1996–97 Division 1 season (Swedish ice hockey)

1996-97 was the 22nd season that Division 1 operated as the second tier of ice hockey in Sweden, below the top-flight Elitserien (now the SHL).

Format
Division 1 was divided into four starting groups of 10 teams each. The top two teams in each group qualified for the Allsvenskan, while the remaining eight teams had to compete in a qualifying round. The teams were given zero to seven bonus points based on their finish in the first round. The top two teams from each qualifying round qualified for the playoffs. The last-place team in each of the qualifying groups was relegated directly to Division 2, while the second-to-last-place team had to play in a relegation series to retain their spot in Division 1 for the following season.

Of the eight teams in the Allsvenskan, the top two qualified directly for the Kvalserien. The third-sixth place teams qualified for the second round of the playoffs. The two playoff winners qualified for the Kvalserien, in which the top two teams qualified for the following Elitserien season.

First round

 * Timrå IK - Nyköpings HC 0:2 (5:6 OT, 2:3 OT)
 * Sunne IK - Västerviks IK 0:2 (3:4, 2:4)
 * Uppsala AIS - Kiruna IF 0:2 (2:3, 1:2 OT)
 * Tingsryds AIF - Grums IK 2:0 (3:0, 5:3)

Second round

 * Mora IK - Tingsryds AIF 2:0 (5:3, 3:2 OT)
 * Skellefteå AIK - Kiruna IF 2:1 (2:0, 3:4, 5:0)
 * Linköpings HC - Nyköpings HC 2:0 (5:2, 7:3)
 * Huddinge IK - Västerviks IK 0:2 (1:2, 1:2)

Third round

 * Linköpings HC - Västerviks IK 2:0 (5:2, 3:0)
 * Skellefteå AIK - Mora IK 1:2 (3:2 OT, 2:3, 2:3 OT)