# 2020–21 QMJHL season

The 2020–21 QMJHL season was the 52nd season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The regular season began on October 2, 2020, and ended on April 18, 2021.
The playoffs began on April 23 and ended on June 5 with the Victoriaville Tigres winning the President's Cup as the QMJHL champion. Traditionally, the champion would have earned a berth in the 2021 Memorial Cup, which was to be hosted by the Ontario Hockey League from June 17 to 27, 2021, however, the Memorial Cup was cancelled for the second season in a row due to the restrictions during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The QMJHL was the only Canadian Hockey League member to award a playoff champion in 2021 as the Ontario Hockey League completely cancelled its season and the Western Hockey League only had small regional tournaments.

## Final standings

Source: TheQMJHL.ca
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; PTS = Points; PTS%= Points percentage; x = clinched playoff berth; y = clinched division title; z = clinched Jean Rougeau Trophy
| Maritimes Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | PTS | PTS% | GF | GA | Rank |
| xyz-Charlottetown Islanders | 40 | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 70 | .875 | 197 | 89 | 1 |
| x-Acadie–Bathurst Titan | 33 | 21 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 44 | .667 | 146 | 121 | 4 |
| x-Saint John Sea Dogs | 33 | 15 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 34 | .515 | 138 | 136 | 11 |
| x-Halifax Mooseheads | 43 | 15 | 19 | 5 | 4 | 39 | .453 | 152 | 183 | 13 |
| x-Moncton Wildcats | 31 | 11 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 25 | .403 | 105 | 136 | 14 |
| x-Cape Breton Eagles | 38 | 12 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 25 | .329 | 113 | 186 | 17 |
| East Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | PTS | PTS% | GF | GA | Rank |
| xy-Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 29 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 39 | .672 | 105 | 77 | 3 |
| x-Shawinigan Cataractes | 34 | 21 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 45 | .662 | 125 | 109 | 5 |
| x-Victoriaville Tigres | 26 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 33 | .635 | 99 | 65 | 6 |
| x-Quebec Remparts | 32 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 40 | .625 | 107 | 96 | 8 |
| x-Rimouski Océanic | 39 | 13 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 30 | .385 | 104 | 143 | 15 |
| x-Baie-Comeau Drakkar | 36 | 8 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 18 | .250 | 82 | 137 | 18 |
| West Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | PTS | PTS% | GF | GA | Rank |
| xy-Val-d'Or Foreurs | 36 | 29 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 62 | .861 | 141 | 78 | 2 |
| x-Blainville-Boisbriand Armada | 32 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 40 | .625 | 133 | 118 | 7 |
| x-Drummondville Voltigeurs | 34 | 18 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 41 | .603 | 106 | 104 | 9 |
| x-Gatineau Olympiques | 31 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 36 | .581 | 95 | 87 | 10 |
| x-Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | 40 | 17 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 39 | .488 | 100 | 146 | 12 |
| x-Sherbrooke Phoenix | 27 | 8 | 17 | 1 | 1 | 18 | .333 | 68 | 105 | 16 |

## Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes Source: TheQMJHL.ca
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Cédric Desruisseaux | Charlottetown Islanders | 40 | 42 | 36 | 78 | 28 |
| Thomas Casey | Charlottetown Islanders | 38 | 34 | 40 | 74 | 34 |
| Brett Budgell | Charlottetown Islanders | 40 | 15 | 43 | 58 | 28 |
| Lukas Cormier | Charlottetown Islanders | 39 | 16 | 38 | 54 | 36 |
| Mathieu Desgagnés | Acadie–Bathurst Titan | 31 | 24 | 28 | 52 | 15 |
| Ryan Francis | Cape Breton/Saint John | 32 | 16 | 34 | 50 | 24 |
| Elliot Desnoyers | Halifax Mooseheads | 37 | 21 | 28 | 49 | 24 |
| Olivier Nadeau | Shawinigan Cataractes | 34 | 13 | 32 | 45 | 28 |
| Mavrik Bourque | Shawinigan Cataractes | 28 | 19 | 24 | 43 | 36 |
| Shawn Element | Cape Breton/Victoriaville | 31 | 17 | 26 | 43 | 18 |

## Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average Source: TheQMJHL.ca
| Player | Team | GP | Mins | W | L | OTL | SOL | GA | SO | Sv% | GAA |
| Colten Ellis | Charlottetown Islanders | 24 | 1447:37 | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 7 | .926 | 1.78 |
| Jonathan Lemieux | Val-d'Or Foreurs | 24 | 1440:02 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 1 | .920 | 1.96 |
| Alexis Shank | Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 23 | 1383:34 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 49 | 3 | .918 | 2.12 |
| William Blackburn | Val-d'Or Foreurs | 13 | 763:23 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 0 | .907 | 2.20 |
| Nikolas Hurtubise | Victoriaville Tigres | 17 | 904:05 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 2 | .914 | 2.32 |

