Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (french: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec; abbreviated ''QMJHL'' in English, ''LHJMQ'' in French) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league includes teams in the provinces of Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. The current president of the QMJHL is Gilles Courteau.

The President's Cup is the championship trophy of the league. The QMJHL champion then goes on to compete in the Memorial Cup against the OHL and WHL champions, and the CHL host team. The QMJHL had traditionally adopted a rapid and offensive style of hockey. Former QMJHL players hold many of the Canadian Hockey League's career and single season offensive records.

Hockey Hall of Fame alumni of the QMJHL include Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Ray Bourque, Pat LaFontaine, Mike Bossy, Denis Savard, Michel Goulet, Luc Robitaille, and goaltenders Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur.

Member teams

History

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League was founded in 1969, through the merger of best teams from the existing Quebec Junior Hockey League and the Metropolitan Montreal Junior Hockey League, declaring themselves a "major junior" league. Of the original eleven QMJHL teams, eight came from the QJHL, two from the MMJHL, and the Cornwall Royals, from Cornwall, Ontario, near the Quebec border, who transferred from the Central Junior A Hockey League. The Rosemont National and Laval Saints transferred from the MMJHL. The eight teams from the QJHL were the Drummondville Rangers, Quebec Remparts, Saint-Jérôme Alouettes, Shawinigan Bruins, Sherbrooke Castors, Sorel Éperviers, Trois-Rivières Ducs and the Verdun Maple Leafs.

Most of the teams were within a few hours' drive of Montreal. From the first season in 1969–70, only Shawinigan remains in the same city with an uninterrupted history, although the team's name has changed to the Cataractes.

In 1972 the QMJHL had been in operation for three years, and wanted a team in the province's largest city. It threatened a lawsuit to force the Montreal Junior Canadiens of the Ontario Hockey Association into the Quebec-based league. Over the summer of 1972, the OHA granted the Junior Habs a "one-year suspension" of operations, while team ownership transferred the team and players into the QMJHL, renaming themselves the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge in the process. The OHA then reactivated the suspended franchise for the 1973–74 season in Kingston, Ontario, under new ownership and with new players, calling the team the Kingston Canadians.

QMJHL teams have won the Memorial Cup twelve times since 1969, with the Shawinigan Cataractes, Saint John Sea Dogs, the Granby Prédateurs, the Hull Olympiques, Halifax Mooseheads, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Rimouski Océanic, and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan each winning once, the Quebec Remparts winning twice (once in their first edition 1969–1985, and once in their second edition 1997–present) and the Cornwall Royals winning three times.

Starting in 1994, the QMJHL began to expand further east, outside of Quebec. The "Q" filled the void in Atlantic Canada after the exodus of American Hockey League franchises, when the AHL had a strong presence in the 1980s and 1990s; all of the Maritime Division cities save for Bathurst, New Brunswick are former homes of AHL franchises. To date, Fredericton, New Brunswick is the lone former AHL market that has not established a QMJHL franchise.

In recent seasons, the QMJHL has been scouting players from the Atlantic Canada region along with a surge in players coming out of the New England area: the QMJHL has territorial rights to draft and recruit players from New England as part of an agreement where players from the United States can be drafted by the CHL league that is in a similar geographic area.

Retired numbers

League presidents

* Robert Lebel (1969–1975)
* Jean Rougeau (1981–1983)
* Paul Dumont (1983–1984)
* Gilles Courteau (1986–present)

Canadian Hockey League records

This is a list of Canadian Hockey League career and single season records accomplished by QMJHL players.

