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Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey facts for kids

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Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey
Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey log.png
Sport Ice hockey
Founded 1996
No. of teams 6
Country Canada
Headquarters Thetford Mines, Quebec
Most recent
champion(s)
Thetford Assurancia (4)
Most titles Thetford Assurancia (4)

The Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (LNAH), also known as the "North American Hockey League", is a hockey league in Quebec, Canada. It's a semi-professional league, meaning players often have other jobs besides hockey. Teams in the LNAH play to win the Vertdure Cup.

History of the LNAH

The league started in 1996 as the Quebec Semi-Pro Hockey League (QSPHL). In 2004, it became a fully professional league and changed its name to the LNAH. At that time, it had its largest number of teams, with ten playing.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019-20 playoffs were stopped and never finished. The Thetford Assurancia team was the champion of the regular season that year. The league had hoped to start the 2021 season in January, but in November 2020, they announced it would not happen. They did consider a special spring tournament if things got better.

How the League Plays

The LNAH is known for its very physical style of play, including many fights. It has a reputation as one of the toughest hockey leagues in the world. For example, during the 2010–11 season, there were about 3.2 fights per game in the LNAH. This is much higher than the National Hockey League, which had about 0.6 fights per game at that time.

Even with this tough reputation, many players in the LNAH have played in higher leagues before. These include former National Hockey League (NHL) or American Hockey League (AHL) players. Some famous names who played in the LNAH are Patrick Côté, Stéphane Richer, and Donald Brashear. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, when NHL players couldn't play in their league, some of them, like Sébastien Caron and Marc-André Bergeron, played the whole season in the LNAH. This league also allows teams to have many experienced players, unlike other minor leagues.

The LNAH holds a 15-round draft in the summer. Players who are too old for junior hockey can be drafted, even if an NHL team has already drafted them. The league used to have a rule that players must have played junior hockey in Quebec, but this rule hasn't always been strictly followed for teams outside Quebec.

LNAH Teams

Current Teams

Team City Arena Joined
Jonquière Marquis Saguenay, Quebec Palais des Sports de Saguenay [fr] 1996
Laval Pétroliers Laval, Quebec Colisée de Laval 2018
Rivière-du-Loup 3L Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec Centre Premier Tech [fr] 2008
Saint-Georges Cool FM 103.5 Saint-Georges, Quebec Centre Sportif Lacroix-Dutil 1996
Sorel-Tracy Éperviers Sorel-Tracy, Quebec Colisée Cardin 1996
Thetford Assurancia Thetford Mines, Quebec Centre Mario Gosselin 1996
Saint-Hyacinthe Bataillon Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec Stade Louis-Philippe-Gaucher 2024

Team History Timeline

Bâtisseurs de Montcalm Berlin Blackjacks Laval Predators Valleyfield Braves Sainte-Marie Poutrelles Delta Rivière-du-Loup 3L Rivière-du-Loup Promutuel Saguenay Fjord (hockey) Jonquière Condors Asbestos Aztèques Cornwall River Kings Windsor Wild Sherbrooke Saint-François Sherbrooke Saint-François Granby Prédateurs (LNAH) Waterloo 94 Pont-Rouge Lois Jeans Pont Rouge Lois Jeans Pont Rouge Lois Jeans Pont Rouge Lois Jeans Pont Rouge Lois Jeans Thetford Assurancia Sorel Royaux Sorel-Tracy Hawks Sorel-Tracy Hawks Sorel-Tracy Hawks Sorel-Tracy Hawks Sorel-Tracy Hawks Saint-Georges Cool FM 103.5 Rive-Sud Chacals Trois-Rivières Draveurs (LNAH) Trois-Rivières Blizzard Louiseville Jets Saguenay Marquis St-Jean Chiefs Laval Chiefs Sainte-Thérèse Chiefs Laurentides Gladiateurs LaSalle Rapides Lachute Rapides Verdun Dragons Saint-Laurent Dragons Iberville Dragons Haut-Richelieu Dragons Saint-Hyacinthe Chiefs Saint-Hyacinthe Chiefs

Former Teams

Over the years, many teams have played in the LNAH but are no longer active. Here is a list of some of those teams:

