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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League
Ligue de hockey junior Maritimes Québec
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2024–25 QMJHL season
SportIce hockey
Founded1969
FounderRobert Lebel
PresidentMario Cecchini[1]
No. of teams18
CountryCanada
Most recent
champion(s)		Drummondville Voltigeurs (2)
Most titlesGatineau Olympiques (7)
TV partner(s)Sportsnet
Sportsnet One
Eastlink TV
TVA Sports
Official websitetheqmjhl.ca

The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; French: Ligue de hockey junior Maritimes Québec, LHJMQ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). Officially the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League[a] until 2023, the league includes teams in Quebec and the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

The Gilles-Courteau Trophy is the championship trophy of the league. The QMJHL champion then goes on to compete in the Memorial Cup against the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL) champions, and the CHL host team. The QMJHL had traditionally adopted a rapid and offensive style of hockey. Former QMJHL players hold many of the Canadian Hockey League's career and single season offensive records.

Hockey Hall of Fame alumni of the QMJHL include Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Ray Bourque, Pat LaFontaine, Mike Bossy, Denis Savard, Michel Goulet, Luc Robitaille, and goaltenders Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur.

Member teams

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List of teams

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Overview of QMJHL 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 Acadie–Bathurst Titan Bathurst, New Brunswick K.C. Irving Regional Centre
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
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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class=notpageimage|
West          Central          East          Maritimes

History

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The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League was founded in 1969, through the merger of the best teams from the existing Quebec Junior Hockey League and the Metropolitan Montreal Junior Hockey League, declaring themselves a "major junior" league. Of the original eleven QMJHL teams, eight came from the QJHL, two from the MMJHL, and the Cornwall Royals, from Cornwall, Ontario, near the Quebec border, who transferred from the Central Junior A Hockey League. The Rosemont National and Laval Saints transferred from the MMJHL. The eight teams from the QJHL were the Drummondville Rangers, Quebec Remparts, Saint-Jérôme Alouettes, Shawinigan Bruins, Sherbrooke Castors, Sorel Éperviers, Trois-Rivières Ducs and the Verdun Maple Leafs.

Most of the teams were within a few hours' drive of Montreal. From the first season in 1969–70, only Shawinigan remains in the same city with an uninterrupted history, although the team's name has changed to the Cataractes.

In 1972 the QMJHL had been in operation for three years, and wanted a team in the province's largest city. It threatened a lawsuit to force the Montreal Junior Canadiens of the Ontario Hockey Association into the Quebec-based league. Over the summer of 1972, the OHA granted the Junior Habs a "one-year suspension" of operations, while team ownership transferred the team and players into the QMJHL, renaming themselves the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge in the process. The OHA then reactivated the suspended franchise for the 1973–74 season in Kingston, Ontario, under new ownership and with new players, calling the team the Kingston Canadians.

QMJHL teams have won the Memorial Cup twelve times since 1969, with the Shawinigan Cataractes, Saint John Sea Dogs, the Granby Prédateurs, the Hull Olympiques, Halifax Mooseheads, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, Rimouski Océanic, and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan each winning once, the Quebec Remparts winning three times(once in their first edition 1969–1985, and twice in their second edition 1997–present) and the Cornwall Royals winning three times.

Starting in 1994, the QMJHL began to expand farther east, outside of Quebec. The "Q" filled the void in Atlantic Canada after the exodus of American Hockey League franchises, when the AHL had a strong presence in the 1980s and 1990s; all of the Maritime Division cities save for Bathurst, New Brunswick are former homes of AHL franchises. To date, Fredericton, New Brunswick is the lone former AHL market that has not established a QMJHL franchise.

In recent seasons, the QMJHL has been scouting players from the Atlantic Canada region along with a surge in players coming out of the New England area: the QMJHL has territorial rights to draft and recruit players from New England as part of an agreement where players from the United States can be drafted by the CHL league that is in a similar geographic area.

In December 2023, the QMJHL changed its name to the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League and released a new logo. The change recognized the league's expansion into the Maritime provinces, whose teams had been a part of the QMJHL for almost 30 years.[2][3]

The QMJHL will return to Newfoundland as of the 2025–26 season, with relocation of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly amneded labour laws in 2024, to consider junior players as student-athletes and not employees subject to minimum wage, similar other provinces in the league.[4]

Retired numbers

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League-wide retired numbers
No. Player Position QMJHL Career No. retirement
4 Guy Lafleur RW 1966–1971 September 2021[5]
87 Sidney Crosby C 2003–2005 27 September 2019[6]

League presidents

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Canadian Hockey League records

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This is a list of Canadian Hockey League career and single season records accomplished by QMJHL players.[9]

