The 1996 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey tournament involved 12 schools playing in single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college ice hockey. It began on March 22, 1996, and ended with the championship game on March 30. A total of 11 games were played. The top two seeds in each region received a bye into the tournament quarterfinals.

In the regional semifinals, Michigan's Mike Legg scored a high wraparound goal that, in the U.S., is now known as a Michigan goal.^[1]

The University of Michigan, coached by Red Berenson, won the national championship with a 3–2 victory over Colorado College in overtime in front of 12,957 fans.^[2]

The at-large bids and seeding for each team in the tournament were announced after the conference tournaments concluded. The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) had four teams receive a berth in the tournament, the ECAC and Hockey East each had three teams receive a berth in the tournament, while the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) had two berths.

^[3]

• East Regional – Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY
• West Regional – Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, MI
• Frozen Four – Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH

Note: * denotes overtime period(s)

• G: Marty Turco (Michigan)
• D: Steven Halko (Michigan)
• D: Scott Swanson (Colorado College)
• F: Peter Geronazzo (Colorado College)
• F: Brendan Morrison* (Michigan)
• F: Martin St. Louis (Vermont)

* Most Outstanding Player(s)^[6]

^[7]