High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 1997 Calder Cup playoffs of the American Hockey League began on April 18, 1997. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-five series for division semifinals and best-of-seven series for division finals and conference finals. The conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Calder Cup. The Calder Cup Final ended on June 13, 1997, with the Hershey Bears defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs four games to one to win the eighth Calder Cup in team history. Hershey`s Mike McHugh won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as AHL playoff MVP.