The 1997–98 QMJHL season was the 29th 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

Quebec Remparts The Quebec Remparts () are a Canadian junior ice hockey based in Quebec City, Quebec. The team plays in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and is named after the Ramparts of Quebec City (). There have been two franchises name ...

name was revived after twelve years when the

Beauport Harfangs The Beauport Harfangs (Snow Owls) were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) from 1990 to 1997. The team played its home games at the Aréna Marcel-Bédard in the Quebec City suburb of Beauport. The team's firs ...

changed identities. The QMJHL continued to grow in eastern markets, with an expansion team in

Baie-Comeau Baie-Comeau () is a city in the Côte-Nord region of the province of Quebec, Canada. It is located on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, and is the seat of Manicouagan Regional County Municipality. It is near the mouth of the Manicouagan Ri ...

and the relocating of the Granby Prédateurs to

Cape Breton Cape Breton Island (, formerly '; or '; ) is a rugged and irregularly shaped island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island accounts for 18.7% of Nova Scotia's total area. Although ...

. The league inaugurated the Philips Plaque, awarded to the player with the best

faceoff A face-off is the method used to begin and restart play after goals in some sports using sticks, primarily ice hockey, bandy, floorball, broomball, rinkball, and lacrosse. During a face-off, two teams line up in opposition to each other, and the ...

percentage. The Ford Cups were renamed the

Telus Telus may refer to: * Telus Corporation, a Canadian publicly traded holding company ** Telus Communications, a telecommunications company ** Telus Digital, a technology company ** Telus Health, a health technology provider ** Telus Mobility T ...

Cups, one each for the offensive and

defensive Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense indust ...

players of the year. Fifteen teams played 70 games each in the schedule. The

finished first overall in the regular season winning their first Jean Rougeau Trophy, since the original name was revived. The

Val-d'Or Foreurs The are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Val-d'Or, in the region of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. They play in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, one of the three component leagues of the Canadian Hockey League. The team n ...

won their first President's Cup, defeating the

Rimouski Océanic The Rimouski Océanic are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The franchise was granted for the 1969–70 season as the Sherbrooke Castors. The Castors played in Sherbrooke from 1969 to 1982 ...

in the finals.

Team changes

* The Baie-Comeau Drakkar joined the league as an expansion franchise. * The

relocated from the nearby suburbs, to

Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

, becoming the second incarnation of the

. * The Granby Prédateurs relocated to

Sydney, Nova Scotia Sydney is a former city and urban community on the east coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Sydney was founded in 1785 by the British, was incorporated as a city in 1904, and dissolv ...

, becoming the

Cape Breton Screaming Eagles The Cape Breton Eagles are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. They are members of the Maritimes Division, and play their home games at ...

, and switched to the Dilio Division. * The

Shawinigan Cataractes The Shawinigan Cataractes () are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Shawinigan, Quebec. The franchise plays their home games at the Centre Gervais Auto, and were originally known as ...

switched to the Lebel Division. * The

Victoriaville Tigres The Victoriaville Tigres are a Canadian junior ice hockey team that plays in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The team is based in Victoriaville, Quebec. The team plays its home games at the Colisée Desjardins. History The franchis ...

switched to the Lebel Division.

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 = Penalty minutes''

Playoffs

Jean-Pierre Dumont Jean-Pierre "J.P." Dumont (born April 1, 1978) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey Forward (hockey), forward who played in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, and Nashville Predators. Dumont ...

was the leading scorer of the playoffs with 46 points (31 goals, 15 assists). ;Division quarterfinals * Quebec Remparts defeated Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 4 games to 0. * Rimouski Océanic defeated Halifax Mooseheads 4 games to 1. * Moncton Wildcats defeated Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4 games to 2. * Hull Olympiques defeated Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4 games to 2. * Laval Titan Collège Français defeated Victoriaville Tigres 4 games to 2. * Val-d'Or Foreurs defeated Shawinigan Cataractes 4 games to 2. ;Division semifinals - Round-robin ''Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; PTS = Points; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against'' ^‡ Laval Titan Collège Français defeated Hull Olympiques in a one-game playoff to determine 2nd place in the round-robin standings. ;Division finals * Rimouski Océanic defeated Quebec Remparts 4 games to 2. * Val-d'Or Foreurs defeated Laval Titan Collège Français 4 games to 1. ;League finals * Val-d'Or Foreurs defeated Rimouski Océanic 4 games to 0.

