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 [ edit ] Niagara Falls Thunder to Erie Otters [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] Detroit Whalers [ edit ] 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 .
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 [ edit ] Final standings [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] Central Division [ edit ] West Division [ edit ] Scoring leaders [ edit ] Playoffs [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] East Division [ edit ] (1) Ottawa 67's vs. (5) Belleville Bulls [ edit ]
(3) Peterborough Petes vs. (4) Kingston Frontenacs [ edit ] Peterborough wins series 4 – 1
Central Division [ edit ] (2) Guelph Storm vs. (5) Erie Otters [ edit ]
(3) Barrie Colts vs. (4) Owen Sound Platers [ edit ]
West Division [ edit ] (1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (4) Detroit Whalers [ edit ] Sault Ste. Marie wins series 4 – 1
(2) Sarnia Sting vs. (3) Windsor Spitfires [ edit ]
OHL quarter-finals [ edit ] (E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (C3) Barrie Colts [ edit ]
(W1) Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. (C2) Guelph Storm [ edit ]
(C1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (W2) Sarnia Sting [ edit ] Kitchener wins series 4 – 3
(E2) Oshawa Generals vs. (E3) Peterborough Petes [ edit ]
OHL semi-finals [ edit ] (E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (C2) Guelph Storm [ edit ]
(C1) Kitchener Rangers vs. (E2) Oshawa Generals [ edit ]
J. Ross Robertson Cup [ edit ] (E1) Ottawa 67's vs. (E2) Oshawa Generals [ edit ]
All-Star teams [ edit ] First team [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] 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 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 [ edit ] 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 [ edit ] References [ edit ]
East Division Central Division Midwest Division West Division Defunct teams