1996–97 OHL season

The 1996–97 OHL season was the 17th season of the Ontario Hockey League. The Niagara Falls Thunder move to Erie becoming the Erie Otters. Seventeen teams each played 66 games. The Oshawa Generals won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Ottawa 67's.

Relocation

Niagara Falls Thunder to Erie Otters

The Niagara Falls Thunder relocated to Erie, and renamed their club to the Erie Otters, becoming the second team in the Ontario Hockey League to be based in the United States and the first OHL team in the state of Pennsylvania. The Thunder played in Niagara Falls from 1988-96, reaching the post-season in six of their eight seasons. Niagara Falls went to the J. Ross Robertson Cup one time in their eight seasons, in their first season in 1988-89, where they lost to the Peterborough Petes in the final round.

The Otters new home arena was the Erie Civic Center. The club would remain in the Central Division.

New Arena

Detroit Whalers

After splitting the 1995-96 season between the Palace of Auburn Hills and Oak Park Ice Arena, the Detroit Whalers moved into their new home, the Compuware Sports Arena, based in Plymouth, Michigan.

Regular season

Final standings

Note: DIV = Division; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OTL = Overtime Losses; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = earned first round bye

East Division
Rank Team GP W L T PTS GF GA
1z-Ottawa 67's6649116104320177
2x-Oshawa Generals664118789287202
3x-Peterborough Petes663925280251238
4x-Kingston Frontenacs662535656257277
5x-Belleville Bulls662237751235278
6North Bay Centennials661444836214337

Central Division
Rank Team GP W L T PTS GF GA
1z-Kitchener Rangers6634221078274235
2x-Guelph Storm663525676300251
3x-Barrie Colts6633231076272236
4x-Owen Sound Platers662737256258318
5x-Erie Otters662336753240260
6Sudbury Wolves662137850251302

West Division
Rank Team GP W L T PTS GF GA
1y-Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds6639171088309220
2x-Sarnia Sting663524777286251
3x-Windsor Spitfires662929866303285
4x-Detroit Whalers662634658230270
5London Knights661351228215365

Scoring leaders
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Marc SavardOshawa Generals64438713094
Joe ThorntonSault Ste. Marie Greyhounds594181122123
Alyn McCauleyOttawa 67's50565611216
Richard UniackeSault Ste. Marie Greyhounds66446611036
Trevor LetowskiSarnia Sting55357310851
Todd NormanGuelph Storm66476810541
Joe SeroskiSault Ste. Marie Greyhounds61544910314
Jan BulisBarrie Colts64426110342
Jonathan SimSarnia Sting64563995109
Matt CookeWindsor Spitfires65455095146

Playoffs

The 67's waived their right to a first-round bye, having lost in the second round the previous season after accepting a first-round bye.

  Division quarterfinals Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
                                     
E2 Oshawa bye  
       
  E2 Oshawa 4  
    E3 Peterborough 2  
E3 Peterborough 4
E4 Kingston 1  
  E2 Oshawa 4  
  C1 Kitchener 2  
C1 Kitchener bye  
       
  C1 Kitchener 4
    W2 Sarnia 3  
W2 Sarnia 4
W3 Windsor 1  
  E2 Oshawa 4
  E1 Ottawa 2
E1 Ottawa 4  
E5 Belleville 2  
  E1 Ottawa 4
    C3 Barrie 1  
C3 Barrie 4
C4 Owen Sound 0  
  E1 Ottawa 4
  C2 Guelph 3  
W1 S.S. Marie 4  
W4 Detroit 1  
  W1 S.S. Marie 2
    C2 Guelph 4  
C2 Guelph 4
C5 Erie 1  
(1) Ottawa 67's vs. (5) Belleville Bulls
Ottawa wins series 4 – 2
(3) Peterborough Petes vs. (4) Kingston Frontenacs
Peterborough wins series 4 – 1
(2) Guelph Storm vs. (5) Erie Otters
Guelph wins series 4 – 1
(3) Barrie Colts vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers
Barrie wins series 4 – 0
(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (4) Detroit Whalers
Sault Ste. Marie wins series 4 – 1
(2) Sarnia Sting vs. (3) Windsor Spitfires
Sarnia wins series 4 – 1

(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (C3) Barrie Colts
Ottawa wins series 4 – 1

(W1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (C2) Guelph Storm
Guelph wins series 4 – 2

(C1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (W2) Sarnia Sting
Kitchener wins series 4 – 3

