1996–97 IHL season

North American ice hockey season August 2023 1996-97 IHL season International Hockey League Ice hockey October 4, 1996 – June 15, 1997 82 19 Regular season Fred A. Huber Trophy Frederic Chabot (Aeros) James Gatschene Memorial Trophy Rob Brown (Wolves) Leo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy Detroit Vipers Playoffs Peter Ciavaglia (Vipers) Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy (IHL) Turner Cup Turner Cup Detroit Vipers Long Beach Ice Dogs 1995–96 1997–98 The 1996–97 IHL season was the 52nd season of the International Hockey League, a North American minor professional league. 19 teams participated in the regular season, and the Detroit Vipers won the Turner Cup. Offseason The Atlanta Knights relocated to Quebec to become the Quebec Rafales due to the Omni being demolished to make room for Philips Arena. The Peoria Rivermen organization left the IHL and joined the ECHL. The IHL franchise relocated to San Antonio to become the San Antonio Dragons. After the Winnipeg Jets relocation to Phoenix to become the Phoenix Coyotes, the Phoenix Roadrunners competed for fans. The Minnesota Moose were purchased by a group by Canadian businessmen and relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba to become the Manitoba Moose to provide a new tenant at Winnipeg Arena and keeping pro hockey in the city. The Los Angeles Ice Dogs relocated to Long Beach retaining the same name due to poor attendance. The San Francisco Spiders folded due to bankruptcy, low attendance, even though on weekends and holidays did very well, and issues with Cow Palace. Regular season Eastern Conference Central GP W L SOL GF GA Pts Indianapolis Ice 82 44 29 9 289 230 97 Cleveland Lumberjacks 82 40 32 10 286 280 90 Michigan K-Wings 82 31 44 7 208 272 69 Fort Wayne Komets 82 28 47 7 223 318 63 North GP W L SOL GF GA Pts Detroit Vipers 82 57 17 8 280 188 122 Orlando Solar Bears 82 53 24 5 305 232 111 Cincinnati Cyclones 82 43 29 10 254 248 96 Québec Rafales 82 41 30 11 267 248 93 Grand Rapids Griffins 82 40 30 12 244 246 92 Western Conference Midwest GP W L SOL GF GA Pts San Antonio Dragons 82 45 30 7 276 278 97 Kansas City Blades 82 38 29 15 271 270 91 Chicago Wolves 82 40 36 6 276 290 86 Milwaukee Admirals 82 38 36 8 253 298 84 Manitoba Moose 82 32 40 10 262 300 74 South GP W L SOL GF GA Pts Long Beach Ice Dogs 82 54 19 9 309 247 117 Houston Aeros 82 44 30 8 247 228 96 Utah Grizzlies 82 43 33 6 259 254 92 Las Vegas Thunder 82 41 34 7 287 299 89 Phoenix Roadrunners 82 27 42 13 239 309 67 Turner Cup playoffs First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Turner Cup Finals E1 Detroit 3 E8 Michigan 1 E4 Cincinnati 0 E5 Quebec 3 E2 Orlando 3 E7 Grand Rapids 2 E3 Indianapolis 1 E6 Cleveland 3 W1 Long Beach 3 W8 Milwaukee 0 W4 Utah 3 W5 Kansas City 0 W2 San Antonio 3 W7 Chicago 1 W3 Houston 3 W6 Las Vegas 0 E1 Detroit 4 E5 Québec 2 E2 Orlando 1 E6 Cleveland 4 W1 Long Beach 4 W4 Utah 0 W2 San Antonio 1 W3 Houston 4 E1 Detroit 4 E6 Cleveland 1 W1 Long Beach 4 W3 Houston 1 E1 Detroit 4 W1 Long Beach 2 First round (E1) Detroit Vipers vs. (E8) Michigan K-Wings Detroit Vipers Michigan K-Wings The Palace of Auburn Hills Wings Stadium yes April 17 4–3 2 April 21 1–4 1 April 25 4–3 1 1 April 26 4–1 1 Detroit won series 3–1 (W1) Long Beach Ice Dogs vs. (W8) Milwaukee Admirals Long Beach Ice Dogs Milwaukee Admirals Long Beach Sports Arena Bradley Center yes April 18 5–6 1 April 20 3–4 1 1 April 25 1–0 1 1 Long Beach won series 3–0 (E2) Orlando Solar Bears vs. (E7) Grand Rapids Griffins Orlando Solar Bears Grand Rapids Griffins Orlando Arena Van Andel Arena yes April 17 3–1 2 April 21 5–4 1 2 April 23 4–1 1 April 26 2–1 1 April 28 2–3 1 Orlando won series 3–2 (W2) San Antonio Dragons vs. (W7) Chicago Wolves San Antonio Dragons Chicago Wolves Freeman Coliseum Rosemont Horizon yes April 18 3–5 