  • Acton Vale Beaulieu (2000–01; became Saint-Hyacinthe Cousin)
  • Acton Vale Nova (1996–2000; renamed Acton Vale Beaulieu)
  • Asbestos Aztèques (1997–2001; renamed Asbestos Dubé)
  • Asbestos Aztèques (2002–03; folded)
  • Asbestos Dubé (2001–02; renamed Asbestos Aztèques)
  • Berlin BlackJacks (2018; team taken over by league after 10 games in New Hampshire and moved to St-Jérôme, Quebec for the rest of the 2018-19 season as Les Pétrôliers du Nord, then to Laval, Quebec for season 2019-20)
  • Cornwall River Kings (2012–16; folded)
  • Côte-de-Beaupré As (2000–01; became Québec As and played at Charlesbourg in 2001–2002 and at Beauport in 2002–2003)
  • Côte-de-Beaupré Caron et Guay (1999–2000; became Côte-de-Beaupré As)
  • Granby Blitz (1997–2002; renamed Granby Prédateurs)
  • Granby Prédateurs (2002–04; folded)
  • Haut-Richelieu Dragons (1996–97; renamed Iberville Dragons)
  • Iberville Dragons (1997–98; became Saint-Laurent Dragons)
  • Joliette Blizzard (1998–2000; renamed Joliette Mission)
  • Joliette Mission (2000–02; became Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Mission)
  • Jonquière Condors (1997–2002; renamed Saguenay Paramédic)
  • Lachute Rapides (1996–99; became LaSalle Rapides)
  • LaSalle Rapides (1999–2003; folded)
  • Laurentides Gladiateurs (1996–97; became Sainte-Thérèse Chiefs)
  • Laval Chiefs (1998–2005; renamed Laval Summum-Chiefs)
  • Laval Summum-Chiefs (2005–06; became Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Summum-Chiefs)
  • Laval Braves (2013–14; renamed Laval Predateurs)
  • Laval Predators (2014–17; folded)
  • Louiseville Jets (1996–97; folded)
  • Pont-Rouge Caron et Guay (2001–04; became Trois-Rivières Caron et Guay)
  • Pont-Rouge Grand Portneuf (1996–2001; renamed Pont-Rouge Caron et Guay)
  • Québec As (1997–98; dormant in 1998–99 and became Côte-de-Beaupré Caron et Guay)
  • Québec As (2001–03; renamed Québec Radio X, then Pont-Rouge Lois Jeans)
  • Rive-Sud Chacals (1996–98; became Saint-Georges Garaga)
  • Rivière-du-Loup Promutuel (2001–04; folded)
  • Rivière-du-Loup CIMT (2008–10; renamed Rivière-du-Loup 3L
  • Saguenay 98,3 (2008–09; renamed Saguenay Marquis)
  • Saguenay Fjord (2004–05; folded after 24 games)
  • Saguenay Paramédic (2002–04; renamed Saguenay Fjord)
  • Ste-Marie Poutrelles Delta (2008; folded during the season)
  • Sainte-Thérèse Chiefs (1997–98; became Laval Chiefs)
  • Saint-Gabriel Blizzard (1996–98; became Joliette Blizzard)
  • Saint-Georges Garaga (1998–2005; renamed Saint-Georges CRS Express)
  • Saint-Hyacinthe Chiefs (2008–09; folded)
  • Saint-Hyacinthe Cousin (2001–05; renamed Saint-Hyacinthe Cristal)
  • Saint-Hyacinthe Cristal (2005–06; renamed Saint-Hyacinthe Top Design)
  • Saint-Hyacinthe Top Design (2006–08; renamed Saint-Hyacinthe Chiefs)
  • Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Mission (2002–04; became Sorel-Tracy Mission)
  • Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Summum-Chiefs (2006–08; became Saguenay 98.3)
  • Saint-Laurent Dragons (1998–2001; became Verdun Dragons)
  • Sherbrooke Saint-François (2003–11; became Windsor Wild)
  • Sorel Dinosaures (1996–99; renamed Sorel Royaux)
  • Sorel Mission (2004–08)
  • Sorel Royaux (1999–2004; folded)
  • Sorel-Tracy GCI (2010–11)
  • Thetford Mines Coyotes (1996–2000; renamed Thetford Mines Prolab)
  • Thetford Mines Isothermic (2007–15; renamed Thetford Assurancia)
  • Thetford Mines Prolab (2000–07; renamed Thetford Mines Isothermic)
  • Trois-Rivières Blizzard (2014–17; renamed Trois-Rivières Draveurs)
  • Trois-Rivières Draveurs (2017–18; membership revoked)
  • Trois-Rivières Viking (2003–04; folded)
  • Valleyfield Braves (2013; became Laval Braves partway through 2013–14 season)
  • Vanier Voyageurs (1996–97; became Québec As and played at Val-Bélair)
  • Verdun Dragons (2001–05; renamed Verdun-Montréal Dragons)
  • Verdun-Montréal Dragons (2005–06; folded)
  • Waterloo 94 (1996–97; became Granby Blitz)
  • Windsor Lacroix (2001–03; became Sherbrooke Saint-François)
  • Windsor Papetiers (1996–2001; renamed Windsor Lacroix)
  • Windsor Wild (2011–12; became Cornwall River Kings)

LNAH Champions: The Vertdure Cup

The Vertdure Cup is the trophy given each year to the LNAH champions. It was first awarded after the 1996–97 season and was originally called the Futura Cup. In 2011, it was renamed the Canam Cup, and in 2014, it became the Vertdure Cup.

