Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
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The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (French: la Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec, abbreviated QMJHL in English, LHJMQ in French) is one of the three Major Junior "A" Tier I hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The hockey itself is free wheeling and rough. Alumni include Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Patrick Roy, Guy Carbonneau and future superstar Sidney Crosby among many other NHLers. Due to its cumbersome name, the league is often referred to as "The Q."
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Member teams
Eastern Division
- Acadie-Bathurst Titan
- Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
- Halifax Mooseheads
- Lewiston MAINEiacs
- Moncton Wildcats
- P.E.I. Rocket
- Saint John Sea Dogs
- St. John's Fog Devils
Western Division
- Baie-Comeau Drakkar (Viking Ship)
- Chicoutimi Saguenéens ("People from the Saguenay")
- Drummondville Voltigeurs (Infantrymen)
- Gatineau Olympiques (Olympics)
- Québec Remparts (Ramparts)
- Rimouski Océanic (Oceanics)
- Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
- Shawinigan Cataractes (Waterfalls)
- Val-d'Or Foreurs (Miners)
- Victoriaville Tigres (Tigers)
History
- 1969- First season, 2 divisions. East: Quebec City Remparts, Shawinigan Bruins, Drummondville Rangers, Sorel Eperviers (Black Hawks), Trois-Rivieres Ducs (Dukes), and Sherbrooke Castors (Beavers). West: Saint-Jerome Alouettes, Cornwall Royals, Rosemont National, Verdun Maple Leafs, and Laval Saints.
- 1970- Divisions dissolved, Laval folds.
- 1971- Rosemont National move to Laval.
- 1972- The Saint-Jerome Alouettes and the Verdun Maple Leafs fold. Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge are transferred from the Kingston OHL franchise.
- 1973- League split into 2 divisions. East: Sorel, Quebec, Shawinigan, Trois-Rivieres, Chicoutimi; West: Cornwall, Montreal, Sherbrooke, Laval, Drummondville, Hull. Chicoutimi Sagueneens, and the Hull Festivals granted franchises. Shawinigan Bruins become Shawinigan Dynamos.
- 1974- Drummondville Rangers folds, Trois-Rivieres Ducs become Trois-Rivieres Draveurs.
- 1975- Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge become Montreal Juniors.
- 1976- Hull Festivals become Hull Olympiques. Divisions re-named: East becomes Dilio, West becomes Lebel.
- 1977- Sorel Eperviers (Black Hawks) move to Verdun. Sherbrooke moves to Dilio Division, while Verdun plays in the Lebel.
- 1978- Shawinigan Dynamos become Shawinigan Cataractes.
- 1979- Verdun Eperviers (Black Hawks) become Sorel/Verdun Eperviers (Blackhawks). Laval National become Laval Voisins.
- 1980- Sorel/Verdun Eperviers (Blackhawks) become Sorel Eperviers (Black Hawks).
- 1981- Divisions cease to exist, Cornwall moves to the OHL, Sorel Eperviers (Blackhawks) move to Granby.
- 1982- Lebel and Dilio Divisions reintroduced. Shawinigan, Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, and Drummondville play in the Dilio, while Laval, Verdun, Longueuil, Saint-Jean, Hull, and Granby play in the Lebel. Sherbrooke Castors (Beavers) move to Saint-Jean. Montreal Juniors move to Verdun. Drummondville Voltigeurs (Infantrymen) granted a franchise, Longueuil Chevaliers (Cavaliers) granted a franchise.
- 1984- Plattsburgh Pioneers granted a franchise, but fold after 3 months. They would play in the Lebel Division, Granby is moved to the Dilio. Verdun Juniors become the Verdun Junior Canadiens.
- 1985- Quebec City Remparts fold. Laval Voisins become Laval Titan.
- 1987- Longueuil Chevaliers move to Victoriaville, and play in the Dilio. Granby is moved to the Lebel Division.
- 1988- Divisions cease to exist, Longueuil College-Francais are granted a franchise.
- 1989- Verdun Junior Canadiens move to Saint-Hyacinthe. Saint-Jean Castors become St-Jean Lynx.
- 1990- Lebel and Dilio divisions created: Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivieres, Drummondville, Shawinigan, Beauport, and Victoriaville play in the Dilio; Longueuil, Hull, Laval, Saint-Hyacinthe, Granby, and Saint-Jean play in the Lebel. Beauport Harfangs (Snow Owls)are granted a franchise.
- 1992- Trois-Rivieres Draveurs move to Sherbrooke.
- 1993- Val-d'Or Foreurs granted a franchise, they play in the Lebel.
- 1994- Verdun College-Francais fold. Halifax awarded an expansion team. Halifax plays in the Dilio. Laval Titan become Laval Titan College Francais.
- 1995- Saint-Jean Lynx move to Rimouski. Moncton Wildcats franchise granted. Rimouski and Moncton both play in the Dilio. Drummondville and Sherbrooke move to the Lebel. Granby Bisons become Granby Predateurs.
- 1996- Saint-Hyacinthe Lasers move to Rouyn-Noranda. Moncton Alpines become Moncton Wildcats.
- 1997- Cape Breton Screaming Eagles granted a franchise, and play in the Dilio. Shawinigan moves to the Lebel.
- 1998- Granby Predateurs move to Baie-Comeau, and play in the Dilio. Laval Titan College Francais move to Acadie-Bathurst, and play in the Dilio.
- 1999-Lebel Division become Lebel Conference, and splits into the West Division (Hull, Rouyn-Noranda, Montreal, Val-d'Or) and the Central Division (Shawinigan, Drummondville, Sherbrooke, Victoriaville). The Dilio Division becomes the Dilio Conference and splits into the Eastern Division (Rimouski, Quebec City, Baie-Comeau, Chicoutimi) and the Maritime Division (Moncton, Halifax, Cape Breton, Acadie-Bathurst). Montreal Rocket are granted a franchise.
- 2003- The QMJHL goes to a 3 division format: Atlantic (Cape Breton, Moncton, Prince Edward Island, Halifax, Acadie-Bathurst); Eastern (Rimouski, Chicoutimi, Lewiston, Quebec, Baie-Comeau); and Western (Gatineau, Shawinigan, Rouyn-Noranda, Val-d'Or, Drummondville, Victoriaville) Sherbrooke Castors move to Maine, becoming the Lewiston MAINEiacs; Montreal Rocket move to Charlottetown and take the Prince Edward Island name, Hull Olympiques become Gatineau Olympiques.
- 2004- The QMJHL announces plans to expand from 16 to 18 teams. St. John's, Newfoundland and Saint John, New Brunswick are awarded franchises.
See also
External links
- Official website (http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php)
- Archive of standings and statistics (http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/qmjhl1970.html) - Internet hockey database
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