Most goals, career
1st – 309 – Mike Bossy, Laval National (1972–77)
2nd – 281 – Stephane Lebeau, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
3rd – 278 – Normand Dupont, Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge, Montreal Juniors (1973–77)
Most assists, career
1st – 408 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
3rd – 346 – Patrick Emond, Trois-Rivières Draveurs, Hull Olympiques, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (1981–86)
7th – 315 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins (1981–84)
Most points, career
1st – 595 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
3rd – 580 – Stephane Lebeau, Shawinigan Cataractes (1984–88)
4th – 575 – Patrick Emond, Trois-Rivières Draveurs, Hull Olympiques, Chicoutimi Saguenéens (1981–86)
Most goals, one season
1st – 133 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
2nd – 130 – Guy Lafleur, Quebec Remparts, 1970–71 (62 games)
4th – 104 – Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors, 1982–83 (70 games)
5th – 103 – Guy Lafleur, Quebec Remparts, 1969–70 (56 games)
6th – 100 – Gary MacGregor, Cornwall Royals, 1973–74 (66 games)
Most assists, one season
1st – 157 – Pierre Larouche, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (70 games)
2nd – 149 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
3rd – 136 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes, 1987–88 (70 games)
5th – 135 – Michel Deziel, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (69 games)
5th – 135 – Marc Fortier, Chicoutimi Saguenéens, 1986–87 (65 games)
Most points, one season
1st – 282 – Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins, 1983–84 (70 games)
2nd – 251 – Pierre Larouche, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (67 games)
3rd – 234 – Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors, 1982–83 (70 games)
4th – 227 – Michel Deziel, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (69 games)
5th – 216 – Real Cloutier, Quebec Remparts, 1973–74 (69 games)
6th – 214 – Jacques Cossette, Sorel Éperviers, 1973–74 (68 games)
8th – 209 – Guy Lafleur, Quebec Remparts, 1970–71 (62 games)
9th – 206 – Jacques Locas, Quebec Remparts, 1973–74 (63 games)
10th – 201 – Marc Fortier, Chicoutimi Saguenéens, 1986–87 (65 games)
11th – 200 – Patrice Lefebvre, Shawinigan Cataractes, 1987–88 (70 games)

Timeline of teams

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Current teams are shown in blue. Gold stars denote Gilles-Courteau Trophy (League championship) winners.

This is a complete list of team histories since 1969.[10]