;Most goals, career
:1st – 309 – Mike Bossy, Laval National (1972–77)
:2nd – 281 – Stephane Lebeau, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
:3rd – 278 – Normand Dupont, Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge, Montreal Juniors (1973–77)

;Most assists, career
:1st – 408 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
:3rd – 346 – Patrick Emond, Trois-Rivières Draveurs, Hull Olympiques, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (1981–86)
:7th – 315 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins (1981–84)

;Most points, career
:1st – 595 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
:3rd – 580 – Stephane Lebeau, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
:4th – 575 – Patrick Emond, Trois-Rivières Draveurs, Hull Olympiques, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (1981–86)

;Most goals, one season
:1st – 133 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
:2nd – 130 – Guy Lafleur, Quebec Remparts, 1970–71 (62 games)
:4th – 104 – Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors, 1982–83 (70 games)
:5th – 103 – Guy Lafleur, Quebec Remparts, 1969–70 (56 games)
:6th – 100 – Gary MacGregor, Cornwall Royals, 1973–74 (66 games)

;Most assists, one season
:1st – 157 – Pierre Larouche, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (70 games)
:2nd – 149 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
:3rd – 136 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes, 1987–88 (70 games)
:5th – 135 – Michel Deziel, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (69 games)
:5th – 135 – Marc Fortier, Chicoutimi Saguenéens, 1986–87 (65 games)

;Most points, one season
:1st – 282 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
:2nd – 251 – Pierre Larouche, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (67 games)
:3rd – 234 – Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors, 1982–83 (70 games)
:4th – 227 – Michel Deziel, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (69 games)
:5th – 216 – Real Cloutier, Quebec Remparts, 1973–74 (69 games)
:6th – 214 – Jacques Cossette, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (68 games)
:8th – 209 – Guy Lafleur, Quebec Remparts, 1970–71 (62 games)
:9th – 206 – Jacques Locas, Quebec Remparts, 1973–74 (63 games)
:10th – 201 – Marc Fortier, Chicoutimi Saguenéens, 1986–87 (65 games)
:11th – 200 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes, 1987–88 (70 games)

Timeline of teams

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Period = from:06/01/1969 till:2021
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Colors = id:barcolor
id:line value:pink
id:bg value:white
id:Former value:rgb(0.742,0.727,0.852) # Use this color to denote a team that is a former league member
id:Current value:rgb(0.4,0.80,0.67) # Use this color to denote a team that is a current league member

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bar:1 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1981 text:Cornwall Royals

bar:2 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1974 text:Drummondville Rangers

bar:3 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1970 text:Laval Saints

bar:4 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1985 text:Quebec Remparts
bar:4 color:Former from:09/01/1988 till:06/01/1991 text:Longueuil
bar:4 color:Former from:09/01/1991 till:06/01/1994 text:Verdun Collège-Français

bar:5 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1971 text:Rosemont
bar:5 color:Former from:09/01/1971 till:06/01/1998 text: Laval National / Voisins / Titan / Titan Collège-Français
bar:5 color:Current from:09/01/1998 till:end text: Acadie-Bathurst Titan

bar:6 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1972 text:Saint-Jérôme Alouettes

bar:7 color:Current from:09/01/1969 till:end text:Shawinigan Bruins / Dynamos / Cataractes

bar:8 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1982 text:Sherbrooke Castors
bar:8 color:Former from:09/01/1982 till:06/01/1995 text:Saint-Jean Castors / Lynx
bar:8 color:Current from:09/01/1995 till:end text:Rimouski Oceanic

bar:9 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1977 text:Sorel Éperviers
bar:9 color:Former from:09/01/1977 till:06/01/1979 text:Verdun
bar:9 color:Former from:09/01/1979 till:06/01/1981 text:Sorel
bar:9 color:Former from:09/01/1981 till:06/01/1997 text:Granby Bisons / Prédateurs
bar:9 color:Current from:09/01/1997 till:end text:Cape Breton Screaming Eagles / Eagles

bar:10 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1992 text:Trois-Rivières Ducs / Draveurs
bar:10 color:Former from:09/01/1992 till:06/01/2003 text:Sherbrooke Faucons / Castors
bar:10 color:Former from:09/01/2003 till:06/01/2011 text:Lewiston Maineiacs
bar:10 color:Current from:09/01/2012 till:end text:Sherbrooke Phoenix

