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 [ ]
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 [ ]
March 16
Belleville Bulls
2 – 6
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
March 18
Ottawa 67's
2 – 4
Belleville Bulls
Yardmen Arena
March 21
Belleville Bulls
3 – 5
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
March 22
Ottawa 67's
4 – 5
Belleville Bulls
Yardmen Arena
March 23
Belleville Bulls
4 – 5
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
March 25
Ottawa 67's
6 – 3
Belleville Bulls
Yardmen Arena
(3) Peterborough Petes vs. (4) Kingston Frontenacs [ ]
Peterborough wins series 4 – 1
Central Division [ ]
(2) Guelph Storm vs. (5) Erie Otters [ ]
March 19
Guelph Storm
4 – 1
Erie Otters
Erie Civic Center
March 21
Guelph Storm
6 – 5
OT
Erie Otters
Erie Civic Center
(3) Barrie Colts vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers [ ]
March 16
Owen Sound Platers
3 – 8
Barrie Colts
Barrie Molson Centre
March 18
Barrie Colts
5 – 4
OT
Owen Sound Platers
Bayshore Community Centre
March 20
Owen Sound Platers
4 – 6
Barrie Colts
Barrie Molson Centre
March 22
Barrie Colts
6 – 2
Owen Sound Platers
Bayshore Community Centre
West Division [ ]
(1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (4) Detroit Whalers [ ]
March 21
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
8 – 3
Detroit Whalers
Compuware Sports Arena
March 22
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
3 – 4
OT
Detroit Whalers
Compuware Sports Arena
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 [ ]
March 29
Ottawa 67's
4 – 3
Barrie Colts
Barrie Molson Centre
April 1
Barrie Colts
2 – 7
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
April 3
Barrie Colts
2 – 7
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
April 5
Ottawa 67's
3 – 5
Barrie Colts
Barrie Molson Centre
April 7
Barrie Colts
2 – 5
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
(W1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (C2) Guelph Storm [ ]
(C1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (W2) Sarnia Sting [ ]
March 28
Sarnia Sting
0 – 5
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
April 2
Sarnia Sting
4 – 0
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
April 7
Sarnia Sting
7 – 6
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
April 10
Sarnia Sting
3 – 7
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Kitchener wins series 4 – 3
(E2) Oshawa Generals vs. (E3) Peterborough Petes [ ]
OHL semi-finals [ ]
(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (C2) Guelph Storm [ ]
April 11
Guelph Storm
4 – 5
OT
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
April 16
Guelph Storm
3 – 4
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
April 20
Guelph Storm
4 – 3
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
April 23
Guelph Storm
3 – 6
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
(C1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (E2) Oshawa Generals [ ]
April 12
Oshawa Generals
5 – 3
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
April 15
Oshawa Generals
3 – 4
OT
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
April 17
Oshawa Generals
4 – 5
Kitchener Rangers
Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
J. Ross Robertson Cup [ ]
(E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (E2) Oshawa Generals [ ]
April 26
Oshawa Generals
4 – 5
OT
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
April 30
Oshawa Generals
3 – 4
OT
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
May 4
Oshawa Generals
4 – 3
Ottawa 67's
Ottawa Civic Centre
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
, Goaltender, Belleville Bulls
Bill Stewart , Coach, Oshawa Generals
Third team [ ]
Jan Bulis , Centre, Barrie Colts
Dwayne Hay , Left Wing, Guelph Storm
, 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 :
, 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 :
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 :
, Kitchener Rangers
OHL Humanitarian of the Year :
, Peterborough Petes
William Hanley Trophy :
Alyn McCauley , Ottawa 67's
Leo Lalonde Memorial Trophy :
Zac Bierk , Peterborough Petes
Bobby Smith Trophy :
, 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
(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
(LW )
Canada
Kingston Frontenacs
Thunder Bay, Ontario
Thunder Bay Kings
8
(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
(LW )
Canada
Barrie Colts
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton Capitals
12
(LW )
Canada
Guelph Storm
Forest, Ontario
St. Thomas Stars
13
(LW )
Canada
Sarnia Sting
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
Elmira Sugar Kings
14
(D )
Canada
Kitchener Rangers
Murillo, Ontario
Thunder Bay Kings
15
(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