  • 1969– First season, 2 divisions. East: Quebec City Remparts, Shawinigan Bruins, Drummondville Rangers, Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks), Trois-Rivières Ducs (Dukes), and Sherbrooke Castors (Beavers). West: Saint-Jérôme 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-Jérôme Alouettes and the Verdun Maple Leafs fold. The Montreal Junior Canadiens franchise of the OHA transfers to QMJHL, becoming the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge.
  • 1973– League split into two divisions. East: Sorel, Quebec, Shawinigan, Trois-Rivières, Chicoutimi; West: Cornwall, Montreal, Sherbrooke, Laval, Drummondville, Hull. Chicoutimi Saguenéens, and the Hull Festivals granted franchises. Shawinigan Bruins become Shawinigan Dynamos.
  • 1974– Drummondville Rangers fold, Trois-Rivières Ducs become Trois-Rivières Draveurs (Raftmen).
  • 1975– Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge became Montreal Juniors.
  • 1976– Hull Festivals became Hull Olympiques. Divisions renamed: East becomes Dilio, West becomes Lebel.
  • 1977– Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks) move to Verdun. Sherbrooke moved to Dilio Division, while Verdun played in the Lebel.
  • 1978– Shawinigan Dynamos became Shawinigan Cataractes.
  • 1979– Verdun Éperviers (Black Hawks) became Sorel/Verdun Éperviers. Laval National become Laval Voisins.
  • 1980– Sorel/Verdun Éperviers became Sorel Éperviers.
  • 1981– Divisions cease to exist, Cornwall moved to the OHL, Sorel Éperviers moved to Granby and became the Bisons.
  • 1982– Lebel and Dilio Divisions reintroduced. Shawinigan, Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, and Drummondville played in the Dilio, while Laval, Verdun, Longueuil, Saint-Jean, Hull, and Granby played in the Lebel. Sherbrooke Castors moved to Saint-Jean. Montreal Juniors moved to Verdun. Drummondville Voltigeurs (Infantrymen) granted a franchise, Longueuil Chevaliers (Cavaliers) granted a franchise.
  • 1984– Plattsburgh Pioneers granted a franchise, but folded three months into the schedule after playing 17 games. They played in the Lebel Division, Granby is moved to the Dilio. Verdun Juniors become the Verdun Junior Canadiens.
  • 1985– Quebec Remparts fold. Laval Voisins became Laval Titan.
  • 1987– Longueuil Chevaliers moved to Victoriaville and became the Tigres. They played in the Dilio. Granby was moved to the Lebel Division.
  • 1988– Divisions ceased to exist, Longueuil Collège-Français are granted the rights to resurrect the Quebec Remparts franchise.
  • 1989– Verdun Junior Canadiens moved to Saint-Hyacinthe and became the Laser. Saint-Jean Castors became St-Jean Lynx.
  • 1990– Lebel and Dilio divisions created yet again: Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières, Drummondville, Shawinigan, Beauport, and Victoriaville play in the Dilio; Longueuil, Hull, Laval, Saint-Hyacinthe, Granby, and Saint-Jean played in the Lebel. Beauport Harfangs was granted a franchise.
  • 1991– Longueuil Collège-Français moved to Verdun.
  • 1992– Trois-Rivières Draveurs moved to Sherbrooke and became the Faucons.
  • 1993– Val-d'Or granted a franchise, named the Foreurs. They played in the Lebel.
  • 1994– Verdun Collège-Français folded. Halifax awarded an expansion team, the Mooseheads. Halifax played in the Dilio. Laval Titan became Laval Titan Collège-Français.
  • 1995– Saint-Jean Lynx moved to Rimouski and become the Océanic. Moncton Alpines franchise granted. Rimouski and Moncton both played in the Dilio. Drummondville and Sherbrooke moved to the Lebel. Granby Bisons became Granby Prédateurs.
  • 1996– Saint-Hyacinthe Laser moved to Rouyn-Noranda and became the Huskies. Moncton Alpines became Moncton Wildcats.
  • 1997– Granby Prédateurs move to Cape Breton and became the Screaming Eagles. They played in the Dilio. Shawinigan moved to the Lebel. The Beauport Harfangs moved to Quebec City and became the Quebec Remparts. Baie-Comeau was granted an expansion team called the Drakkar and played in the Dilio.
  • 1998– Laval Titan Collège-Français moved to Acadie-Bathurst, and played in the Dilio.
  • 1999– Lebel Division became Lebel Conference, and split into the West Division (Hull, Rouyn-Noranda, Montreal, Val-d'Or) and the Central Division (Shawinigan, Drummondville, Sherbrooke, Victoriaville). The Dilio Division became the Dilio Conference and split into the Eastern Division (Rimouski, Quebec City, Baie-Comeau, Chicoutimi) and the Maritime Division (Moncton, Halifax, Cape Breton, Acadie-Bathurst). Montreal Rocket was granted a franchise.
  • 2003– The QMJHL switched to a three-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 moved to Maine, becoming the Lewiston Maineiacs; Montreal Rocket moved to Charlottetown and took the Prince Edward Island name, Hull Olympiques become Gatineau Olympiques.
  • 2004– The QMJHL announced plans to expand from 16 to 18 teams, effective with the 2005–06 season. St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Saint John, New Brunswick were awarded franchises, the St. John's Fog Devils and Saint John Sea Dogs respectively.
  • 2005– Effective with the 2005–06 season, the league reverted to a two-division format. The East Division consisted of all of the league's non-Québec teams, and the West Division contained all of the Quebec teams.
  • 2006– The Western Division was renamed the Telus Division, under a sponsorship agreement with the Telus Corporation.
  • 2008– The St. John's Fog Devils relocated to Verdun, Quebec to become the Montreal Junior Hockey Club.
  • 2011– The Lewiston Maineiacs were purchased by the league and were dissolved. The remaining roster that's still eligible to play in the QMJHL was claimed by the remaining teams in a dispersal draft.
  • 2011– The Montreal Junior Hockey Club was sold to a group led by former NHL Defencemen Joel Bouchard and renamed the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
  • 2012– Sherbrooke permitted to resurrect the former Lewiston franchise as the Phoenix.
  • 2013– The PEI Rocket changed their franchise name to the Charlottetown Islanders.
  • 2020– League returns to a three-division format.

Cities represented

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Team Hometown Province/State Years Active
Cornwall Royals Cornwall Ontario 1969–1981
Plattsburgh Pioneers Plattsburgh New York 1984–1985
Laval Titan Laval Quebec 1969–1970; 1971–1998
Quebec Remparts Quebec City Quebec 1969–1985; 1997–present
Drummondville Voltigeurs Drummondville Quebec 1969–1974; 1982–present
Saint-Jerome Alouettes Saint-Jerome Quebec 1969–1971
Trois-Rivieres Draveurs Trois-Rivieres Quebec 1969–1992
Sorel Eperviers Sorel Quebec 1969–1977; 1980–1981
Verdun Juniors Verdun Quebec 1969–1971; 1977–1980; 1982–1989;