bar:11 color:Former from:09/01/1969 till:06/01/1972 text:Verdun Maple Leafs

bar:12 color:Former from:09/01/1972 till:06/01/1982 text:Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge / Juniors
bar:12 color:Former from:09/01/1982 till:06/01/1989 shift:(-3) text:Verdun Juniors / Jr Canadiens
bar:12 color:Former from:09/01/1989 till:06/01/1996 text: St-Hyacinthe Laser
bar:12 color:Current from:09/01/1996 till:end text:Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

bar:13 color:Current from:09/01/1973 till:end text:Chicoutimi Saguenéens

bar:14 color:Current from:09/01/1973 till:09/01/2003 text:Hull Festivals / Olympiques
bar:14 color:Current from:09/01/2003 till:end text:Gatineau Olympiques

bar:15 color:Current from:09/01/1982 till:end text:Drummondville Voltigeurs

bar:16 color:Former from:09/01/1982 till:06/01/1987 text:Longueuil Chevaliers
bar:16 color:Current from:09/01/1987 till:end text: Victoriaville Tigres

bar:17 color:Former from:09/01/1984 till:01/01/1985 text:Plattsburgh Pioneers

bar:18 color:Former from:09/01/1990 till:06/01/1997 text:Beauport Harfangs
bar:18 color:Current from:09/01/1997 till:end text:Quebec Remparts

bar:19 color:Current from:09/01/1993 till:end text:Val d'Or Foreurs

bar:20 color:Current from:09/01/1994 till:end text:Halifax Mooseheads

bar:21 color:Current from:09/01/1995 till:end text:Moncton Alpines / Wildcats

bar:22 color:Current from:09/01/1997 till:end text:Baie-Comeau Drakkar

bar:23 color:Former from:09/01/1999 till:06/01/2003 text:Montreal Rocket
bar:23 color:Current from:09/01/2003 till:09/01/2013 text: PEI Rocket
bar:23 color:Current from:09/01/2013 till:end text:Charlottetown Islanders

bar:24 color:Current from:09/01/2005 till:end text:Saint John Sea Dogs

bar:25 color:Former from:09/01/2005 till:06/01/2008 text:St. John's
bar:25 color:Former from:09/01/2008 till:06/01/2011 text:Montreal Jrs
bar:25 color:Current from:09/01/2011 till:end text: Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

