Discover our

History

RELIVE THE GREAT MOMENTS, THE UNFORGETTABLE EXPLOITS. Here are the names that have marked the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League!

1969
1970

Very first season for the Quebec Junior A League


11 teams, coming from a mix of Provincial and Metropolitain Leagues…

Drummondville | Québec | Shawinigan | Sorel | Trois-Rivières
Cornwall | Laval | Rosemont | Sherbrooke | St-Jérôme | Verdun

M. Robert LeBel, , QMJHL founding-president

1995 - He was the first member inducted in the QMJHL Hall of Fame.

The pioneers, on the 1st All-Star Team…

Gilles Meloche
Verdun
Larry O'Connor
Laval
Jacques Lapierre
Shawinigan
Maurice Filion and Guy Lafleur
Québec
Luc Simard (Trois-Rivières Ducs), the very first to win the QMJHL scoring title, with 174 points…
His teammate, Richard Leduc had 151 points!

February 5th, 1971 - Records: 12 points in one game for Remparts forward André Savard;
Guy Lafleur scores 7 goals!

André Savard

At the end of the 1971 Final Series, Guy Lafleur received the President Cup as the Remparts captain.

DYNASTY! Quebec Remparts: they won 5 times the President Cup, in 7 years.

(1970 | 1971 | 1973 | 1974 | 1976)

Memorial Cup - the Remparts are the Canadian Champions!

The Cornwall Royals, the only Ontario based-team in the history of the QMJHL

3 times "Champion" of the Memorial Cup Tournament

1972 | 1980 | 1981

All Royals, inducted in the QMJHL Hall of Fame

Paul Emard,
Governor
Richard Brodeur,
1972 goaltender
Orval Tessier,
Head Coach (202 wins)!
Dale Hawerchuk,
1st pick overall, in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft!

Robert Sauvé (Verdun and Laval) has received the unique total of 7788 shot during his junior major career.

His young brother, Jean-François Sauvé, has won two scoring titles with Trois-Rivières

(1978-79 and 1979-80)

Jacques Jr Locas, two records still hold: Lifetime, in playoffs, 153 points, 61 goals

In 2002, Sylvain Locas was inducted in the QMJHL Hall of Fame, the same day as his brother Jacques.

The Sorel Éperviers are part of our record books with 25 consecutive wins and an impressive total of 58 wins!

The Éperviers, 620 goals in 1973-74!
The three teammates on the same line, each 200 points: Pierre Larouche (251), Michel Déziel (227) and Jacques Cossette (214).

Pierre Larouche
(251)
Michel Déziel
(227)
Jacques Cossette
(214)

Réal Cloutier, 17 year-old, best right wing production in one season: 216 points!
At 18, he was already playing in a professionnal league, with the Quebec Nordiques (World Hockey Association).

Jean-Luc Phaneuf didn't waste any time, and went to school during his junior major years.

He became a doctor,

and then was inducted in the QMJHL Hall of Fame.


Jean Gagnon, an efficient small defenseman

2 President Cups with the Remparts (1974 | 1976)

Switzerland Pro Career, with 5 prestigious franchises : HC Fribourg-Gottéron (1980-86), HC Martigny (1986-92), Lausanne HC (1992-97), HC Sierre-Anniviers (1997-98) and Genève-Servette HC (1998-99).

Mario Marois, 2nd All-Star Team in 1976-77, 234 penalty minutes, 84 points as a defenseman

A fantastic NHL career: more than 1000 games, 8 different 30-point seasons, no fewer than 1928 penalty minutes!

A real leader, the Sorel Eperviers captain, Lucien Deblois!

More than 1000 games in the NHL! | Winnipeg Jets captain (1982-83 and 1983-84) | He wears a Stanley Cup ring (Montreal | 1986)

Normand Dupont, 568 lifetime points in the "Q", just passed over the recordman Jacques Jr Locas (558)

Dupont maintained the record for 9 years…

Patrick Émond will succeed Dupont, with 576 points.

Michael Bossy, what a natural Goal-Scorer:

309 goals in the QMJHL, a regular season lifetime record!

Bossy in the NHL, with the New York Islanders: 4 Stanley Cups, 9 consecutive 50-goal seasons!

Tim Bernhardt (Cornwall Royals) is the only player to have won

the Jacques-Plante Trophy three consecutive times (1975-76 | 1976-77 | 1977-78)

Outstanding Goals-against averages for this era: (3,92 | 3,63 | 3,39)

Three rookies on the same line! They compiled points, points and more points! Their nickname... "LES TROIS DENIS": Tremblay (82), Savard (116), Cyr (101)

Spectacular Denis Savard, 1338 points in the NHL, 28th rank in the League history | He won the Stanley Cup in the Montreal Canadiens jersey in 1993.

Michel Goulet, he shoots, he scores!

90 goals in 109 games!

A glorious career in the NHL, 7 different 40-goal seasons | His personal high, 57 goals in the Quebec Nordiques uniform in 1982-83.

The Sherbrooke Castors dynamic duo!

Georges Guilbault

(general manager)

Ghislain Delage

(head coach)


Castors major record, established January 29th, 1978: "Most goals in one game" - they won 22-4 against the Shawinigan Dynamos.



QMJHL RECORD:

122 points in one regular season,

58 wins for the Trois-Rivières Draveurs, tying the League record.

Michel Bergeron is coaching the team
Pierre Lacroix, recordman defenseman with an historical 137 points season.
Goaltender Jacques Cloutier signed each 58 wins!

His name was given to an important trophy in the QMJHL, given to the Best defensive defenseman of the Year:

former Remparts' Kevin Lowe!

NHL career: 1468 games, 6 Stanley Cups, in the 1980's and 1990's.

Raymond Bourque, 197 lifetime points with the Eperviers,

best all-time total for a defenseman of the franchise!

Recordman in the NHL, as a defenseman: 410 goals | 1169 assists | 1579 points

Guy Carbonneau, 182 points with the Saguenéens!

The trophy Guy Carbonneau is awarded annually to the "Best Defensive Forward" in the QMJHL!

Gilbert Delorme, he was selected in the 1st round by the Montreal Canadiens: 541 games in the NHL.

Saguenéens defenseman recordman with 111 points in 1979-80

NORMAND AUBIN, 8 goals!

- On September 23rd, 1979, he beat the 7 goal-mark co-owned by Guy Lafleur and Sylvain Locas.

The Eperviers' star-forward registered 8 goals in a 14-6 win for Verdun against the Montreal Junior.

Jean Rougeau

He was named the QMJHL president in 1981, after 10 years involved with the Laval National.

Following his passing in 1983, the "Governors Trophy" will become the "Jean-Rougeau Trophy".

Claude Verret

Three 100-point seasons, a lifetime total of 462 points with the Trois-Rivières Draveurs!

In his second campaign in 1981-82, he won 2 different scoring titles: one in the regular season 162 points | one in the playoffs, 48 points)

The unique Pat Lafontaine: only one unbeliveable season for this 17-year old American-born! What a season!

Three incredible records for a Rookie player:

234 points | 104 goals | 130 assists!

MARIO LEMIEUX

133 goals, 282 points in a single season,

the best totals in Canadian Junior Major hockey! Future NHL All-Star Patrick Roy (Granby | photo) was not able to stop Lemieux here!

March 14th, 1984 - In his last regular season game with the Voisins, in the Colisée de Laval - Mario Lemieux's amazing night of 11 points, 6 goals and 5 helpers. He broke Guy Lafleur's 130 goal- mark set in 1971!

Vincent Damphousse, he won the President Cup with the Laval Voisins.

In 1985-86, the Voisins will change their uniform, and will become one of the greatest winning teams as the Laval Titan!

Wayne Gretzky became the new owner of the Hull Olympiques.

Charles Henry is hired to manage the team,

and the new GM went off to 7 playoff titles, a QMJHL summit

Claude Lemieux, with Verdun: identified as the Most valuable player of the 1985 playoff.

In the NHL, he won the Stanley Cup 4 times, and added a Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP!

Steve Duchesne, free agent, signed a contract with the Los Angeles Kings in 1984

The defenseman played during 16 seasons in the NHL, 1 113 games, 752 points

February 13th, 1986, Gilles Courteau became the 10th QMJHL president.

Gilles Courteau - some great builders of the QMJHL before him: John Horman, Paul Dumont, Marcel Robert, Paul Cazeau…

The Hull Olympiques, with head coach Pat Burns:

their first President Cup.

Luc Robitaille, Guy Rouleau and Sylvain Côté led the team and won all individual honours!

Luc Robitaille
Guy Rouleau
Sylvain Côté

Marc Fortier, is one of 3 players, to maintain a 2 assists per game average in one season

135 assists in 1986-87, the two greatest helpers in QMHJL history: Pierre Larouche (157) and Mario Lemieux (149)

Pierre Turgeon, picked 1st overall in the NHL Entry Draft

(Buffalo | 1987)

From the QMJHL - All claimed 1st pick overall in the annual NHL Draft:

Guy Lafleur (1971), Dale Hawerchuk (1981), Mario Lemieux (1984), Pierre Turgeon (1987), Alexandre Daigle (1993), Vincent Lecavalier (1998), Marc-André Fleury (2003), Sidney Crosby (2005), Nathan MacKinnon (2013),
Nico Hischier (2017), Alexis Lafrenière (2020).

The most productive teammates in the history of the QMJHL!

Shawinigan Cataractes' Patrice Lefebvre (595 points) and Stéphan Lebeau (580 points)

Eric Desjardins, the Bisons all-star defenseman, 105 points in 128 games
Eric Desjardins scored 3 goals in an NHL Stanley Cup Final game! He was an important piece of the puzzle for the Montreal Canadiens in their quest to win the Stanley Cup in 1993!

Eric Desjardins

Martin Gélinas, a fast skater, 131 points in only 65 games during his rookie season with the Olympiques

250 points, 121 goals, in only 132 games in junior major hockey

Patrice Brisebois, a defenseman destined to succeed!

Named "Best Professional Prospect" (1988-89)
President Cup with the Laval Titan (1989 | 1990)
Gold medalist, two times, with Team Canada Junior (1990 | 1991)

Félix Potvin, he established a new League record, with his goals-against average
(2.70)

In the following years

Martin Biron (2.48 | 1994-95)
Patrick Couture (2.09 | 1998-99)
Nicola Riopel (2.01 | 2008-09)

Yanic Perreault, the very last big star of the Trois-Rivières Draveurs, League Top Scorer of the season with
185 points

First woman to play in the QMJHL!
November 26th, 1991- Manon Rhéaume, Trois-Rivières Draveurs
(17 minutes, 3 goals allowed, vs Granby)

Martin Brodeur, St-Hyacinthe Laser goaltender, New Jersey Devils, 1st round draft pick (NHL)

Most important goalie records of the NHL:
1266 games, 691 wins, 3 goals scored, 125 shutouts

The QMJHL decided to honour the memory of one of his greatest head coach: unveiling of the Ron-LapointeTrophy…

Ron Lapointe, Cataractes' head coach, 1984-85 regular season champions.

Martin Lapointe, he was selected three times by Team Canada Junior
(1991 | 1992 | 1993)

A great captain, with the Laval Titan, he won the President Cup two times
(1990 | 1993)

The Halifax Mooseheads, very first franchise to be based in a Maritime province

A pioneer for the team in 1994-95: Brant Blackned
(97 points)

Harold MacKay, (team president ) | Etienne Drapeau (rookie forward) | Jean-Sébastien Giguère (goaltender) | Clément Jodoin (head coach)

JOSÉ THÉODORE

1995 Playoff Most Valuable player

1995-96, the Olympiques, 24 consecutive wins

Théodore has signed 14 in a row during this outstanding streak!

Granby Prédateurs

3 Championships in 1995-96:

Regular Season, Playoffs, Memorial Cup!

Michel Therrien (head coach), Francis Bouillon (captain), Georges Morrissette (governor), Jean-Claude Morrissette (general manager)

Daniel Brière, 3 junior major seasons, with Drummondville:

185 goals, 453 points, 216 games

He played in the NHL: a total seven 20-goal seasons!

Marc Lachapelle, more than 30 years covering the QMJHL, a rigourous journalist

Inducted in the QMJHL Hall of Fame, the same day as Mario Lemieux, Pierre Larouche and Georges Guilbault!

Luc Lachapelle, completed his last season as a referee: he is the owner of multiple records for an on-ice official!

Two big marks as an official: 783 games in regular season, 150 other games in playoffs

November 14th, 1999 - Mathieu Benoit - 8 goals against Chicoutimi ...

equaling Normand Aubin (1979-80) and Stéphan Lebeau (1986-87).

In the same game, François Beauchemin (8 assists).

He equaled the record for a defenceman, Jean-Marc Richard (1985-86).

Rimouski - with their leader Brad Richards, the Memorial Cup paraded in the roads of the county!

Doris Labonté and Maurice Tanguay, two great builders for the Oceanic organization!

Simon Gamache passed over the legendary Mario Lemieux, new QMJHL record of 57 points in one playoff year!

May 27th, 2001 - The Foreurs lost in overtime, the 2001 Memorial Cup Championship Game… Red Deer 6 vs Val-d'Or 5

Marc-André Bergeron wrote a new page for the QMJHL record book, 42 goals as a Defenseman in one season!

Never drafted, but the quality of his slap shot will become an assets for an NHL: 89 goals, 547 games in the Major League!

Danny Groulx, 3-time President Cup winner

QMJHL Record, lifetime, 332 points for a defenseman

Before Groulx...

Robert Picard (313 points | 1977)
Pierre Sévigny (318 | 1982)
Billy Campbell (321 | 1984)

Marcel Vaillancourt

very first referee to be inducted in the QMJHL Hall of Fame

Next officials to come…

Phil Desgagné (2006)
Richard Trottier (2009)
Normand Caisse (2014)

Olympiques' Maxime Talbot:

he received the Guy Lafleur Trophy twice (2003 and 2004) and also raised the President Cup twice as team captain!

Marc Saumier honoured before Talbot, two times as Playoff MVP, with two different teams

(1987 with Longueuil | 1988 with Hull).

SIDNEY CROSBY

2 scoring championships

2003-04 - 135 points | 2004-05 - 168 points

RECORD : The Rimouski Oceanic (2004-05 edition)
IRRESISTIBLE UNDEFEATED STREAK: 35 consecutive games without a loss (28 in the season and 7 others in playoffs)

Alexander Radulov - 50 games in a row with at least one point!

Incredible game, March 19th, 2006 - 11 points against Rimouski

The Québec Remparts won the Memorial Cup

For the 1st time, two QMJHL teams in the Memorial Cup Final Game
(Québec 6 vs Moncton 2)

Gatineau Olympiques, led by offensive forward Claude Giroux, they won the 7th President Cup of their history, an unbeaten record!

HEAD COACH RECORD - A 3rd Cup for Benoit Groulx
(2003 | 2004 | 2008)


Richard Martel, all-time recordman as a Head Coach: regular season, 589 wins and 1171 games

In the historical WIN column, he passed legendary Guy Chouinard (569) and Gaston Drapeau (440)

TIED RECORD - Saint John: 58 wins for the team coached by Gerard Gallant

58 wins in one season, a mark also established previously by...

Sorel (1973-74), Trois-Rivières (1978-79), Halifax (2012-13)

SENSATIONAL! QMJHL teams won the Memorial Cup three years in a row:

Patrick Roy, a real winner

8 consecutive winning seasons with the Québec Remparts, adding a Memorial Cup in 2006…

(2005 to 2013)

As a superstar goaltender in the NHL:
a total of 702 wins, 4 Stanley Cups, 3 Conn Smythe as the Playoff MVP!

