The 1998 Calder Cup Playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 14, 1998. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-5 series for division semifinals and best-of-7 series for division finals and conference finals. The conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the Calder Cup. The Calder Cup Final ended on June 10, 1998 with the Philadelphia Phantoms defeating the Saint John Flames four games to two to win the first Calder Cup in team history. Philadelphia's Mike Maneluk won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the AHL playoff MVP.
The Philadelphia Phantoms set an AHL playoff record by winning 9 road games in one playoff year.
After the 1997-98 AHL regular season, 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The top four teams from each division qualified for the playoffs. However, due to the uneven number of teams in the each conference, it was possible for the fifth-placed team in the five team divisions to crossover to the playoffs for the four team divisions. This could only happen if the fifth-placed team in a five team division earned more points than the fourth-placed team in the four team division in the same conference. In this case, the fifth-placed team from the five team division would play in place of the fourth-placed team from the four team division in that part of the playoff bracket. The Philadelphia Phantoms were the Western Conference regular season champions as well as the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners with the best overall regular season record. The Springfield Falcons were the Eastern Conference regular season champions.
Rochester Americans - 72 points (Played in the Mid-Atlantic Division bracket by virtue of earning more points than the fourth-placed team in that division)
Mid-Atlantic Division[]
Philadelphia Phantoms - Western Conference regular season champions; Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners, 106 points
In each round the team that earned more points during the regular season receives home ice advantage, meaning they receive the "extra" game on home-ice if the series reaches the maximum number of games. There is no set series format due to arena scheduling conflicts and travel considerations.
Division Semifinals[]
Note 1: All times are in Eastern Time (UTC-4).
Note 2: Game times in italics signify games to be played only if necessary.
Note 3: Home team is listed first.
Eastern Conference[]
Atlantic Division[]
(A1) Saint John Flames vs. (A4) St. John's Maple Leafs[]
April 16
Saint John Flames
4 - 3
St. John's Maple Leafs
Harbour Station
April 18
Saint John Flames
2 - 1
OT
St. John's Maple Leafs
Harbour Station
April 21
St. John's Maple Leafs
3 - 1
Saint John Flames
Memorial Stadium (St. John's)
April 23
St. John's Maple Leafs
1 - 3
Saint John Flames
Memorial Stadium (St. John's)
Saint John won series 3 – 1
(A2) Fredericton Canadiens vs. (A3) Portland Pirates[]
April 17
Fredericton Canadiens
3 - 4
Portland Pirates
Aitken Centre
April 19
Fredericton Canadiens
2 - 4
Portland Pirates
Aitken Centre
April 23
Portland Pirates
3 - 6
Fredericton Canadiens
Cumberland County Civic Center
April 24
Portland Pirates
3 - 1
Fredericton Canadiens
Cumberland County Civic Center
Portland won series 3 - 1
New England Division[]
(N1) Springfield Falcons vs. (N4) Worcester IceCats[]
April 14
Springfield Falcons
3 - 5
Worcester IceCats
MassMutual Center
April 19
Worcester IceCats
3 - 2
OT
Springfield Falcons
April 21
Springfield Falcons
5 - 2
Worcester IceCats
MassMutual Center
April 24
Worcester IceCats
5 - 2
Springfield Falcons
Springfield won series 3 – 1
(N2) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (N3) Beast of New Haven[]
April 17
Hartford Wolf Pack
7 - 4
Beast of New Haven
XL Center
April 18
Hartford Wolf Pack
6 - 4
Beast of New Haven
XL Center
April 22
Beast of New Haven
2 - 3
Hartford Wolf Pack
New Haven Coliseum
Hartford won series 3 - 0
Western Conference[]
Empire Division[]
(E1) Albany River Rats vs. (E4) Adirondack Red Wings[]
April 17
Albany River Rats
6 - 3
Adirondack Red Wings
Times Union Center
April 18
Albany River Rats
2 - 0
Adirondack Red Wings
Times Union Center
April 21
