The 1996–97 Ottawa Senators season was the fifth season of the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). This season saw great improvement by the club, as the team finished out of last place in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the first time in team history, and went on to qualify for the 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Ottawa Senators' 1996–97 campaign was their fifth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The team experienced considerable improvement during this period, ultimately finishing outside the bottom spot in the NHL standings for the first time ever and advancing to the 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.