## Playoffs
### Maritimes round-robin

Due to local travel restrictions, all Nova Scotia-based teams were deemed ineligible to compete in the playoffs. Three New Brunswick-based teams competed in a six-game round-robin tournament to determine who would face the Charlottetown Islanders in the Maritimes Division final.
— Indicates team advanced to the division final
| Team | GP | W | L | GF | GA | PTS |
| Acadie–Bathurst Titan | 6 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 25 | 8 |
| Saint John Sea Dogs | 6 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 24 | 6 |
| Moncton Wildcats | 6 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 27 | 4 |

### Playoff bracket

Final results:
| First Round | First Round | First Round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Q1 | Val-d'Or | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q12 | Baie-Comeau | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q12 | Baie-Comeau | 0 | Q1 | Val-d'Or | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Q10 | Rimouski | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Q2 | Chicoutimi | 3 | Q10 | Rimouski | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Q11 | Sherbrooke | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q11 | Sherbrooke | 0 | | | | 1 | Charlottetown | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Victoriaville | 3 | | | | |
| Q3 | Shawinigan | 2 | | | | | | | 4 | Victoriaville | 3 | | | | |
| Q10 | Rimouski | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q10 | Rimouski | 3 | Q2 | Chicoutimi | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Q6 | Quebec | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Q4 | Victoriaville | 3 | Q6 | Quebec | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Q9 | Rouyn-Noranda | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q9 | Rouyn-Noranda | 0 | | | | | | | | 2 | Val-d'Or | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Victoriaville | 4 |
| Q5 | Blainville-Boisbriand | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Victoriaville | 4 |
| Q8 | Gatineau | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q8 | Gatineau | 1 | Q4 | Victoriaville | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | | | Q5 | Blainville-Boisbriand | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Q6 | Quebec | 3 | Q5 | Blainville-Boisbriand | 2 | | | | | | | |
| Q7 | Drummondville | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| Q7 | Drummondville | 0 | | | | 2 | Val-d'Or | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 3 | Chicoutimi | 0 | | | | |
| | | | M1 | Charlottetown | 3 | | | | | | | |
| | | | M2 | Acadie–Bathurst | 0 | | | | | | | |

## First round
### Quebec divisions
#### (1) Val-d'Or Foreurs vs. (12) Baie-Comeau Drakkar

* Val-d'Or wins series 3–0

#### (2) Chicoutimi Saguenéens vs. (11) Sherbrooke Phoenix

* Chicoutimi wins series 3–0

#### (3) Shawinigan Cataractes vs. (10) Rimouski Océanic

* Rimouski wins series 3–2

#### (4) Victoriaville Tigres vs. (9) Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

* Victoriaville wins series 3–0

#### (5) Blainville-Boisbriand Armada vs. (8) Gatineau Olympiques

* Blainville-Boisbriand wins series 3–1

#### (6) Quebec Remparts vs. (7) Drummondville Voltigeurs

* Quebec wins series 3–0

## Quarterfinals
### Quebec Divisions
#### (1) Val-d'Or Foreurs vs. (6) Rimouski Océanic

* Val-d'Or wins series 3–0
* ↑ Postponed from May 10 due to a possible positive case of COVID-19 in the May 8 game between Val-d'Or Foreurs and Rimouski Océanic.

#### (2) Chicoutimi Saguenéens vs. (5) Quebec Remparts

* Chicoutimi wins series 3–0

#### (3) Victoriaville Tigres vs. (4) Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

* Victoriaville wins series 3–2
* ↑ Postponed from May 9 due to a possible positive case of COVID-19 in the May 8 game between Val-d'Or Foreurs and Rimouski Océanic with the same officials scheduled for the May 9 game.

### Maritimes Division
#### (1) Charlottetown Islanders vs. (2) Acadie–Bathurst Titan

* Charlottetown wins series 3–0

## Semifinals
### (1) Charlottetown Islanders vs. (4) Victoriaville Tigres

* Victoriaville wins series 3–2

### (2) Val-d'Or Foreurs vs. (3) Chicoutimi Saguenéens

* Val-d'Or wins series 3–0

## Finals
### (2) Val-d'Or Foreurs vs. (4) Victoriaville Tigres

* Victoriaville wins series 4–2

## Playoff leading scorers

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Alex Beaucage | Victoriaville Tigres | 16 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 4 |
| Mikhail Abramov | Victoriaville Tigres | 19 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 8 |
| Jakob Pelletier | Val-d'Or Foreurs | 15 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 6 |
| Benjamin Tardif | Victoriaville Tigres | 19 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 12 |
| Jordan Spence | Val-d'Or Foreurs | 15 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 6 |
| Samuel Poulin | Val-d'Or Foreurs | 15 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 12 |
| Shawn Element | Victoriaville Tigres | 19 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 14 |
| Nathan Légaré | Val-d'Or Foreurs | 15 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 12 |
| Maxim Cajkovic | Val-d'Or Foreurs | 15 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 6 |
| Nicolas Daigle | Victoriaville Tigres | 19 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 |

## Playoff leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; Mins = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses: OTL = Overtime losses; SL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals Allowed; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
| Player | Team | GP | Mins | W | L | GA | SO | Sv% | GAA |
| Antoine Coulombe | Shawinigan Cataractes | 5 | 297:26 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 0 | .930 | 1.82 |
| Jonathan Lemieux | Val d'Or Foreurs | 15 | 924:25 | 11 | 4 | 30 | 1 | .910 | 1.95 |
| Nikolas Hurtubise | Victoriaville Tigres | 16 | 969:02 | 11 | 4 | 41 | 2 | .908 | 2.54 |
| Fabio Iacobo | Victoriaville Tigres | 4 | 216:52 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 0 | .877 | 2.77 |
| Alexis Shank | Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 9 | 537:00 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 1 | .899 | 2.79 |

## Trophies and awards

* President's Cup – Playoff Champions: Victoriaville Tigres
* Jean Rougeau Trophy – Regular Season Champions: Charlottetown Islanders
* Luc Robitaille Trophy – Team with the best goals for average: Charlottetown Islanders
* Robert Lebel Trophy – Team with best GAA: Val-d'Or Foreurs
Player
* Michel Brière Memorial Trophy – Most Valuable Player: Cédric Desruisseaux, Charlottetown Islanders
* Jean Béliveau Trophy – Top Scorer: Cédric Desruisseaux, Charlottetown Islanders
* Guy Lafleur Trophy – Playoff MVP: Benjamin Tardif, Victoriaville Tigres
* Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy – Top Goaltender: Colten Ellis, Charlottetown Islanders
* Guy Carbonneau Trophy – Best Defensive Forward: Dawson Mercer, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Emile Bouchard Trophy – Defenceman of the Year: Lukas Cormier, Charlottetown Islanders
* Kevin Lowe Trophy – Best Defensive Defenceman: Noah Laaouan, Charlottetown Islanders
* Michael Bossy Trophy – Top Prospect: Zachary Bolduc, Rimouski Océanic
* RDS Cup – Rookie of the Year: Tristan Luneau, Gatineau Olympiques
* Michel Bergeron Trophy – Offensive Rookie of the Year: Antonin Verreault, Gatineau Olympiques
* Raymond Lagacé Trophy – Defensive Rookie of the Year: Tristan Luneau, Gatineau Olympiques
* Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy – Most sportsmanlike player: Dawson Mercer, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year – Humanitarian of the Year: Anthony D'Amours, Rimouski Océanic
* Marcel Robert Trophy – Best Scholastic Player: Jacob Gaucher, Val-d'Or Foreurs
* Paul Dumont Trophy – Personality of the Year: Nicolas Sauvé, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
Executive
* Ron Lapointe Trophy – Coach of the Year: Jim Hulton, Charlottetown Islanders
* Maurice Filion Trophy – General Manager of the Year: Jim Hulton, Charlottetown Islanders

### All-Star Teams

First All-Star Team:
* Colten Ellis, Goaltender, Charlottetown Islanders
* Lukas Cormier, Defenceman, Charlottetown Islanders
* Jordan Spence, Defenceman, Val-d'Or Foreurs
* Cédric Desruisseaux, Forward, Charlottetown Islanders
* Dawson Mercer, Forward, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Jakob Pelletier, Forward, Val-d'Or Foreurs
Second All-Star Team
* Jonathan Lemieux, Goaltender, Val-d'Or Foreurs
* Noah Laaouan, Defenceman, Charlottetown Islanders
* Justin Barron, Defenceman, Halifax Mooseheads
* Elliot Desnoyers, Forward, Halifax Mooseheads
* Mathieu Desgagnés, Forward, Acadie–Bathurst Titan
* Thomas Casey, Forward, Charlottetown Islanders
All-Rookie Team:
* Chad Arsenault, Goaltender, Acadie–Bathurst Titan
* Tristan Luneau, Defenceman, Gatineau Olympiques
* Evan Nause, Defenceman, Quebec Remparts
* Justin Côté, Forward, Drummondville Voltigeurs
* Peter Reynolds, Forward, Saint John Sea Dogs
* Antonin Verreault, Forward, Gatineau Olympiques