Adirondack Red Wings
2 - 3
OT
Albany River Rats
Glens Falls Civic Center
Albany won series 3 - 0
(E2) Hamilton Bulldogs vs. (E3) Syracuse Crunch[]
April 17
Hamilton Bulldogs
2 - 5
Syracuse Crunch
Copps Coliseum
April 19
Hamilton Bulldogs
2 - 1
Syracuse Crunch
Copps Coliseum
April 22
Syracuse Crunch
3 - 0
Hamilton Bulldogs
War Memorial at Oncenter
April 23
Syracuse Crunch
3 - 4
Hamilton Bulldogs
War Memorial at Oncenter
May 25
Hamilton Bulldogs
2 - 1
Syracuse Crunch
Copps Coliseum
Hamilton won series 3 - 2
Mid-Atlantic Division[]
(M1) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (E5) Rochester Americans[]
April 14
Philadelphia Phantoms
5 - 2
Rochester Americans
Wachovia Center
April 16
Philadelphia Phantoms
2 - 5
Rochester Americans
Wachovia Center
April 18
Rochester Americans
2 - 5
Philadelphia Phantoms
Blue Cross Arena
April 19
Rochester Americans
3 - 6
Philadelphia Phantoms
Blue Cross Arena
Philadelphia won series 3 - 1
(M2) Hershey Bears vs. (M3) Kentucky Thoroughblades[]
April 15
Hershey Bears
2 - 1
Kentucky Thoroughblades
Hersheypark Arena
April 17
Hershey Bears
2 - 1
Kentucky Thoroughblades
Hersheypark Arena
April 22
Kentucky Thoroughblades
3 - 10
Hershey Bears
Rupp Arena
Hershey won series 3 - 0
Division Finals[]
Eastern Conference[]
Atlantic Division[]
(A1) Saint John Flames vs. (A3) Portland Pirates[]
April 28
Saint John Flames
7 - 1
Portland Pirates
Harbour Station
April 30
Saint John Flames
5 - 4
OT
Portland Pirates
Harbour Station
May 3
Portland Pirates
3 - 1
Saint John Flames
Cumberland County Civic Center
May 5
Portland Pirates
4 - 5
Saint John Flames
Cumberland County Civic Center
May 7
Saint John Flames
1 - 3
Portland Pirates
Harbour Station
May 9
Portland Pirates
1 - 2
Saint John Flames
Cumberland County Civic Center
Saint John won series 4 - 2
New England Division[]
(N2) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (N4) Worcester IceCats[]
April 29
Hartford Wolf Pack
5 - 2
Worcester Ice Cats
XL Center
May 1
Hartford Wolf Pack
5 - 1
Worcester Ice Cats
XL Center
May 2
Worcester Ice Cats
6 - 3
Hartford Wolf Pack
DCU Center
May 5
Worcester Ice Cats
7 - 1
Hartford Wolf Pack
DCU Center
May 10
Hartford Wolf Pack
1 - 4
Worcester Ice Cats
XL Center
May 12
Worcester Ice Cats
1 - 4
Hartford Wolf Pack
DCU Center
May 13
Hartford Wolf Pack
8 - 2
Worcester Ice Cats
XL Center
Hartford won series 4 - 3
Western Conference[]
Empire Division[]
(E1) Albany River Rats vs. (E2) Hamilton Bulldogs[]
May 1
Albany River Rats
6 - 5
OT
Hamilton Bulldogs
Times Union Center
May 3
Albany River Rats
3 - 1
Hamilton Bulldogs
Times Union Center
May 6
Hamilton Bulldogs
5 - 6
OT
Albany River Rats
Copps Coliseum
May 8
Hamilton Bulldogs
2 - 6
Albany River Rats
Copps Coliseum
Albany won series 4 - 0
Mid-Atlantic Division[]
(M1) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (M2) Hershey Bears[]
April 26
Philadelphia Phantoms
3 - 2
Hershey Bears
Wachovia Center
April 29
Philadelphia Phantoms
5 - 3
Hershey Bears
Wachovia Center
May 2
Hershey Bears
2 - 4
Philadelphia Phantoms
Hersheypark Arena
May 3
Hershey Bears
0 - 3
Philadelphia Phantoms
Hersheypark Arena
Philadelphia won series 4 - 0
Conference finals[]
Eastern Conference[]
(N2) Hartford Wolf Pack vs. (A1) Saint John Flames[]
May 16
Saint John Flames
5 - 4
Hartford Wolf Pack
Harbour Station
May 18
Saint John Flames
1 - 6
Hartford Wolf Pack
Harbour Station
May 20
Hartford Wolf Pack
2 - 5
Saint John Flames
XL Center
May 22
Hartford Wolf Pack
3 - 4
Saint John Flames
XL Center
May 24
Hartford Wolf Pack
3 - 7
Saint John Flames
XL Center
Saint John won series 4 - 1
Western Conference[]
(M1) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (E1) Albany River Rats[]
May 15
Philadelphia Phantoms
4 - 2
Albany River Rats
Wachovia Spectrum
May 17
Philadelphia Phantoms
1 - 2
Albany River Rats
Wachovia Spectrum
May 20
Albany River Rats
0 - 2
Philadelphia Phantoms
Times Union Center
May 22
Albany River Rats
3 - 7
Philadelphia Phantoms
Times Union Center
May 23
Philadelphia Phantoms
3 - 4
Albany River Rats
Wachovia Spectrum
May 25
Albany River Rats
0 - 3
Philadelphia Phantoms
Times Union Center
Philadelphia won series 4 - 2
Calder Cup Final[]
(M1) Philadelphia Phantoms vs. (A1) Saint John Flames[]