The 1996–97 Latvian Hockey League season was the sixth season of the Latvian Hockey League, the top level of ice hockey in Latvia. Eight teams participated in the league, and LB/Essamika won the championship.
| 1996–97 Latvian Hockey League | |
|---|---|
| League | Latvian Hockey Higher League |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Regular season | |
| Champions | LB/Essamika |
| Runners-up | HK Nik’s Brih Riga |
Final round
edit| Club | GP | W | T | L | GF:GA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | LB/Essamika | 20 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 187:43 | 38 |
| 2. | HK Nik’s Brih Riga | 20 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 153:76 | 27 |
| 3. | Essamika Ogre | 20 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 110:64 | 25 |
| 4. | HK Lido Nafta Riga | 20 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 105:112 | 18 |
Relegation round
edit| Club | GP | W | T | L | GF:GA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | Vital Riga | 20 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 106:79 | 24 |
| 6. | HK Laterna Riga | 20 | 8 | 0 | 12 | 88:142 | 16 |
| 7. | Hanza Riga | 20 | 4 | 1 | 15 | 74:146 | 9 |
| 8. | HK Daugava Riga | 20 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 68:229 | 3 |