All-star teams

;First team * Goaltender -

Mathieu Garon Mathieu Carol Garon (; born January 9, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue ...

, Victoriaville Tigres * Left defence - Derrick Walser, Rimouski Océanic * Right defence - Remi Royer, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies * Left winger -

Ramzi Abid Ramzi Abid (born March 24, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player of Tunisian descent, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers and the Nashville Predator ...

, Chicoutimi Saguenéens * Centreman -

Vincent Lecavalier Vincent Lecavalier (born April 21, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre currently working as a special advisor of hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected first ove ...

, Rimouski Océanic * Right winger - Mathieu Benoit, Chicoutimi Saguenéens * Coach - Guy Chouinard, Quebec Remparts ;Second team * Goaltender - Patrick Couture, Quebec Remparts * Left defence - Alexei Tezikov, Moncton Wildcats * Right defence - Jonathan Girard, Laval Titan Collège Français * Left winger - Pierre Dagenais, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies * Centreman - Mike Ribeiro, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies * Right winger - Sebastien Roger, Moncton Wildcats * Coach - Claude Julien, Hull Olympiques ;Rookie team * Goaltender - Jean-Marc Pelletier, Rimouski Océanic * Left defence - Alexei Tezikov, Moncton Wildcats * Right defence -

Mathieu Biron Mathieu Biron (born April 29, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played over 250 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). After retiring as a hockey player, he became a firefighter. Playing career As a youth, Biron pl ...

, Shawinigan Cataractes * Left winger -

Brad Richards Bradley Ray Richards (born May 2, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre (ice hockey), centre. Richards was drafted in the third round, 64th overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft and played for the Li ...

, Rimouski Océanic * Centreman - Mike Ribeiro, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies * Right winger - Michael Ryder, Hull Olympiques * Coach - Christian Larue, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
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,

;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,

, Chicoutimi Saguenéens *

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,

, Chicoutimi Saguenéens *

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,

, Val-d'Or Foreurs * Telus Cup – Offensive - Offensive Player of the Year, Pierre Dagenais, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies *

Telus Cup – Defensive The Telus Cup – Defensive is awarded annually to the person voted the best defensive player in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. It was known as the Shell Cup from 1989–90 to 1993–94, and as the Ford Cup from 1994–95 to 1996–97. Winn ...

- Defensive Player of the Year,

, Victoriaville Tigres * AutoPro Plaque - Best plus/minus total, David Thibeault, Victoriaville Tigres * Philips Plaque - Best faceoff percentage, Eric Demers, Victoriaville Tigres * Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy - Best GAA,

, Victoriaville Tigres * Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year, Derrick Walser, Rimouski Océanic *

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 ...

- Best Pro Prospect,

, Rimouski Océanic *

RDS Cup The Sidney Crosby Trophy is awarded annually by the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) to the overall Rookie of the Year. The Cup was known as the Molson Cup from 1991 to 1994, and the New Face Cup from 1994 to 1996. From 1996 to 2025 th ...

- Rookie of the Year, Mike Ribeiro, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies *

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 ...

- Offensive Rookie of the Year, Mike Ribeiro, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies * Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year, Alexei Tezikov, Moncton Wildcats * Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player, Simon Laliberte, Moncton Wildcats * QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year - Humanitarian of the Year, David Thibeault, Victoriaville Tigres * Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player,

Michel Tremblay Michel Tremblay (born 25 June 1942) is a Canadian writer, novelist and playwright. Tremblay was born in Montreal, Quebec, where he grew up in the French-speaking neighbourhood of Plateau Mont-Royal; at the time of his birth, a neighbourhood ...

, Shawinigan Cataractes * Paul Dumont Trophy - Personality of the Year, Mike Ribeiro, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies ;Executive * Ron Lapointe Trophy - Coach of the Year, Guy Chouinard, Quebec Remparts * John Horman Trophy - Executive of the Year, Lionel Brochu, Val-d'Or Foreurs * St-Clair Group Plaque - Marketing Director of the Year, Jeff Rose, Moncton Wildcats

References

Official QMJHL Website

www.hockeydb.com/
{{DEFAULTSORT:1997-98 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 ...