# 1996–97 IHL season

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 | First round | First round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Turner Cup Finals | Turner Cup Finals | Turner Cup Finals |
| E1 | Detroit | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E8 | Michigan | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E8 | Michigan | 1 | E1 | Detroit | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | E5 | Québec | 2 | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Cincinnati | 0 | E5 | Québec | 2 | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Quebec | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Quebec | 3 | | | | E1 | Detroit | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | E6 | Cleveland | 1 | | | | |
| E2 | Orlando | 3 | | | | | | | E6 | Cleveland | 1 | | | | |
| E7 | Grand Rapids | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E7 | Grand Rapids | 2 | E2 | Orlando | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | | | E6 | Cleveland | 4 | | | | | | | |
| E3 | Indianapolis | 1 | E6 | Cleveland | 4 | | | | | | | |
| E6 | Cleveland | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| E6 | Cleveland | 3 | | | | | | | | E1 | Detroit | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | W1 | Long Beach | 2 |
| W1 | Long Beach | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | W1 | Long Beach | 2 |
| W8 | Milwaukee | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| W8 | Milwaukee | 0 | W1 | Long Beach | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | W4 | Utah | 0 | | | | | | | |
| W4 | Utah | 3 | W4 | Utah | 0 | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Kansas City | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Kansas City | 0 | | | | W1 | Long Beach | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | W3 | Houston | 1 | | | | |
| W2 | San Antonio | 3 | | | | | | | W3 | Houston | 1 | | | | |
| W7 | Chicago | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| W7 | Chicago | 1 | W2 | San Antonio | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | | | W3 | Houston | 4 | | | | | | | |
| W3 | Houston | 3 | W3 | Houston | 4 | | | | | | | |
| W6 | Las Vegas | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |

### First round
#### (E1) Detroit Vipers vs. (E8) Michigan K-Wings

* Detroit won series 3–1

#### (W1) Long Beach Ice Dogs vs. (W8) Milwaukee Admirals

* Long Beach won series 3–0

#### (E2) Orlando Solar Bears vs. (E7) Grand Rapids Griffins

* Orlando won series 3–2

#### (W2) San Antonio Dragons vs. (W7) Chicago Wolves

* San Antonio won series 3–1

#### (E3) Indianapolis Ice vs. (E6) Cleveland Lumberjacks

* Cleveland won series 3–1

#### (W3) Houston Aeros vs. (W6) Las Vegas Thunder

* Houston won series 3–0

#### (E4) Cincinnati Cyclones vs. (E5) Québec Rafales

* Québec won series 3–0

#### (W4) Utah Grizzlies vs. (W5) Kansas City Blades

* Utah won series 3–0

### Quarterfinals
#### (E1) Detroit Vipers vs. (E5) Québec Rafales

* Detroit won series 4–2

#### (W1) Long Beach Ice Dogs vs. (W4) Utah Grizzlies

* Long Beach won series 4–0

#### (E2) Orlando Solar Bears vs. (E6) Cleveland Lumberjacks

* Cleveland won series 4–1

#### (W2) San Antonio Dragons vs. (W3) Houston Aeros

* Houston won series 4–1

### Semifinals
#### (E1) Detroit Vipers vs. (E6) Cleveland Lumberjacks

* Detroit won series 4–1

#### (W1) Long Beach Ice Dogs vs. (W3) Houston Aeros

* Long Beach won series 4–1

### Turner Cup Finals
#### (E1) Detroit Vipers vs. (W1) Long Beach Ice Dogs

* Detroit won series 4–2

## Awards

1997 IHL awards :
| Turner Cup | Detroit Vipers |
| Fred A. Huber Trophy: (Best regular-season record) | Detroit Vipers |
| Frank Gallagher Trophy: (Eastern Conference playoff champion) | Detroit Vipers |
| Ken Ullyot Trophy: (Western Conference playoff champion) | Long Beach Ice Dogs |
| Comeback Player of the Year Award: | Kevin Smyth, Orlando Solar Bears |
| Commissioner's Trophy: (Best coach) | John Van Boxmeer, Long Beach Ice Dogs |
| Gary F. Longman Memorial Trophy: (Best first-year player) | Sergei Samsonov, Detroit Vipers |
| Governor's Trophy: (Best defenceman) | Brad Werenka, Indianapolis Ice |
| I. John Snider, II Trophy: (Leadership and humanitarian contribution) | Tim Breslin, Chicago Wolves |
| Ironman Award: (Best two-way player over 82 games) | Brad Werenka, Indianapolis Ice |
| James Gatschene Memorial Trophy: (Most valuable player, regular season) | Frédéric Chabot, Houston Aeros |
| James Norris Memorial Trophy: (Goaltenders with fewest goals allowed) | Rich Parent and Jeff Reese, Detroit Vipers |
| Ken McKenzie Trophy: (Best U.S.-born first-year player) | Brian Felsner, Orlando Solar Bears |
| Leo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy: (Player with most points) | Rob Brown, Chicago Wolves |
| Norman R. "Bud" Poile Trophy: (Most valuable player, playoffs) | Peter Ciavaglia, Detroit Vipers |