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This is a complete list of team histories since 1969.
*1969– First season, 2 divisions. East: Quebec City Remparts, Shawinigan Bruins, Drummondville Rangers, Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks), Trois-Rivières Ducs (Dukes), and Sherbrooke Castors (Beavers). West: Saint-Jérôme Alouettes, Cornwall Royals, Rosemont National, Verdun Maple Leafs, and Laval Saints.
*1970– Divisions dissolved, Laval folds.
*1971– Rosemont National move to Laval.
*1972– The Saint-Jérôme Alouettes and the Verdun Maple Leafs fold. The Montreal Junior Canadiens franchise of the OHA transfers to QMJHL, becoming the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge.
*1973– League split into two divisions. East: Sorel, Quebec, Shawinigan, Trois-Rivières, Chicoutimi; West: Cornwall, Montreal, Sherbrooke, Laval, Drummondville, Hull. Chicoutimi Saguenéens, and the Hull Festivals granted franchises. Shawinigan Bruins become Shawinigan Dynamos.
*1974– Drummondville Rangers fold, Trois-Rivières Ducs become Trois-Rivières Draveurs (Lumberjacks).
*1975– Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge became Montreal Juniors.
*1976– Hull Festivals became Hull Olympiques. Divisions renamed: East becomes Dilio, West becomes Lebel.
*1977– Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks) move to Verdun. Sherbrooke moved to Dilio Division, while Verdun played in the Lebel.
*1978– Shawinigan Dynamos became Shawinigan Cataractes.
*1979– Verdun Éperviers (Black Hawks) became Sorel/Verdun Éperviers. Laval National become Laval Voisins.
*1980– Sorel/Verdun Éperviers became Sorel Éperviers.
*1981– Divisions cease to exist, Cornwall moved to the OHL, Sorel Éperviers moved to Granby and became the Bisons.
*1982– Lebel and Dilio Divisions reintroduced. Shawinigan, Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, and Drummondville played in the Dilio, while Laval, Verdun, Longueuil, Saint-Jean, Hull, and Granby played in the Lebel. Sherbrooke Castors moved to Saint-Jean. Montreal Juniors moved to Verdun. Drummondville Voltigeurs (Infantrymen) granted a franchise, Longueuil Chevaliers (Cavaliers) granted a franchise.
*1984– Plattsburgh Pioneers granted a franchise, but fold three months into the schedule after playing 17 games. They played in the Lebel Division, Granby is moved to the Dilio. Verdun Juniors become the Verdun Junior Canadiens.
*1985– Quebec Remparts fold. Laval Voisins became Laval Titan.
*1987– Longueuil Chevaliers moved to Victoriaville and became the Tigres. They played in the Dilio. Granby was moved to the Lebel Division.
*1988– Divisions ceased to exist, Longueuil Collège-Français are granted the rights to resurrect the Quebec Remparts franchise.
*1989– Verdun Junior Canadiens moved to Saint-Hyacinthe and became the Laser. Saint-Jean Castors became St-Jean Lynx.
*1990– Lebel and Dilio divisions created yet again: Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières, Drummondville, Shawinigan, Beauport, and Victoriaville play in the Dilio; Longueuil, Hull, Laval, Saint-Hyacinthe, Granby, and Saint-Jean played in the Lebel. Beauport Harfangs was granted a franchise.
*1991– Longueuil Collège-Français moved to Verdun.
*1992– Trois-Rivières Draveurs moved to Sherbrooke and became the Faucons.
*1993– Val-d'Or granted a franchise, named the Foreurs. They played in the Lebel.
*1994– Verdun Collège-Français folded. Halifax awarded an expansion team, the Mooseheads. Halifax played in the Dilio. Laval Titan became Laval Titan Collège-Français.
*1995– Saint-Jean Lynx moved to Rimouski and become the Océanic. Moncton Alpines franchise granted. Rimouski and Moncton both played in the Dilio. Drummondville and Sherbrooke moved to the Lebel. Granby Bisons became Granby Prédateurs.
*1996– Saint-Hyacinthe Laser moved to Rouyn-Noranda and became the Huskies. Moncton Alpines became Moncton Wildcats.
*1997– Granby Prédateurs move to Cape Breton and became the Screaming Eagles. They played in the Dilio. Shawinigan moved to the Lebel. The Beauport Harfangs moved to Quebec City and became the Quebec Remparts. Baie-Comeau was granted an expansion team called the Drakkar and played in the Dilio.
*1998– Laval Titan Collège-Français moved to Acadie- Bathurst, and played in the Dilio.
*1999– Lebel Division became Lebel Conference, and split into the West Division (Hull, Rouyn-Noranda, Montreal, Val-d'Or) and the Central Division (Shawinigan, Drummondville, Sherbrooke, Victoriaville). The Dilio Division became the Dilio Conference and split into the Eastern Division (Rimouski, Quebec City, Baie-Comeau, Chicoutimi) and the Maritime Division (Moncton, Halifax, Cape Breton, Acadie-Bathurst). Montreal Rocket was granted a franchise.
* 2003– The QMJHL switched to a three-division format: Atlantic (Cape Breton, Moncton, Prince Edward Island, Halifax, Acadie-Bathurst); Eastern (Rimouski, Chicoutimi, Lewiston, Quebec, Baie-Comeau); and Western (Gatineau, Shawinigan, Rouyn-Noranda, Val-d'Or, Drummondville, Victoriaville). Sherbrooke Castors moved to Maine, becoming the Lewiston Maineiacs; Montreal Rocket moved to Charlottetown and took the Prince Edward Island name, Hull Olympiques become Gatineau Olympiques.
* 2004– The QMJHL announced plans to expand from 16 to 18 teams, effective with the 2005–06 season. St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Saint John, New Brunswick were awarded franchises, the St. John's Fog Devils and Saint John Sea Dogs respectively.
*2005– Effective with the 2005–06 season, the league reverted to a two-division format. The East Division consisted of all of the league's non-Québec teams, and the West Division contained all of the Quebec teams.
*2006– The Western Division was renamed the Telus Division, under a sponsorship agreement with the Telus Corporation.
* 2008– The St. John's Fog Devils relocated to Verdun, Quebec to become the Montreal Junior Hockey Club.
*2011– The Lewiston Maineiacs were purchased by the league and were dissolved. The remaining roster that's still eligible to play in the QMJHL was claimed by the remaining teams in a dispersal draft.
*2011– The Montreal Junior Hockey Club was sold to a group led by former NHL Defencemen Joel Bouchard and renamed the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
*2012– Sherbrooke permitted to resurrect the former Lewiston franchise as the Phoenix.
*2013– The PEI Rocket changed their franchise name to the Charlottetown Islanders.
*2020– League returns to a three-division format.

