim Ducks 4–2 | Title change |
| 5,690 | Oct 14, 1996 | Edmonton Oilers beat Phoenix Coyotes 6–3 | Title change |
| 5,691 | Oct 15, 1996 | Colorado Avalanche beat Edmonton Oilers 7–2 | Title change |
| 5,692 | Oct 17, 1996 | Florida Panthers beat Colorado Avalanche 2–1 | Title change |
| 5,693 | Oct 20, 1996 | Florida Panthers and Phoenix Coyotes tied 1–1 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,694 | Oct 23, 1996 | Florida Panthers beat Ottawa Senators 5–2 | Defense |
| 5,695 | Oct 25, 1996 | Florida Panthers beat New York Rangers 6–4 | Defense |
| 5,696 | Oct 27, 1996 | Florida Panthers beat Philadelphia Flyers 3–2 | Defense |
| 5,697 | Oct 29, 1996 | Florida Panthers and New York Rangers tied 1–1 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,698 | Oct 30, 1996 | Florida Panthers beat Chicago Blackhawks 3–2 | Defense |
| 5,699 | Nov 2, 1996 | Philadelphia Flyers beat Florida Panthers 3–2 | Title change |
| 5,700 | Nov 4, 1996 | New York Islanders beat Philadelphia Flyers 4–3 | Title change |
| 5,701 | Nov 6, 1996 | New York Islanders and New York Rangers tied 1–1 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,702 | Nov 9, 1996 | New Jersey Devils beat New York Islanders 4–0 | Title change |
| 5,703 | Nov 12, 1996 | New Jersey Devils beat Washington Capitals 3–2 (OT) | Defense |
| 5,704 | Nov 14, 1996 | Vancouver Canucks beat New Jersey Devils 3–0 | Title change |
| 5,705 | Nov 16, 1996 | Montréal Canadiens beat Vancouver Canucks 6–1 | Title change |
| 5,706 | Nov 20, 1996 | Hartford Whalers beat Montréal Canadiens 3–1 | Title change |
| 5,707 | Nov 22, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins beat Hartford Whalers 7–1 | Title change |
| 5,708 | Nov 27, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins and Montréal Canadiens tied 2–2 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,709 | Nov 30, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins beat Boston Bruins 6–2 | Defense |
| 5,710 | Dec 3, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins and Hartford Whalers tied 4–4 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,711 | Dec 4, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins beat Ottawa Senators 4–2 | Defense |
| 5,712 | Dec 6, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins beat Washington Capitals 5–3 | Defense |
| 5,713 | Dec 7, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins beat Anaheim Ducks 5–3 | Defense |
| 5,714 | Dec 10, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins beat Los Angeles Kings 5–3 | Defense |
| 5,715 | Dec 11, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins beat Anaheim Ducks 7–3 | Defense |
| 5,716 | Dec 13, 1996 | Pittsburgh Penguins beat San Jose Sharks 4–0 | Defense |
| 5,717 | Dec 15, 1996 | Chicago Blackhawks beat Pittsburgh Penguins 2–1 | Title change |
| 5,718 | Dec 18, 1996 | Dallas Stars beat Chicago Blackhawks 3–2 (OT) | Title change |
| 5,719 | Dec 20, 1996 | Dallas Stars beat Hartford Whalers 4–1 | Defense |
| 5,720 | Dec 21, 1996 | Dallas Stars beat New York Islanders 3–2 | Defense |
| 5,721 | Dec 23, 1996 | San Jose Sharks beat Dallas Stars 2–1 | Title change |
| 5,722 | Dec 26, 1996 | San Jose Sharks beat Vancouver Canucks 6–1 | Defense |
| 5,723 | Dec 28, 1996 | Edmonton Oilers beat San Jose Sharks 5–3 | Title change |
| 5,724 | Dec 30, 1996 | Edmonton Oilers beat Los Angeles Kings 2–1 | Defense |
| 5,725 | Jan 3, 1997 | Edmonton Oilers beat Toronto Maple Leafs 4–3 | Defense |
| 5,726 | Jan 7, 1997 | Edmonton Oilers beat St. Louis Blues 5–2 | Defense |
| 5,727 | Jan 8, 1997 | Chicago Blackhawks beat Edmonton Oilers 4–1 | Title change |
| 5,728 | Jan 10, 1997 | Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils tied 3–3 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,729 | Jan 11, 1997 | Chicago Blackhawks beat Detroit Red Wings 3–1 | Defense |
| 5,730 | Jan 13, 1997 | Tampa Bay Lightning beat Chicago Blackhawks 2–0 | Title change |
| 5,731 | Jan 15, 1997 | Colorado Avalanche beat Tampa Bay Lightning 4–2 | Title change |
| 5,732 | Jan 20, 1997 | Colorado Avalanche beat Florida Panthers 4–2 | Defense |
| 5,733 | Jan 21, 1997 | Tampa Bay Lightning beat Colorado Avalanche 3–2 (OT) | Title change |
| 5,734 | Jan 25, 1997 | Florida Panthers beat Tampa Bay Lightning 3–2 | Title change |
| 5,735 | Jan 28, 1997 | Florida Panthers beat Montréal Canadiens 5–1 | Defense |
| 5,736 | Jan 30, 1997 | Florida Panthers beat Boston Bruins 3–1 | Defense |
| 5,737 | Feb 1, 1997 | Washington Capitals beat Florida Panthers 3–1 | Title change |
| 5,738 | Feb 2, 1997 | Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres tied 2–2 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,739 | Feb 7, 1997 | Calgary Flames beat Washington Capitals 5–2 | Title change |
| 5,740 | Feb 9, 1997 | Calgary Flames beat Anaheim Ducks 6–1 | Defense |
| 5,741 | Feb 11, 1997 | Calgary Flames beat Boston Bruins 5–1 | Defense |