Season Champion Runner-up
1996–97 Saint-Gabriel Blizzard Acton Vale Nova
1997–98 Lachute Rapides Acton Vale Nova
1998–99 Joliette Blizzard Saint-Georges Garaga
1999–00 LaSalle Rapides Pont-Rouge Grand Portneuf
2000–01 Joliette Mission Saint-Georges Garaga
2001–02 Laval Chiefs Thetford Mines Prolab
2002–03 Laval Chiefs Thetford Mines Prolab
2003–04 Verdun Dragons Saint-Georges Garaga
2004–05 Québec Radio X Thetford Mines Prolab
2005–06 Sherbrooke Saint-François Thetford Mines Prolab
2006–07 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Summum Chiefs Sherbrooke Saint-Francois
2007–08 Trois-Rivières Caron & Guay Thetford Mines Isothermic
2008–09 Pont-Rouge Lois Jeans Thetford Mines Isothermic
2009–10 Saint-Georges CRS Express Sherbrooke Saint-Francois
2010–11 Sherbrooke Saint-François Saint-Georges Cool FM 103.5
2011–12 Thetford Mines Isothermic Windsor Wild
2012–13 Jonquière Marquis Sorel-Tracy HC Carvena
2013–14 Jonquière Marquis Thetford Mines Isothermic
2014–15 Thetford Mines Isothermic Sorel-Tracy Éperviers
2015–16 Rivière-du-Loup 3L Sorel-Tracy Éperviers
2016–17 Jonquière Marquis Thetford Assurancia
2017–18 Sorel-Tracy Éperviers Rivière-du-Loup 3L
2018–19 Sorel-Tracy Éperviers Jonquière Marquis
2019–20 Not awarded; season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Not awarded; season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22 Thetford Assurancia Les Pétroliers du Nord
2022–23 Saint-Georges Cool FM 103.5 Thetford Assurancia
2023–24 Thetford Assurancia Rivière-du-Loup 3L

LNAH Finals: City Appearances

This table shows how many times teams from different cities have reached the LNAH finals, and how many times they won or lost. Cities highlighted in yellow currently have an LNAH team.

City Finals Won Lost Years won Years lost Team(s) in Finals Years in LNAH
Thetford Mines 13 4 9 2012, 2015, 2022, 2024 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2017, 2023 Prolab, Isothermic, Assurancia 1996–present
Saint-Georges 6 2 4 2010, 2023 1999, 2001, 2004, 2011 Garaga, CRS Express, Cool FM 103.5 1998–present
Sorel-Tracy 5 2 3 2018, 2019 2013, 2015, 2016 HC Carvena, Éperviers 1996–2008, 2010–present
Sherbrooke 4 2 2 2006, 2011 2007, 2010 Saint-Francois 2003–2011
Jonquière 4 3 1 2013, 2014, 2017 2019 Marquis 1997–2004, 2008–present
Laval 3 2 1 2002, 2003 2022 Chiefs, Pétroliers 1998–2006, 2013–17, 2019–present
Joliette 2 2 0 1999, 2001 Blizzard, Mission 1998–2002
Rivière-du-Loup 3 1 2 2016 2018, 2024 3L 2008–present
Pont-Rouge 2 1 1 2009 2000 Grand Portneuf, Lois Jeans 1996–2004, 2008–2010
Acton Vale 2 0 2 1997, 1998 Nova 1996–2001
Trois-Rivières 1 1 0 2008 Caron & Guay 2003–2018
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu 1 1 0 2007 Summum Chiefs 2002–2004, 2006–2008
Québec 1 1 0 2005 Radio X 1997–1998, 2001–2008
Verdun 1 1 0 2004 Dragons 2001–2006
LaSalle 1 1 0 2000 Rapides 1999–2003
Lachute 1 1 0 1998 Rapides 1996–1999
Saint-Gabriel 1 1 0 1997 Blizzard 1996–1998
Windsor 1 0 1 2012 Wild 2011–2012
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