Cities represented

Memorial Cup champions

The Memorial Cup has been captured fourteen times by QMJHL teams since the league's founding in 1969:
*2022 – Saint John Sea Dogs
* 2019 – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
* 2018 – Acadie–Bathurst Titan
*2013 – Halifax Mooseheads
*2012 – Shawinigan Cataractes
*2011 – Saint John Sea Dogs
*2006 – Quebec Remparts
*2000 – Rimouski Océanic
* 1997 – Hull Olympiques
* 1996 – Granby Prédateurs
* 1981 – Cornwall Royals
* 1980 – Cornwall Royals
*1972 – Cornwall Royals
*1971 – Quebec Remparts

Trophies and awards

This is a list of QMJHL trophies. The trophy's first season being awarded is shown in brackets.

Team

*President's Cup – Playoff Champions (1969–70)
*Jean Rougeau Trophy – Regular Season Champions (1969–70)
* Luc Robitaille Trophy – Team that scored the most goals (2001–02 to 2013–14), Team with the best goals for average (2014–15)
*Robert Lebel Trophy – Team with best GAA (1977–78)

Player

* Michel Briere Trophy – Most Valuable Player (1972–73)
* Jean Beliveau Trophy – Top Scorer (1969–70)
*Guy Lafleur Trophy – Playoff MVP (1977–78)
*Telus Cup – Offensive – Offensive Player of the Year (1989–90)
*Telus Cup – Defensive – Defensive Player of the Year (1989–90)
* Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy – Best GAA (1969–70)
* Guy Carbonneau Trophy – Best Defensive Forward (2004–05)
*Emile Bouchard Trophy – Defenceman of the Year (1975–76)
*Kevin Lowe Trophy – Best Defensive Defenceman (2004–05)
*Michael Bossy Trophy – Best Pro Prospect (1980–81)
*RDS Cup – Rookie of the Year (1991–92)
*Michel Bergeron Trophy – Offensive Rookie of the Year (1969–70)
*Raymond Lagacé Trophy – Defensive Rookie of the Year (1980–81)
*Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy – Most Sportsmanlike Player (1969–70)
*QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year – Also known as "Wittnauer Plaque" (1992–93)
*Marcel Robert Trophy – Best Scholastic Player (1980–81)
*Paul Dumont Trophy – Personality of the Year (1989–90)

Executive

*Ron Lapointe Trophy – Coach of the Year (1992–93)
*Maurice Filion Trophy – General Manager of the Year (2005–06)
*John Horman Trophy – Executive of the Year (1989–90)
*Jean Sawyer Trophy – Marketing Director of the Year (1990–91)

Defunct trophies

*AutoPro Plaque – Best Plus/Minus total (1989–90 to 2001–02)
*Philips Plaque – Best faceoff percentage (1997–98 to 2001–02)

See also

*List of ice hockey leagues
*List of QMJHL seasons

References

External links

Official websiteCanadian Hockey League Official website

{{Junior Hockey

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League,
1969 establishments in Quebec
Ice hockey leagues in Quebec, 2
Junior ice hockey leagues in Canada, 1
Sports leagues established in 1969