With the addition of the expansion Nashville Predators, the NHL realigned this year to a strictly geographic six-division structure (three per conference), erasing the last vestiges of the traditional four-division structure (Adams/Patrick/Norris/Smythe) abandoned in 1993-94; other than the necessary reassignment of Colorado in 1995 due to its two-thousand mile (over 3,200 km) east-west move from Quebec, the divisions' membership had remained static for six years despite the renaming and the moves of several other franchises. As part of this realignment, the Toronto Maple Leafs moved from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference.
The Eastern Conference was considered to be weaker, which would make it easier for the Leafs to make the playoffs, although the team also landed coach Pat Quinn and superstar goaltender Curtis Joseph which contributed to the Leafs' dramatic improvement.
The 1998-99 season marked the retirement of Wayne Gretzky, the NHL's all-time leading scorer, who played his final three NHL seasons with the New York Rangers. The Rangers had been battling for a playoff spot up until the end of the regular season when they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins who were able to clinch the postseason berth when Jaromir Jagr scored the winning goal. The game was also symbolic because it appeared as though Gretzky was passing the torch to Jagr, signalling a changing of the guard of the NHL's greatest superstar.
This was the final season Fox televised NHL games in the United States.
In the sixth game, Dallas StarswingerBrett Hull's triple-overtime goal — one that still remains controversial, as Hull's skate was visibly in Hasek's crease — ended the series, and the Stars were awarded the Cup. In 1999, it was illegal to score a goal if an offensive player's skate entered the crease before the puck did. At the time, even Dallas Morning News hockey writer Keith Gave questioned the legality of the goal. NHL officials, however, maintained that Hull's two shots in the goal mouth constituted a single possession of the puck since the puck deflected off Hasek, and their ruling stood, citing that they "were going to change the rule the following year anyway." It is widely speculated that, by the time the Sabres mentioned the foul, the red carpet had already been unrolled at center ice, and the officials refused to acknowledge the non-call.
"Loose puck. Hull...shot...SCORE! SCORE! They've won the Stanley Cup! Deep in the heart of Texas, the Stars are shining!" - Gary Thorne, calling Brett HullStanley Cup Winning Goal to give the Dallas Stars their first Cup in Franchise History.
"Hey, I think Hull's foot was in the crease!" - Dave Catherine, at home, watching on TV
