The 1996–97 OPJHL season is the fourth season of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League (OPJHL). The twenty-two teams of the MacKenzie, MacKinnon, Phillips, and Ruddock Divisions competed in a 51-game schedule. The top 4 teams of each division make the playoffs.
The winner of the OPJHL playoffs, the Milton Merchants, lost the 1997 Buckland Cup and Dudley Hewitt Cup to the Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Changes
Royal York Royals become the Vaughan Vipers. Stouffville Clippers become the Stouffville Spirit.
Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched conference title
1996-97 OPJHL Playoffs
Division Semi-final
Newmarket 87's defeated Bowmanville Eagles 4-games-to-2
Kingston Voyageurs defeated Ajax Axemen 4-games-to-none
Peterborough Jr. Petes defeated Lindsay Muskies 4-games-to-2
Collingwood Blues defeated Orillia Terriers 4-games-to-2
Milton Merchants defeated Streetsville Derbys 4-games-to-none
Brampton Capitals defeated St. Michael's Buzzers 4-games-to-2
Mississauga Chargers defeated Hamilton Kiltys 4-games-to-2
Division Final
Newmarket 87's defeated Collingwood Blues 4-games-to-none
Kingston Voyageurs defeated Peterborough Jr. Petes 4-games-to-1
Milton Merchants defeated Mississauga Chargers 4-games-to-none
Bramalea Blues defeated Brampton Capitals 4-games-to-2
Semi-final
Newmarket 87's defeated Kingston Voyageurs 4-games-to-1
Milton Merchants defeated Bramalea Blues 4-games-to-3
Final
Milton Merchants defeated Newmarket 87's 4-games-to-3
OHA Buckland Cup and Dudley Hewitt Cup Championship
Best-of-7
Rayside-Balfour Sabrecats (NOJHL) defeated Milton Merchants 4-games-to-1
Milton 4 - Rayside-Balfour 0
Rayside-Balfour 4 - Milton 3 OT
Rayside-Balfour 5 - Milton 3
Rayside-Balfour 9 - Milton 2
Rayside-Balfour 4 - Milton 1
Scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes