Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League facts for kids
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| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Robert Lebel |
| President | Mario Cecchini |
| No. of teams | 18 |
| Country | Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Moncton Wildcats (3) |
| Most titles | Gatineau Olympiques (7) |
| TV partner(s) | Sportsnet Sportsnet One Eastlink TV TVA Sports |
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) is a top-level junior ice hockey league. It is one of three major junior leagues in Canada. The QMJHL is part of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL).
This league has teams in Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Maritime provinces. These provinces include New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. In the past, teams were also located in Maine and New York in the United States.
The QMJHL champion wins the Gilles-Courteau Trophy. This team then competes for the Memorial Cup. The Memorial Cup is a big tournament against the champions from the other two CHL leagues. These are the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL). The host team for the tournament also plays.
QMJHL teams are known for their fast and exciting style of play. Many former QMJHL players hold records for scoring lots of goals and points in the CHL. Famous players from the QMJHL who are now in the Hockey Hall of Fame include Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Ray Bourque, Patrick Roy, and Martin Brodeur.
Contents
Teams
List of teams
| Conference | Division | Team | City | Arena |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern | East | Baie-Comeau Drakkar | Baie-Comeau, Quebec | Centre Henry-Leonard |
| Chicoutimi Saguenéens | Saguenay, Quebec | Centre Georges-Vézina | ||
| Quebec Remparts | Quebec City, Quebec | Centre Vidéotron | ||
| Rimouski Océanic | Rimouski, Quebec | Colisée Financière Sun Life | ||
| Maritimes | Cape Breton Eagles | Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia | Centre 200 | |
| Charlottetown Islanders | Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island | Eastlink Centre | ||
| Halifax Mooseheads | Halifax, Nova Scotia | Scotiabank Centre | ||
| Moncton Wildcats | Moncton, New Brunswick | Avenir Centre | ||
| Newfoundland Regiment | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador | Mary Brown's Centre | ||
| Saint John Sea Dogs | Saint John, New Brunswick | TD Station | ||
| Western | West | Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | Boisbriand, Quebec | Centre d'Excellence Sports Rousseau |
| Gatineau Olympiques | Gatineau, Quebec | Centre Slush Puppie | ||
| Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec | Aréna Glencore | ||
| Val-d'Or Foreurs | Val-d'Or, Quebec | Centre Agnico Eagle | ||
| Central | Drummondville Voltigeurs | Drummondville, Quebec | Centre Marcel Dionne | |
| Shawinigan Cataractes | Shawinigan, Quebec | Centre Gervais Auto | ||
| Sherbrooke Phoenix | Sherbrooke, Quebec | Palais des Sports | ||
| Victoriaville Tigres | Victoriaville, Quebec | Colisée Desjardins |
Map
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History of the QMJHL
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League started in 1969. It was formed by combining the best teams from two older leagues. These were the Quebec Junior Hockey League and the Metropolitan Montreal Junior Hockey League.
Most of the first teams were close to Montreal. Only the Cataractes team has stayed in the same city since 1969. Their team name has changed over the years.
In 1972, a team from the Ontario Hockey Association, the Montreal Junior Canadiens, joined the QMJHL. They changed their name to the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge.
The QMJHL has won the Memorial Cup twelve times since 1969. Many different teams have won it. The Quebec Remparts have won it three times. The Cornwall Royals also won it three times.
Since 1994, the QMJHL has grown eastward into Atlantic Canada. Many cities in the Maritime provinces that used to have professional hockey teams now have QMJHL teams.
The QMJHL also looks for players from the New England area in the United States. This is part of an agreement that allows US players to be drafted by nearby CHL leagues.
In December 2023, the league changed its name to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. They also got a new logo. This change recognized that teams from the Maritime provinces had been part of the league for almost 30 years.
In 2024, laws in Newfoundland and Labrador changed. Junior players are now seen as student-athletes, not regular employees. This is similar to other provinces in the league. For the 2025–26 season, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan team moved to St. John's. They are now called the Newfoundland Regiment.
