1996-97 ECHL season

The 1996-97 ECHL season was the ninth season of the ECHL. Before the start of the season, two franchises relocated, one was renamed, and two expansion franchises were founded. Founding member Erie Panthers moved to Baton Rouge, LA and the Nashville Knights moved to Pensacola, FL, the Wheeling Thunderbirds changed their name to the Wheeling Nailers following a lawsuit with WHL's Seattle Thunderbirds, and the ECHL welcomed franchises in Peoria, IL and Biloxi, MS.
In 1996, the ECHL Board of Governors decided to retire the Jack Riley Cup and create a new trophy, the Patrick J. Kelly Cup, named after founding father and former ECHL commissioner, Patrick J. Kelly. The league also created a new individual award, the Sportsmanship Award, to be awarded to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability as voted by the coaches of each of the ECHL teams.ECHL Trophies and Awards
The South Carolina Stingrays finished first overall in the season and became the first team in ECHL history to win the Brabham and Kelly Cups in the same year as the defeated the Louisiana IceGators 4 games to 1.
==Regular season==
===Final Standings1996-97 ECHL Standings===
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Green shade = Clinched playoff spot, Blue shade = Clinched division
East Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
South Carolina Stingrays	70	45	15	10	100	345	253
Hampton Roads Admirals 	70	46	19	5 	97 	286	223
Richmond Renegades 	70	41	25	4 	86 	252	235
Roanoke Express 	70	38	26	6 	82 	262	250
Charlotte Checkers 	70	35	28	7 	77 	271	267
Raleigh Icecaps 	70	30	33	7 	67 	256	293
Knoxville Cherokees 	70	24	43	3 	51 	260	343
North Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
Columbus Chill 	70	44	21	5 	93 	303	257
Peoria Rivermen 	70	43	21	6 	92 	308	219
Dayton Bombers 	70	36	26	8 	80 	253	258
Wheeling Nailers 	70	36	29	5 	77 	298	291
Toledo Storm 	70	32	28	10	74 	258	248
Huntington Blizzard 	70	33	33	4 	70 	273	296
Louisville Riverfrogs	70	29	31	10	68 	234	290
Johnstown Chiefs 	70	24	39	7 	55 	253	354
South Division 	GP	W 	L 	T 	Pts	GF 	GA
Tallahassee Tiger Sharks 	70	39	23	8 	86 	263	236
Birmingham Bulls 	70	36	25	9 	81 	291	296
Louisiana IceGators 	70	38	28	4 	80 	292	244
Mobile Mysticks 	70	34	25	11	79 	257	263
Mississippi Sea Wolves 	70	34	26	10	78 	241	245
Pensacola Ice Pilots 	70	36	31	3 	75 	275	275
Baton Rouge Kingfish 	70	31	33	6 	68 	222	238
Jacksonville Lizard Kings	70	21	37	12	54 	220	299
== Kelly Cup playoffs ==
===Bracket===
==ECHL awards==
Patrick J. Kelly Cup: 	South Carolina Stingrays
Henry Brabham Cup: 	South Carolina Stingrays
John Brophy Award: 	Brian McCutcheon (Columbus)
ECHL Most Valuable Player: 	Mike Ross (South Carolina)
Kelly Cup Playoffs Most Valuable Player:	Jason Fitzsimmons (South Carolina)
ECHL Goaltender of the Year: 	Marc Delorme (Louisiana)
ECHL Rookie of the Year: 	Dany Bousquet (Birmingham)
Defenseman of the Year: 	Chris Valicevic (Louisiana)
Leading Scorer: 	Ed Courtenay (South Carolina)
Sportsmanship Award: 	Mike Ross (South Carolina)
==Team Photos==
96-97PeoRiv.jpg|Peoria Rivermen
==References==
==See also==
* ECHL
* ECHL All-Star Game
* Kelly Cup
* List of ECHL seasons
Category:ECHL seasons
ECHL season, 1996–97
ECHL season, 1996–97