The Verdun Junior Canadiens were a

junior ice hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...

team in the

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 l ...

(QMJHL) from 1984 to 1989. They played home games at the

Verdun Auditorium The Verdun Auditorium is an arena located in the borough of Verdun, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The building was constructed in 1938 and holds 4,114 seats. The largest arena in the west end of Montreal, the complex is also home to Arena Denis Sa ...

, and won the

President's Cup The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world minus Europe. Europe competes against the United States in a similar but considerably ...

during the

1984–85 QMJHL season The 1984–85 QMJHL season was the 16th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league experimented for season, awarding one point for an overtime loss. Points for an overtime loss would not be awarded again until the 1 ...

History

Yvon Lambert Yvon Pierre Lambert (born May 20, 1950) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. Lambert was born in Drummondville, Quebec. Although drafted in 1970 by the Detroit Red Wings, Lambert started his National Hockey League (NHL) caree ...

was named the team's head coach for the

. He resigned on March 8, 1985, with five games remaining, because he said "it was too difficult for him to motivate amateur-level players".

Jean Bégin Jean Bégin (1944 – November 20, 1991) was a Canadian ice hockey coach and convicted sex offender. He worked six seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and one season in the Nationale 1A league in France. He was the first ...

was named head coach for the final five games of the season and the playoffs. The team that season included future NHL players

Claude Lemieux Claude Percy Lemieux (born July 16, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for six teams between 1983 and 2009. Lemieux won four Stanley Cup championships during his care ...

Jimmy Carson James Charles Carson (born July 20, 1968) is an American former professional hockey player. He played 10 seasons in the National Hockey League with five different teams. In 1988, he became only the second teenager in NHL history to score 50 goals ...

Gerry Fleming Gerald Alexander Fleming (born October 16, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played 11 games in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens. Fleming also played ice hockey for the University of Prince Edward ...

Shane MacEachern Shane MacEachern (born December 14, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He played one game with the St. Louis Blues in the 1987–88 season. See also *List of players who played only one game in the NHL This is a list of ...

, and

Everett Sanipass Everett Sanipass (born February 13, 1968) is a Canadian retired ice hockey forward. Sanipass was born in Elsipogtog First Nation, New Brunswick. Sanipass is the first Native Canadian to be inducted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame. Play ...

. Bégin led Verdun to three wins in the remainder of the regular season, and a first-place finish in the Lebel Division. In the playoffs, Verdun defeated the

Hull Olympiques The Gatineau Olympiques are a major junior ice hockey team based in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, that plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Starting with the 2021–22 season, the Olympiques play home games at Centre Slush Puppie, ...

four games to one in the first round, then defeated the

Shawinigan Cataractes The Shawinigan Cataractes (french: Cataractes de Shawinigan) are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. The Cataractes have been previously known as the Shawinigan Bruin ...

four games to one in the second round, and defeated the

Chicoutimi Saguenéens The Chicoutimi Saguenéens are a junior ice hockey team which plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The team is based out of Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada (now a part of the city of Saguenay) and owned by the City of Saguenay. Th ...

in four consecutive games to win the

. Claude Lemieux led the league in playoffs scoring 23 goals, and 40 points. Verdun's games in the

1985 Memorial Cup The 1985 Memorial Cup took place on May 11–18 at the Shawinigan Municipal Auditorium in Shawinigan, Quebec and at Centre Civique in Drummondville, Quebec. It was the 67th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice ho ...

were played in

Drummondville Drummondville is a city in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec, located east of Montreal on the Saint-François River. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 79,258. The mayor of Drummondville is Stéphanie Lacoste. Drummondville is ...

, Quebec. Verdun lost 6-3 to the

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (often shortened to Soo Greyhounds) are a Junior ice hockey#Major junior, major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the GFL Memorial Gardens. The present team was ...

in game one, lost 5-3 to the

Prince Albert Raiders The Prince Albert Raiders are a major junior ice hockey team in the Western Hockey League. The Raiders play in the East Division of the Eastern Conference. They are based in the city of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. The team plays its hom ...

in game two, and lost 5-1 to the Shawinigan Cataractes in game three. Two seasons later the Junior Canadiens began three consecutive seasons placing last in the QMJHL. The team was sold after the 1988–89 season, becoming the

Saint-Hyacinthe Laser The Saint-Hyacinthe Laser were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1989 to 1996. They played their home games at Stade L.P. Gaucher in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. History The Saint-Hyacinthe Laser were born ...

Players

Claude Lemieux was awarded the

Guy Lafleur Trophy The Guy Lafleur Trophy is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs. It is named for Hockey Hall of Famer and QMJHL alumnus Guy Lafleur Guy Damien Lafleur (September 20, 1951 – April 22, ...

as the most valuable player in the 1985 playoffs. Jimmy Carson won two awards during the 1984–85 season. He won the

Michel Bergeron Trophy The Michel Bergeron Trophy is awarded annually to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League's "Offensive Rookie of the Year (award), Rookie of the Year." From 1969 to 1980, the trophy was awarded to the QMHL's "Overall Rookie of the Year." The Bergeron ...

as the offensive rookie-of-the-year, and the

Michael Bossy Trophy The Michael Bossy Trophy ('' French:Trophée Michael Bossy'') is awarded annually to the player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League judged to be the best professional prospect. The award is named after former New York Islanders forward Mike B ...

as the best professional prospect. Carson won the

Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy The Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the most sportsmanlike player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The award began in the 1969–70 season as a team trophy awarded to the league's West Division champions. It has bee ...

as most sportsmanlike player during the 1985–86 season. :NHL alumni

Yearly results

Regular season and playoffs results:

Regular season

Playoffs

*1984–85 Defeated

4 games to 1 in quarter-finals.
Defeated

4 games to 1 in semi-finals.
Defeated

4 games to 0 in finals. QMJHL CHAMPIONS
Finished winless at

1984 Memorial Cup The 1984 Memorial Cup occurred May 12–19 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener, Ontario. It was the 66th annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Part ...

tournament. *1985–86 Lost to

Saint-Jean Castors Saint-Jean (French for Saint John) may refer to: Places Belgium * Sint-Jan, a borough of Ypres, sometimes referenced as ''Saint-Jean'' in a World War I-related context Canada *Lac Saint-Jean *Lac-Saint-Jean-Est Regional County Municipality *L ...

5 games to 0 in quarter-finals. *1986–87 Out of playoffs. *1987–88 Out of playoffs. *1988–89 Out of playoffs.

References

{{Defunct QMJHL 1984 establishments in Quebec 1989 disestablishments in Quebec Defunct Quebec Major Junior Hockey League teams Ice hockey teams in Montreal Ice hockey clubs established in 1984 Sports clubs disestablished in 1989 Verdun, Quebec