Halifax Mooseheads' forward, Jonathan Drouin, became only the 2nd player in the QMJHL history to compile 100 lifetime points in playoffs

Playoff MVP in 2013, Guy Lafleur Trophy Award

Zachary Fucale a goaltender who wins, wins, wins…. in Halifax as in Quebec City!

Recordman - 49 playoff victories | 2nd in the League history, 134 wins in regular season!



Louis-Philip Guindon

the all-time best Goals-against Average in playoffs ( 1.84 | Rimouski )

Robert Desjardins (1.99 | Hull | 1986)

David Tremblay (1.96 | Gatineau | 2004)

Eric Charron

very first on-ice official to reach the 1300 game-mark (seasons and playoffs included). He officiated his 1473rd and last game in 2018-19.

Serge Carpentier

1222 games,
the king of the linesmen!

The goaltender
Chase Marchand
signed new QMJHL records during the 2016 Playoffs!

Goals against average
1.35

Save Percentage
.938

Shutouts
6

Streak - No goal allowed during
223
minutes and 23 seconds!

Evan Fitzpatrick

Samuel Girard

Antoine Morand, Joseph Veleno, Maxime Comtois

2017 Champions - Saint John Sea Dogs

Defenceman Thomas Chabot: 23 points and a "Plus/Minus" of +29 in the playoffs!

2018 INDUCTION:

Stéphane QUINTAL, Danny GROULX, Eric TAYLOR "represented by his son Raymond",
Marc DENIS, Vincent LECAVALIER

Eric Taylor

2018 President Cup Champions

Acadie-Bathurst Titan

QMJHL teams - Memorial Cup Champions:
12 times, from 1971 to today

2018 Champion - the Acadie-Bathurst Titan... Great 20-year old leaders: Olivier Galipeau, captain Jeffrey Truchon-Viel and Adam Holwell...

Rouyn-Noranda - 4 major records for the Huskies in 2018-19!

2019 INDUCTION

QMJHL Hall of Fame
28 builders, 71 players...


April 3rd, 2019

François Allaire, Mario Tremblay, Stéphane Fiset, Jean-Jacques Daigneault, were received by the QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau (center).

Robert Murray,

he was also inducted in 2019...

In 1972, Aurèle Joliat, legendary Montreal Canadiens former player, had congratulated him.

FROM 2010 TO 2019, A TOTAL OF 5 MEMORIAL CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR THE QMJHL TEAMS!


The unfinished 2019-20 season : COVID-19

While the Sherbrooke Phoenix and the Moncton Wildcats had already reached the 50-win mark, Thursday, March 12, 2020, will forever be remembered by all QMJHL fans. On that day, the 2019-20 season was supposedly temporarily interrupted due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The 2019-20 season never resumed, so only 572 of the 613 regular season games were played, with the Sherbrooke Phoenix being declared champion. The playoffs had to be cancelled and the President Cup could not be awarded after the final game; a first in 51 seasons…

Colten Ellis (1.78 | Charlottetown) & Jonathan Lemieux (1.96 | Val-d’Or) :

The first two goaltenders in QMJHL history, to conclude a regular season with a goals-against average below the 2.00 mark.

AN OTHER SHORTHENED SEASON DUE TO COVID-19
  • The Standings were considering « points percentage », instead the total of « points » : the Charlottetown Islanders won their first regular season championship (.875).
  • The Maritime teams played each other.
  • Teams from the Quebec Province played most of their games in protected environments… A few games over a few days.
  • Cédric Desruisseaux (Charlottetown) scored 42 goals in only 40 games; total of 78 points and a Plus-Minus differential of +46! An amazing season!

The Victoriaville Tigres – they defeated the Val-d’Or Foreurs in 6 games (4-2), in the 2021 President Cup Final Series.

All games played in the League Semi-Finals and the Final Series where played in Quebec City (Centre Vidéotron) in a protected environment; around 2000 spectators per game – the limit imposed by the government - sat in the stands to see Games 2 to 6 of the Final Series.

IN A NEAR FUTURE

Another legendary player will receive an ultimate honour from the QMJHL; more details in the upcoming months!