1996–97 QMJHL season

The 1996–97 QMJHL season was the 28th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league continues to explore new markets as the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser move north to Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The New Faces Cup is renamed the RDS Cup, for its new sponsor, Réseau des Sports. Fourteen teams played 70 games each in the schedule. The Hull Olympiques finished first overall in the regular season winning their third Jean Rougeau Trophy, and won their fourth President's Cup, defeating the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the finals.
==Team changes==
* The Saint-Hyacinthe Laser are relocated to Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, becoming the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. 
* The Moncton Alpines are renamed the Moncton Wildcats.
==Final standings==
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; Pts = Points; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against 
Dilio Division 	GP	W 	L 	T	Pts	GF 	GA
Victoriaville Tigres 	70	43	23	4	90 	293	216
Shawinigan Cataractes	70	41	24	5	87 	277	232
Halifax Mooseheads 	70	37	29	4	78 	267	255
Chicoutimi Saguenéens	70	37	30	3	77 	271	222
Rimouski Océanic 	70	34	31	5	73 	298	261
Beauport Harfangs 	70	24	44	2	50 	216	284
Moncton Wildcats 	70	16	52	2	34 	192	354
Lebel Division 	GP	W 	L 	T	Pts	GF 	GA
Hull Olympiques 	70	48	19	3	99 	346	205
Granby Prédateurs 	70	44	20	6	94 	304	210
Val-d'Or Foreurs 	70	40	28	2	82 	268	230
Drummondville Voltigeurs 	70	36	33	1	73 	305	287
Laval Titan Collège Français	70	27	40	3	57 	260	314
Sherbrooke Faucons 	70	24	45	1	49 	206	283
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 	70	16	49	5	37 	174	324
*complete list of standings.
==Scoring leaders==
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
Pavel Rosa 	Hull Olympiques 	68	63	89	152	56
Martin Menard 	Hull Olympiques 	60	59	82	141	57
Danny Briere 	Drummondville Voltigeurs	59	52	78	130	86
Martin Chouinard	Granby Prédateurs 	69	41	83	124	126
Eric Normandin 	Rimouski Océanic 	65	47	75	122	236
Daniel Corso 	Victoriaville Tigres 	54	51	68	119	50
Eric Belanger 	Beauport / Rimouski 	62	39	78	107	66
Philippe Audet 	Granby Prédateurs 	67	52	56	108	150
J.P. Dumont 	Val-d'Or Foreurs 	62	44	64	108	88
Guy Loranger 	Shawinigan Cataractes 	70	44	62	106	101
* complete scoring statistics
==Playoffs==
Frederic Bouchard was the leading scorer of the playoffs with 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists).
;Division quarterfinals
Byes earned by: Hull Olympiques, Granby Prédateurs, Victoriaville Tigres, Shawinigan Cataractes
* Val-d'Or Foreurs defeated Sherbrooke Faucons 3 games to 0.
* Drummondville Voltigeurs defeated Laval Titan Collège Français 3 games to 0.
* Halifax Mooseheads defeated Beauport Harfangs 3 games to 1.
* Chicoutimi Saguenéens defeated Rimouski Océanic 3 games to 1.
;Division semifinals
* Hull Olympiques defeated Drummondville Voltigeurs 4 games to 1.
* Val-d'Or Foreurs defeated Granby Prédateurs 4 games to 1.
* Chicoutimi Saguenéens defeated Victoriaville Tigres 4 games to 2.
* Halifax Mooseheads defeated Shawinigan Cataractes 4 games to 3.
;Division finals
* Hull Olympiques defeated Val-d'Or Foreurs 4 games to 1.
* Chicoutimi Saguenéens defeated Halifax Mooseheads 4 games to 3.
;League finals
* Hull Olympiques defeated Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4 games to 0.
==All-star teams==
;First team
* Goalkeeper - Marc Denis, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Left defence - Derrick Walser, Beauport Harfangs / Rimouski Océanic
* Right defence - Stephane Robidas, Shawinigan Cataractes 
* Left winger - Philippe Audet, Granby Prédateurs 
* Centreman - Daniel Corso, Victoriaville Tigres 
* Right winger - Pavel Rosa, Hull Olympiques 
* Coach - Clément Jodoin, Halifax Mooseheads
;Second team 
* Goalkeeper - Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Halifax Mooseheads 
* Left defence - Radoslav Suchy, Sherbrooke Faucons / Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Right defence - Frederic Bouchard, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Left winger - Jean-Pierre Dumont, Val-d'Or Foreurs 
* Centreman - Danny Briere, Drummondville Voltigeurs 
* Right winger - Eric Normandin, Rimouski Océanic 
* Coach - Alain Rajotte, Victoriaville Tigres
;Rookie team 
* Goalkeeper - Christian Bronsard, Hull Olympiques 
* Left defence - Francois Beauchemin, Laval Titan Collège Français & Jeffrey Sullivan, Granby Prédateurs / Halifax Mooseheads
* Right defence - Jonathan Girard, Laval Titan Collège Français 
* Left winger - Alex Tanguay, Halifax Mooseheads 
* Centreman - Vincent Lecavalier, Rimouski Océanic 
* Right winger - Gregor Baumgartner, Laval Titan Collège Français 
* Coach - Denis Francoeur, Shawinigan Cataractes
* List of First/Second/Rookie team all-stars.
==Trophies and awards==
;Team
*President's Cup - Playoff Champions, Hull Olympiques
*Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular Season Champions, Hull Olympiques
*Robert Lebel Trophy - Team with best GAA, Hull Olympiques
;Player
*Michel Brière Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player, Daniel Corso, Victoriaville Tigres 
*Jean Béliveau Trophy - Top Scorer, Pavel Rosa, Hull Olympiques 
*Guy Lafleur Trophy - Playoff MVP, Christian Bronsard, Hull Olympiques 
*Ford Cup – Offensive - Offensive Player of the Year, Pavel Rosa, Hull Olympiques 
*Ford Cup – Defensive - Defensive Player of the Year, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Halifax Mooseheads 
*AutoPro Plaque - Best plus/minus total, Pavel Rosa, Hull Olympiques 
*Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy - Best GAA, Marc Denis, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
*Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year, Stephane Robidas, Shawinigan Cataractes 
*Mike Bossy Trophy - Best Pro Prospect, Roberto Luongo, Val-d'Or Foreurs 
*RDS Cup - Rookie of the Year, Vincent Lecavalier, Rimouski Océanic 
*Michel Bergeron Trophy - Offensive Rookie of the Year, Vincent Lecavalier, Rimouski Océanic 
*Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year, Christian Bronsard, Hull Olympiques 
*Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player, Danny Briere, Drummondville Voltigeurs 
*QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year - Humanitarian of the Year, Jason Groleau, Victoriaville Tigres 
*Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player, Luc Vaillancourt, Beauport Harfangs 
;Executive
*Ron Lapointe Trophy - Coach of the Year, Clément Jodoin, Halifax Mooseheads 
*John Horman Trophy - Executive of the Year, Harold MacKay, Halifax Mooseheads 
*St-Clair Group Plaque - Marketing Director of the Year, Matt McKnight, Halifax Mooseheads 
*Paul Dumont Trophy - Personality of the Year, Michel Therrien, Granby Prédateurs
96-97MonWil.jpg|Moncton Wildcats
==References==
* Official QMJHL Website
* www.hockeydb.com/
QMJHL
Category:Quebec Major Junior Hockey League seasons