Rule changes

The Board of Governors implemented some changes to further curb fighting in hockey. To prevent staged fights, any players involved in a fight prior to or immediately after a faceoff would be given a game misconduct which results in the player being ejected from the game. If a player accumulates ten fighting major penalties, the player would be suspended for one game following the tenth penalty and then suspended for one game after each subsequent fighting major penalty. If a player accumulates 14 fighting majors, the number of games suspended increases to two for each subsequent fighting major. Accumulated fighting majors do not include instances where the opposing player was assessed an instigator penalty.^[1]

Relocations

• The Springfield Falcons franchise was purchased by the National Hockey League's Arizona Coyotes and relocated to Tucson, Arizona, becoming the Tucson Roadrunners.^[2]
• The Portland Pirates franchise was purchased by Springfield Hockey, LLC. and relocated to Springfield, Massachusetts to become the Springfield Thunderbirds. The franchise replaced the recently relocated Springfield Falcons.^[3] The Florida Panthers continue to serve as the franchise's NHL affiliate.^[4]

Renamed

• On August 9, 2016, the reigning Calder Cup champion Lake Erie Monsters rebranded to become the Cleveland Monsters.^[5]

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Leading skaters

The following players are sorted by points, then goals. Updated as of April 14, 2017.^[7]

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = P Plus–minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Leading goaltenders

The following goaltenders with a minimum 1500 minutes played lead the league in goals against average. Updated as of April 15, 2017.^[8]

GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (in minutes); SA = Shots against; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average; SV% = Save percentage; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout loss

All-Star Teams

First All-Star Team^[9]

• Troy Grosenick (G) – San Jose
• T. J. Brennan (D) – Lehigh Valley
• Matt Taormina (D) – Syracuse
• Kenny Agostino (F) – Chicago
• Taylor Beck (F) – Bakersfield/Hartford
• Wade Megan (F) – Chicago

Second All-Star Team^[9]

• Zane McIntyre (G) – Providence
• Tim Heed (D) – San Jose
• David Warsofsky (D) – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
• Travis Boyd (F) – Hershey
• Cory Conacher (F) – Syracuse
• Chris Terry (F) – St. John's

All-Rookie Team^[10]

• Casey DeSmith (G) – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
• Devon Toews (D) – Bridgeport
• Kyle Wood (D) – Tucson
• Jake Guentzel (F) – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
• Mark Jankowski (F) – Stockton
• Danny O'Regan (F) – San Jose