(E2) Oshawa Generals vs. (E3) Peterborough Petes
Oshawa wins series 4 – 2

(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (C2) Guelph Storm
Ottawa wins series 4 – 3

(C1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (E2) Oshawa Generals
Oshawa wins series 4 – 2

(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (E2) Oshawa Generals
Oshawa wins series 4 – 2

All-Star teams

First team

Second team

Third team

Awards
J. Ross Robertson Cup:Oshawa Generals
Hamilton Spectator Trophy:Ottawa 67's
Leyden Trophy:Ottawa 67's
Emms Trophy:Kitchener Rangers
Bumbacco Trophy:Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Red Tilson Trophy:Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67's
Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy:Marc Savard, Oshawa Generals
Matt Leyden Trophy:Brian Kilrea, Ottawa 67's
Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy:Joe Seroski, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Max Kaminsky Trophy:Sean Blanchard, Ottawa 67's
OHL Goaltender of the Year:Zac Bierk, Peterborough Petes
Jack Ferguson Award:Charlie Stephens, Toronto St. Michael's Majors
Dave Pinkney Trophy:Tim Keyes and Craig Hillier, Ottawa 67's
OHL Executive of the Year:Ed Rowe, Peterborough Petes
Bill Long Award:Wren Blair, Kingston Frontenacs & Frank Bonello, Ontario Hockey League
Emms Family Award:Peter Sarno, Windsor Spitfires
F.W. 'Dinty' Moore Trophy:Shawn Degagne, Kitchener Rangers
OHL Humanitarian of the Year:Mike Martone, Peterborough Petes
William Hanley Trophy:Alyn McCauley, Ottawa 67's
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy:Zac Bierk, Peterborough Petes
Bobby Smith Trophy:Jake McCracken, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

1997 OHL Priority Selection

On June 7, 1997, the OHL conducted the 1997 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario. The expansion team Toronto St. Michael's Majors, who were set to begin play during the 1997-98 season, held the first overall pick in the draft, and selected Charlie Stephens from the Leamington Flyers. Stephens was awarded the Jack Ferguson Award, awarded to the top pick in the draft.

Below are the players who were selected in the first round of the 1997 Ontario Hockey League Priority Selection. [1]

# Player Nationality OHL Team Hometown Minor Team
1 Charlie Stephens (C) Canada Toronto St. Michael's Majors London, Ontario Leamington Flyers
2 John Erskine (D) Canada London Knights Kingston, Ontario Quinte Hawks
3 Brett Angel (D) Canada North Bay Centennials Kingston, Ontario Kingston Voyageurs
4 Taylor Pyatt (LW) Canada Sudbury Wolves Thunder Bay, Ontario Thunder Bay Kings
5 Jonathan Cheechoo (RW) Canada Belleville Bulls Moose Factory, Ontario Kitchener Dutchmen
6 Tim Connolly (C) United States Erie Otters Syracuse, New York Syracuse Jr. Crunch
7 Jamie Young (LW) Canada Kingston Frontenacs Thunder Bay, Ontario Thunder Bay Kings
8 Dave Stephenson (D) Canada Owen Sound Platers Woodstock, Ontario Cambridge Winter Hawks
9 David Legwand (C) United States Plymouth Whalers Detroit, Michigan Compuware Ambassadors
10 Mike Rupp (C) United States Windsor Spitfires Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland Barons
11 Adam DeLeeuw (LW) Canada Barrie Colts Brampton, Ontario Brampton Capitals
12 Dusty Jamieson (LW) Canada Guelph Storm Forest, Ontario St. Thomas Stars
13 Robb Palahnuk (LW) Canada Sarnia Sting Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Elmira Sugar Kings
14 Barry Graham (D) Canada Kitchener Rangers Murillo, Ontario Thunder Bay Kings
15 Preston Mizzi (C) Canada Peterborough Petes Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Newmarket Hurricanes
16 Cory Pecker (RW) Canada Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Montreal, Quebec Lac St-Louis Lions
17 Brad Ralph (C) Canada Oshawa Generals Richmond Hill, Ontario Kanata Valley Lasers
18 Jonathan Zion (D) Canada Ottawa 67's Nepean, Ontario Nepean Raiders

See also

References
  1. https://www.eliteprospects.com/draft/ohl-priority-selection/1997
Preceded by
1995–96 OHL season		 OHL seasons Succeeded by
1997–98 OHL season
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