Retired Numbers
Some special player numbers are retired across the whole league. This means no player in the QMJHL can ever wear these numbers again.
| No. | Player | Position | QMJHL Career | No. retirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Guy Lafleur | RW | 1966–1971 | September 2021 |
| 87 | Sidney Crosby | C | 2003–2005 | 27 September 2019 |
League Presidents
The QMJHL has had several presidents who lead the league:
- Robert Lebel (1969–1975)
- Jean Rougeau (1981–1983)
- Paul Dumont (1983–1984)
- Gilles Courteau (1986–2023)
- Mario Cecchini (2023–present)
QMJHL Player Records
QMJHL players hold many impressive records in the Canadian Hockey League. These records show how skilled many players from this league have been.
- Most goals in a career
- 1st – 309 – Mike Bossy, Laval National (1972–77)
- 2nd – 281 – Stephane Lebeau, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
- Most assists in a career
- 1st – 408 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
- 7th – 315 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins (1981–84)
- Most points in a career
- 1st – 595 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
- 3rd – 580 – Stephane Lebeau, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
- Most goals in one season
- 1st – 133 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
- 2nd – 130 – Guy Lafleur, Quebec Remparts, 1970–71 (62 games)
- Most assists in one season
- 1st – 157 – Pierre Larouche, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (70 games)
- 2nd – 149 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
- Most points in one season
- 1st – 282 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
- 2nd – 251 – Pierre Larouche, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (67 games)
Timeline of Teams
This timeline shows the history of teams in the QMJHL since 1969. Current teams are shown in blue. Gold stars mean the team won the Gilles-Courteau Trophy (the league championship).
Memorial Cup Champions
The Memorial Cup is a very important trophy in junior hockey. QMJHL teams have won it fifteen times since the league started in 1969. Here are the teams that have won it:
- 1971 – Quebec Remparts (1)
- 1972 – Cornwall Royals (1)
- 1980 – Cornwall Royals (2)
- 1981 – Cornwall Royals (3)
- 1996 – Granby Prédateurs (1)
- 1997 – Hull Olympiques (1)
- 2000 – Rimouski Océanic (1)
- 2006 – Quebec Remparts (2)
- 2011 – Saint John Sea Dogs (1)
- 2012 – Shawinigan Cataractes (1)
- 2013 – Halifax Mooseheads (1)
- 2018 – Acadie–Bathurst Titan (1)
- 2019 – Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (1)
- 2022 – Saint John Sea Dogs (2)
- 2023 – Quebec Remparts (3)
Entry Draft
Since 1971, the QMJHL has held a draft to pick new players. This is how teams get the rights to future hockey stars. In the past, there were different rules about protecting players from certain areas. Now, there is one main draft each year.
Trophies and Awards
The QMJHL gives out many trophies and awards. These celebrate the best teams, players, and people working in the league.
Team Awards
- Gilles-Courteau Trophy – For the playoff champions.
- Jean Rougeau Trophy – For the team with the best record in the regular season.
- Luc Robitaille Trophy – For the team that scores the most goals.
- Robert Lebel Trophy – For the team with the best goals-against average (meaning they let in the fewest goals).
Player Awards
- Michel Brière Memorial Trophy – For the most valuable player (MVP).
- Jean Béliveau Trophy – For the player who scores the most points.
- Guy Lafleur Trophy – For the MVP of the playoffs.
- Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy – For the goalie with the best goals-against average.
- Patrick Roy Trophy – For the best goaltender of the year.
- Guy Carbonneau Trophy – For the best defensive forward.
- Emile Bouchard Trophy – For the best defenceman of the year.
- Kevin Lowe Trophy – For the best defensive defenceman.
- Michael Bossy Trophy – For the best player who is likely to become a professional.
- Sidney Crosby Trophy – For the rookie of the year.
- Michel Bergeron Trophy – For the best offensive rookie.
- Raymond Lagacé Trophy – For the best defensive rookie.
- David Desharnais Trophy – For the most sportsmanlike player.
- QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year – For a player who does great work in the community.
- Marcel Robert Trophy – For the player who is best at school and hockey.
- Paul Dumont Trophy – For the personality of the year.
Executive Awards
- Ron Lapointe Trophy – For the coach of the year.
- Maurice Filion Trophy – For the general manager of the year.
- John Horman Trophy – For the executive of the year.
- Jean Sawyer Trophy – For the marketing director of the year.
