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 seven 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 .
Teams
1996-97 Ontario Hockey League
Division
Team
City
Arena
East
Belleville Bulls
Belleville ,
Ontario
Yardmen Arena
Kingston Frontenacs
Kingston ,
Ontario
Kingston Memorial Centre
North Bay Centennials
North Bay ,
Ontario
North Bay Memorial Gardens
Oshawa Generals
Oshawa ,
Ontario
Oshawa Civic Auditorium
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa ,
Ontario
Ottawa Civic Centre
Peterborough Petes
Peterborough ,
Ontario
Peterborough Memorial Centre
Central
Barrie Colts
Barrie ,
Ontario
Barrie Molson Centre
Erie Otters
Erie ,
Pennsylvania
Erie Civic Center
Guelph Storm
Guelph ,
Ontario
Guelph Memorial Gardens
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener ,
Ontario
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Owen Sound Platers
Owen Sound ,
Ontario
Bayshore Community Centre
Sudbury Wolves
Sudbury ,
Ontario
Sudbury Community Arena
West
Detroit Whalers
Plymouth ,
Michigan
Compuware Sports Arena
London Knights
London ,
Ontario
London Ice House
Sarnia Sting
Sarnia ,
Ontario
Sarnia Arena
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Sault Ste. Marie ,
Ontario
Sault Memorial Gardens
Windsor Spitfires
Windsor ,
Ontario
Windsor Arena
East Division
Central Division
West Division
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
Central Division
West Division
Scoring leaders
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 quarter-finals
East Division
(1) Ottawa 67's vs. (5) Belleville Bulls
(3) Peterborough Petes vs. (4) Kingston Frontenacs
Peterborough wins series 4 – 1
Central Division
(2) Guelph Storm vs. (5) Erie Otters
(3) Barrie Colts vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers
West Division
(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (4) Detroit Whalers
Sault Ste. Marie wins series 4 – 1
(2) Sarnia Sting vs. (3) Windsor Spitfires
OHL quarter-finals
(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (C3) Barrie Colts
(W1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (C2) Guelph Storm
(C1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (W2) Sarnia Sting
Kitchener wins series 4 – 3
(E2) Oshawa Generals vs. (E3) Peterborough Petes
OHL semi-finals
(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (C2) Guelph Storm
(C1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (E2) Oshawa Generals
J. Ross Robertson Cup
(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (E2) Oshawa Generals
All-Star teams
First team
Alyn McCauley , Centre,
Ottawa 67's
Daniel Cleary , Left Wing,
Belleville Bulls
Cameron Mann , Right Wing,
Peterborough Petes
Sean Blanchard , Defence,
Ottawa 67's
Andy Delmore , Defence,
Sarnia Sting
Zac Bierk , Goaltender,
Peterborough Petes
Brian Kilrea , Coach,
Ottawa 67's
Second team
Joe Thornton , Centre,
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Dave Duerden , Left Wing,
Peterborough Petes
Alexandre Volchkov , Right Wing,
Barrie Colts
D.J. Smith , Defence,
Windsor Spitfires
Marty Wilford , Defence,
Oshawa Generals
Kory Cooper , Goaltender,
Belleville Bulls
Bill Stewart , Coach,
Oshawa Generals
Third team
Jan Bulis , Centre,
Barrie Colts
Dwayne Hay , Left Wing,
Guelph Storm
Joel Trottier , Right Wing,
Ottawa 67's
Nick Boynton , Defence,
Ottawa 67's
Chris Hajt , Defence,
Guelph Storm
Robert Esche , Goaltender,
Detroit Whalers
Peter DeBoer , Coach,
Detroit Whalers
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
East Division Central Division Midwest Division West Division Defunct teams