The 1980–81 QMJHL season was the 12th season in the history of the

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; , LHJMQ), formerly the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The league includes teams in Quebec ...

. The league inaugurated three new trophies for players. The Marcel Robert Trophy is first awarded to the "Best Scholastic Player" and the

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

is first awarded to the "Best Professional Prospect" for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. The league created a second

Rookie of the Year award A Rookie of the Year award or ROY is given by a number of sports leagues to the top-performing athlete in his or her first season within the league. Athletes competing for the first time in any given league are also known as "rookies". Principal ...

. The existing

Michel Bergeron Trophy The Michel Bergeron Trophy is awarded annually to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; , LHJMQ), formerly the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey l ...

becomes the "Offensive" Rookie of the Year award, and the Raymond Lagacé Trophy is first awarded to the "Defensive" Rookie of the Year. Ten teams played 72 games each in the schedule. The defending champion

Cornwall Royals The Cornwall Royals were a junior ice hockey team based in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. The team played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981, and the Ontario Hockey League from 1981 to 1992. This team shared its name with o ...

finished first overall in the regular season, winning the Jean Rougeau Trophy, and won their third, and second consecutive President's Cup, defeating the

Trois-Rivières Draveurs The Trois-Rivières Draveurs ("Raftmen") were a Canadian junior ice hockey team playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). They played home games at the Colisée de Trois-Rivières, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The team was origin ...

in the finals. The Royals went on to win their third, and second consecutive

Memorial Cup The Memorial Cup () is the national championship of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), a consortium of three Junior ice hockey, major junior ice hockey leagues operating in Canada and parts of the United States. It is a four-team round-robin tou ...

championship at the

1981 Memorial Cup The 1981 Memorial Cup occurred May 3–15 at the Windsor Arena in Windsor, Ontario. It was the 63rd annual Memorial Cup competition and determined the major junior ice hockey champion of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Participating team ...

tournament.

Team changes

* The Sorel Éperviers remain in Sorel, Quebec after a mid-season move the previous season.

Final standings

''Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against''
complete list of standings

Scoring leaders

''Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in minutes''

Playoffs

Alain Lemieux Alain Lemieux (born May 24, 1961) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues, Quebec Nordiques, and Pittsburgh Penguins. He is also the older brother of NHL great ...

was the leading scorer of the playoffs with 49 points (18 goals, 31 assists). ;Quarterfinals * Cornwall Royals defeated Quebec Remparts 4 games to 3. * Trois-Rivières Draveurs defeated Montreal Juniors 4 games to 3. * Chicoutimi Saguenéens defeated Shawinigan Cataractes 4 games to 1. * Sherbrooke Castors defeated Sorel Éperviers 4 games to 3. ;Semifinals * Cornwall Royals defeated Sherbrooke Castors 4 games to 3. * Trois-Rivières Draveurs defeated Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4 games to 3. ;Finals * Cornwall Royals defeated Trois-Rivières Draveurs 4 games to 1.

All-star teams

;First team * Goaltender - Corrado Micalef, Sherbrooke Castors * Left defence - Pierre Sevigny, Trois-Rivières Draveurs * Right defence -

Fred Boimistruck Frederick Michael Boimistruck, Jr. (born January 14, 1962) is a Canadians, Canadian retired ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Early life Born in Sudbury, Ontario, Boimistruck grew ...

, Cornwall Royals * Left winger - Normand Lefrancois, Trois-Rivières Draveurs * Centreman -

Dale Hawerchuk Dale Martin Hawerchuk (April 4, 1963 – August 18, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. Drafted first overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, Hawerchuk played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for ...

, Cornwall Royals * Right winger - Sean McKenna, Sherbrooke Castors * Coach - Andre Boisvert, Sherbrooke Castors ;Second team * Goaltender - Michel Dufor, Sorel Éperviers * Left defence - Robert Savard, Cornwall Royals * Right defence - Gilbert Delorme, Chicoutimi Saguenéens * Left winger - Normand Leveille, Chicoutimi Saguenéens * Centreman -

, Trois-Rivières Draveurs * Right winger -

Jean-Marc Gaulin Jean-Marc Gaulin (born March 3, 1962) is a German-born Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 26 games in the National Hockey League with the Quebec Nordiques between 1983 and 1986. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1982 ...

, Sorel Éperviers * Coach -

Bob Kilger Robert Peter Paul Kilger King's Privy Council for Canada, PC (June 29, 1944 – November 29, 2021) was a Canadian politician. Born in Cornwall, Ontario, Kilger was the former Liberal Party of Canada, Liberal member of Parliament for the Cornwal ...

, Cornwall Royals
List of First/Second/Rookie team all-stars

Trophies and awards

;Team * President's Cup - Playoff Champions,

* Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular Season Champions,

* Robert Lebel Trophy - Team with best GAA, Sorel Éperviers ;Player *

Michel Brière Memorial Trophy The Michel Brière Memorial Trophy () is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). It is named for former QMJHL and National Hockey League (NHL) player Michel Brière, who was killed in a c ...

- Most Valuable Player,

, Cornwall Royals *

Jean Béliveau Trophy The Jean Béliveau Trophy is awarded to the top regular season scorer of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The award is named after Quebec native Jean Béliveau, a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame The Hockey Hall of Fame () is ...

- Top Scorer,

, Cornwall Royals *

Guy Lafleur Trophy The Guy Lafleur Trophy () is awarded annually to the Most Valuable Player in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) playoffs. It is named for Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and QMJHL alumnus Guy Lafleur Guy Damien Lafleur (September ...

- Playoff MVP,

, Trois-Rivières Draveurs *

Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy The Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the goaltender in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with the best goals-against average. It is named for Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Jacques Plante. Prior to the creation ...

- Best GAA, Michel Dufour, Sorel Éperviers * Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year,

, Cornwall Royals *

- Best Pro Prospect,

, Cornwall Royals *

- Offensive Rookie of the Year, Claude Verret, Trois-Rivières Draveurs * Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year,

Billy Campbell William Oliver Campbell (born July 7, 1959) is an American film and television actor. He first gained recognition for his recurring role as Luke Fuller in the TV series ''Dynasty'' and in '' The Rocketeer''. Then, he became known for playing R ...

, Montreal Juniors * Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player, Claude Verret, Trois-Rivières Draveurs * Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player, Francois Lecomte, Montreal Juniors

References

Official QMJHL Website

www.hockeydb.com/
{{DEFAULTSORT:1980-81 QMJHL season Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League seasons

QMJHL The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; , LHJMQ), formerly the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The league includes teams in Quebec ...

Team changes

Final standings

Scoring leaders

Playoffs

All-star teams

Trophies and awards

See also

References