| 5,742 | Feb 13, 1997 | Calgary Flames beat Edmonton Oilers 3–2 (OT) | Defense |
| 5,743 | Feb 15, 1997 | Calgary Flames beat Toronto Maple Leafs 3–0 | Defense |
| 5,744 | Feb 18, 1997 | Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres tied 5–5 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,745 | Feb 19, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat Calgary Flames 4–0 | Title change |
| 5,746 | Feb 22, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues tied 2–2 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,747 | Feb 24, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat Phoenix Coyotes 5–3 | Defense |
| 5,748 | Feb 27, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat Pittsburgh Penguins 4–1 | Defense |
| 5,749 | Mar 1, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat New York Rangers 3–0 | Defense |
| 5,750 | Mar 2, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks tied 1–1 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,751 | Mar 5, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs tied 4–4 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,752 | Mar 8, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat Vancouver Canucks 5–3 | Defense |
| 5,753 | Mar 10, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings tied 3–3 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,754 | Mar 12, 1997 | Anaheim Ducks beat Detroit Red Wings 2–1 | Title change |
| 5,755 | Mar 14, 1997 | Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues tied 4–4 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,756 | Mar 16, 1997 | Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames tied 2–2 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,757 | Mar 19, 1997 | Anaheim Ducks beat Los Angeles Kings 6–2 | Defense |
| 5,758 | Mar 21, 1997 | Colorado Avalanche beat Anaheim Ducks 4–3 | Title change |
| 5,759 | Mar 23, 1997 | Philadelphia Flyers beat Colorado Avalanche 2–0 | Title change |
| 5,760 | Mar 25, 1997 | Philadelphia Flyers beat New Jersey Devils 4–3 | Defense |
| 5,761 | Mar 29, 1997 | Philadelphia Flyers beat Washington Capitals 5–3 | Defense |
| 5,762 | Mar 30, 1997 | St. Louis Blues beat Philadelphia Flyers 3–2 | Title change |
| 5,763 | Apr 1, 1997 | St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings tied 1–1 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,764 | Apr 3, 1997 | St. Louis Blues and New York Islanders tied 5–5 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,765 | Apr 6, 1997 | New Jersey Devils beat St. Louis Blues 2–0 | Title change |
| 5,766 | Apr 8, 1997 | New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning tied 2–2 (OT) | Tie · defense |
| 5,767 | Apr 9, 1997 | Florida Panthers beat New Jersey Devils 4–2 | Title change |
| 5,768 | Apr 11, 1997 | Florida Panthers beat Pittsburgh Penguins 4–2 | Defense |
| 5,769 | Apr 17, 1997 | Florida Panthers beat New York Rangers 3–0 Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,770 | Apr 20, 1997 | New York Rangers beat Florida Panthers 3–0 Playoffs | Title change |
| 5,771 | Apr 22, 1997 | New York Rangers beat Florida Panthers 4–3 (OT) Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,772 | Apr 23, 1997 | New York Rangers beat Florida Panthers 3–2 Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,773 | Apr 25, 1997 | New York Rangers beat Florida Panthers 3–2 (OT) Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,774 | May 2, 1997 | New Jersey Devils beat New York Rangers 2–0 Playoffs | Title change |
| 5,775 | May 4, 1997 | New York Rangers beat New Jersey Devils 2–0 Playoffs | Title change |
| 5,776 | May 6, 1997 | New York Rangers beat New Jersey Devils 3–2 Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,777 | May 8, 1997 | New York Rangers beat New Jersey Devils 3–0 Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,778 | May 11, 1997 | New York Rangers beat New Jersey Devils 2–1 (OT) Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,779 | May 16, 1997 | Philadelphia Flyers beat New York Rangers 3–1 Playoffs | Title change |
| 5,780 | May 18, 1997 | New York Rangers beat Philadelphia Flyers 5–4 Playoffs | Title change |
| 5,781 | May 20, 1997 | Philadelphia Flyers beat New York Rangers 6–3 Playoffs | Title change |
| 5,782 | May 23, 1997 | Philadelphia Flyers beat New York Rangers 3–2 Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,783 | May 25, 1997 | Philadelphia Flyers beat New York Rangers 4–2 Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,784 | May 31, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat Philadelphia Flyers 4–2 Playoffs | Title change |
| 5,785 | Jun 3, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat Philadelphia Flyers 4–2 Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,786 | Jun 5, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat Philadelphia Flyers 6–1 Playoffs | Defense |
| 5,787 | Jun 7, 1997 | Detroit Red Wings beat Philadelphia Flyers 2–1 Playoffs | Defense |