1 April 20 4–3 1 2 April 23 3–2 1 April 24 3–2 1 1 San Antonio won series 3–1 (E3) Indianapolis Ice vs. (E6) Cleveland Lumberjacks Indianapolis Ice Cleveland Lumberjacks Pepsi Coliseum Gund Arena yes April 18 3–6 1 April 19 6–3 2 April 24 1–2 2 April 26 2–3 1 2 Cleveland won series 3–1 (W3) Houston Aeros vs. (W6) Las Vegas Thunder Houston Aeros Las Vegas Thunder The Summit Thomas & Mack Center yes April 19 2–4 1 April 20 2–4 1 April 25 1–0 1 Houston won series 3–0 (E4) Cincinnati Cyclones vs. (E5) Québec Rafales Cincinnati Cyclones Québec Rafales Riverfront Coliseum Colisée de Québec yes April 18 2–1 2 April 19 7–3 2 April 25 3–4 2 Québec won series 3–0 (W4) Utah Grizzlies vs. (W5) Kansas City Blades Utah Grizzlies Kansas City Blades Delta Center Kemper Arena yes April 18 0–2 1 April 21 3–4 1 1 April 24 6–2 1 Utah won series 3–0 Quarterfinals (E1) Detroit Vipers vs. (E5) Quebec Rafales Detroit Vipers Québec Rafales The Palace of Auburn Hills Colisée de Québec yes May 1 1–3 1 May 3 3–1 2 May 7 2–1 1 May 9 6–3 1 May 10 2 2–6 2 May 12 1 0–3 1 Detroit won series 4–2 (W1) Long Beach Ice Dogs vs. (W4) Utah Grizzlies Long Beach Ice Dogs Utah Grizzlies Long Beach Sports Arena Delta Center yes May 2 1–2 1 May 4 1–4 1 May 7 4–1 1 May 9 3–2 1 1 Long Beach won series 4–0 (E2) Orlando Solar Bears vs. (E6) Cleveland Lumberjacks Orlando Solar Bears Cleveland Lumberjacks Orlando Arena Gund Arena yes May 2 5–4 2 May 3 3–2 1 2 May 7 3–5 2 May 10 3–2 1 May 11 2 4–6 2 Cleveland won series 4–1 (W2) San Antonio Dragons vs. (W3) Houston Aeros San Antonio Dragons Houston Aeros Freeman Coliseum The Summit yes May 2 4–0 2 May 3 4–3 1 2 May 6 2–5 2 May 9 2–1 1 May 10 2 3–4 2 Houston won series 4–1 Semifinals (E1) Detroit Vipers vs. (E6) Cleveland Lumberjacks Detroit Vipers Cleveland Lumberjacks The Palace of Auburn Hills Gund Arena yes May 16 2–4 1 May 18 1–4 1 May 22 1–3 2 May 24 6–4 1 May 25 1–3 1 Detroit won series 4–1 (W1) Long Beach Ice Dogs vs. (W3) Houston Aeros Long Beach Ice Dogs Houston Aeros Long Beach Sports Arena The Summit yes May 15 2 1–4 2 May 18 3–5 1 May 19 1 2–5 1 May 21 5–3 1 May 22 2 4–2 1 Long Beach won series 4–1 Turner Cup Finals (E1) Detroit Vipers vs. (W1) Long Beach Ice Dogs Detroit Vipers Long Beach Ice Dogs The Palace of Auburn Hills Long Beach Sports Arena yes May 30 3–5 1 June 1 3–0 2 June 9 5–1 1 June 11 3–1 1 June 13 2 1–2 1 2 June 15 0–2 1 1 Detroit won series 4–2 Awards 1997 IHL awardsTurner Cup Detroit VipersFred A. Huber Trophy:(Best regular-season record) Detroit VipersFrank Gallagher Trophy:(Eastern Conference playoff champion) Detroit VipersKen Ullyot Trophy: (Western Conference playoff champion) Long Beach Ice DogsComeback Player of the Year Award: Kevin Smyth, Orlando Solar BearsCommissioner's Trophy:(Best coach) John Van Boxmeer, Long Beach Ice DogsGary F. Longman Memorial Trophy:(Best first-year player) Sergei Samsonov, Detroit VipersGovernor's Trophy:(Best defenceman) Brad Werenka, Indianapolis IceI. John Snider, II Trophy:(Leadership and humanitarian contribution) Tim Breslin, Chicago WolvesIronman Award:(Best two-way player over 82 games) Brad Werenka, Indianapolis IceJames Gatschene Memorial Trophy:(Most valuable player, regular season) Frederic Chabot, Houston AerosJames Norris Memorial Trophy:(Goaltenders with fewest goals allowed) Rich Parent and Jeff Reese, Detroit VipersKen McKenzie Trophy:(Best U.S.-born first-year player) Brian Felsner, Orlando Solar BearsLeo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy:(Player with most points) Rob Brown, Chicago WolvesNorman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy:(Most valuable player, playoffs) Peter Ciavaglia, Detroit Vipers References Bibliography Total Hockey Diamond Dan Total Sports 2000 1-892129-85-X External links Season 1996/97 on hockeydb.com IHL IHL Category:International Hockey League (1945–2001) seasons