1991–1994; 2008–2011

Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge
Montreal Juniors
Montreal Rocket
Montreal Junior Hockey Club 		Montreal Quebec 1969–1971
1972–1982
1999–2003
2008–2011
Shawinigan Cataractes Shawinigan Quebec 1969–present
Sherbrooke Phoenix Sherbrooke Quebec 1969–1982; 1999–2003; 2012–present
Chicoutimi Saguenéens Chicoutimi Quebec 1973–present
Gatineau Olympiques Hull/Gatineau Quebec 1973–present
Granby Prédateurs Granby Quebec 1981–1997
Saint-Jean Lynx Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Quebec 1982–1995
Longueuil Chevaliers Longueuil Quebec 1982–1991
Victoriaville Tigres Victoriaville Quebec 1987–present
Saint-Hyacinthe Laser Saint-Hyacinthe Quebec 1989–1996
Beauport Harfangs Beauport Quebec 1990–1997
Val-d'Or Foreurs Val-d'Or Quebec 1993–present
Rimouski Océanic Rimouski Quebec 1995–present
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies Rouyn-Noranda Quebec 1996–present
Baie-Comeau Drakkar Baie-Comeau Quebec 1997–present
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada Boisbriand Quebec 2011–present
Moncton Wildcats Moncton New Brunswick 1995–present
Acadie-Bathurst Titan Bathurst New Brunswick 1998–present
Saint John Sea Dogs Saint John New Brunswick 2005–present
Lewiston Maineiacs Lewiston Maine 2003–2011
Charlottetown Islanders Charlottetown Prince Edward Island 2003–present
Halifax Mooseheads Halifax Nova Scotia 1994–present
Cape Breton Eagles Sydney Nova Scotia 1997–present
St. John's Fog Devils St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador 2005–2008

Memorial Cup champions

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The Memorial Cup has been captured fifteen times by ten different QMJHL teams since the league's founding in 1969:

Entry draft

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Starting in 1971, the QMJHL has held a draft to select the rights to future players.[11] The league held separate drafts for junior-aged players and for midget-aged players. The initial drafts addressed only players not protected by their territorial programs. In 1972, teams could protect 15 players within their territory, and Mike Bossy was never drafted because the Laval National protected him. In 1973, the midget protection was dropped to five players, then increased to six players in 1976. The territorial rights created issues in 1973, when the Sorel Éperviers picked Lucien DeBlois with the first pick, and the Drummondville Voltigeurs selected him with the 8th pick because he also was within their region.[12] The last year of separate drafts for midget and junior players was 1977, when teams were allowed to protect one midget player. Starting in 1978, the league had a single draft.[13]

Trophies and awards

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This is a list of QMJHL trophies.[14] The trophy's first season being awarded is shown in brackets.

Team

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Player

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Executive

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Defunct trophies

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ French: Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec
  2. ^ Trophy was previously known as the Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy in recognition of National Hockey League general manager and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Frank J. Selke prior to the 2024–25 season.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "Mario Cecchini introduced as next QMJHL Commissioner". Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  2. ^ Blouin, Maxime (14 December 2023). "The QMJHL becomes the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League". CHL.ca. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  3. ^ "QMJHL changes name to better represent its six Maritime teams". TSN.ca. 14 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  4. ^ Leroux, Stéphane (16 December 2024). "Le Titan déménagera; la LHJMQ de retour à Terre-Neuve". Réseau des sports (in French). Montreal, Quebec. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  5. ^ Staff (18 May 2021). "QMJHL to retire Guy Lafleur's No. 4". TSN. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  6. ^ The Canadian Press (28 September 2019). "Emotional Sidney Crosby honoured during jersey retirement ceremony in Rimouski". CBC News. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  7. ^ "QMJHL Commissioner steps down". Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. 5 March 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Mario Cecchini introduced as next QMJHL Commissioner". Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
  9. ^ "CHL Record Book". Archived from the original on 1 September 2006. Retrieved 1 September 2006.
  10. ^ "QMJHL team histories". Archived from the original on 20 December 2005. Retrieved 20 December 2005.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. ^ "1971 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Draft". Hockey Draft Central. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  12. ^ Mathieu, Jacques (4 June 1973). "L'affaire Deblois loin d'être reglée". La Tribune (in French). Sherbrooke, Quebec. p. 11. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  13. ^ "NHL and Other Amateur Drafts Since 1963". Hockey Draft Central. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  14. ^ "QMJHL Trophies". Archived from the original on 27 September 2006. Retrieved 27 September 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. ^ Cowan, Stu (17 September 2024). "QMJHL renames award in honour of former Canadien David Desharnais". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 17 September 2024.

Further reading

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
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