# 1996–97 QMJHL season

The 1996–97 QMJHL season was the 28th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league continues explore new markets as the Saint-Hyacinthe Laser move north to Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. The New Faces Cup is renamed the RDS Cup, for its new sponsor, Réseau des sports. Fourteen teams played 70 games each in the schedule. The Hull Olympiques finished first overall in the regular season winning their third Jean Rougeau Trophy, and won their fourth President's Cup, defeating the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the finals.

## Team changes

* The Saint-Hyacinthe Laser relocated to Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, becoming the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
* The Moncton Alpines are renamed the Moncton Wildcats.

## Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; Pts = Points; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against
| Dilio Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Victoriaville Tigres | 70 | 43 | 23 | 4 | 90 | 293 | 216 |
| Shawinigan Cataractes | 70 | 41 | 24 | 5 | 87 | 277 | 232 |
| Halifax Mooseheads | 70 | 37 | 29 | 4 | 78 | 267 | 255 |
| Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 70 | 37 | 30 | 3 | 77 | 271 | 222 |
| Rimouski Océanic | 70 | 34 | 31 | 5 | 73 | 298 | 261 |
| Beauport Harfangs | 70 | 24 | 44 | 2 | 50 | 216 | 284 |
| Moncton Wildcats | 70 | 16 | 52 | 2 | 34 | 192 | 354 |
| Lebel Division | GP | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA |
| Hull Olympiques | 70 | 48 | 19 | 3 | 99 | 346 | 205 |
| Granby Prédateurs | 70 | 44 | 20 | 6 | 94 | 304 | 210 |
| Val-d'Or Foreurs | 70 | 40 | 28 | 2 | 82 | 268 | 230 |
| Drummondville Voltigeurs | 70 | 36 | 33 | 1 | 73 | 305 | 287 |
| Laval Titan Collège Français | 70 | 27 | 40 | 3 | 57 | 260 | 314 |
| Sherbrooke Faucons | 70 | 24 | 45 | 1 | 49 | 206 | 283 |
| Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | 70 | 16 | 49 | 5 | 37 | 174 | 324 |
* complete list of standings.

## Scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Pavel Rosa | Hull Olympiques | 68 | 63 | 89 | 152 | 56 |
| Martin Ménard | Hull Olympiques | 60 | 59 | 82 | 141 | 57 |
| Daniel Brière | Drummondville Voltigeurs | 59 | 52 | 78 | 130 | 86 |
| Martin Chouinard | Granby Prédateurs | 69 | 41 | 83 | 124 | 126 |
| Eric Normandin | Rimouski Océanic | 65 | 47 | 75 | 122 | 236 |
| Daniel Corso | Victoriaville Tigres | 54 | 51 | 68 | 119 | 50 |
| Éric Bélanger | Beauport/ Rimouski | 62 | 39 | 78 | 107 | 66 |
| Philippe Audet | Granby Prédateurs | 67 | 52 | 56 | 108 | 150 |
| Jean-Pierre Dumont | Val-d'Or Foreurs | 62 | 44 | 64 | 108 | 88 |
| Guy Loranger | Shawinigan Cataractes | 70 | 44 | 62 | 106 | 101 |
* complete scoring statistics

## Leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Total ice time; W = Wins; L = Losses ; GA = Goals against; SO = Total shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
| Player | Team | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
| Marc Denis | Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 41 | 2316 | 22 | 15 | 104 | 4 | .905 | 2.69 |
| Christian Bronsard | Hull Olympiques | 43 | 2451 | 30 | 10 | 112 | 1 | .908 | 2.74 |
| Frédéric Henry | Granby Prédateurs | 57 | 3327 | 33 | 16 | 161 | 4 | .905 | 2.90 |
| Mathieu Garon | Victoriaville Tigres | 48 | 2808 | 33 | 11 | 148 | 6 | .902 | 2.93 |
| Sébastien Charpentier | Shawinigan Cataractes | 62 | 3474 | 37 | 17 | 176 | 1 | .899 | 3.04 |

## Playoffs

| Division Quarterfinals | Division Quarterfinals | Division Quarterfinals | | | Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Semifinals | Division Finals | Division Finals | Division Finals | League Finals | League Finals | League Finals |
| | | | | | L1 | Hull | 4 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | L4 | Drummondville | 1 | | | | | | |
| L4 | Drummondville | 3 | | | L4 | Drummondville | 1 | | | | | | |
| L5 | Laval | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| L5 | Laval | 0 | | | | | | L1 | Hull | 4 | | | |
| Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | L1 | Hull | 4 | | | |
| Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | Lebel Division | L3 | Val-d'Or | 1 | | | |
| | | | | | L2 | Granby | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | L3 | Val-d'Or | 4 | | | | | | |
| L3 | Val-d'Or | 3 | | | L3 | Val-d'Or | 4 | | | | | | |
| L6 | Sherbrooke | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| L6 | Sherbrooke | 0 | | | | | | | | | L1 | Hull | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | D4 | Chicoutimi | 0 |
| | | | | | D2 | Shawinigan | 3 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | D3 | Halifax | 4 | | | | | | |
| D3 | Halifax | 3 | | | D3 | Halifax | 4 | | | | | | |
| D6 | Beauport | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| D6 | Beauport | 1 | | | | | | D3 | Halifax | 3 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | D4 | Chicoutimi | 4 | | | |
| | | | | | D1 | Victroiaville | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | D4 | Chicoutimi | 4 | | | | | | |
| D4 | Chicoutimi | 3 | | | D4 | Chicoutimi | 4 | | | | | | |
| D5 | Rimouski | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Division Quarterfinals
### Lebel Division
#### (L4) Drummondville Voltigeurs vs. (L5) Laval Titan Collège Français

* Drummondville won series 3 – 0

#### (L3) Val-d'Or Foreurs vs. (L6) Sherbrooke Faucons

* Val-d'Or won series 3 – 0

### Dilio Division
#### (D3) Halifax Mooseheads vs. (D6) Sherbrooke Faucons

* Halifax won series 3 – 1

#### (D4) Chicoutimi Saguenéens vs. (D5) Rimouski Océanic

* Chicoutimi won series 3 – 1

## Division Semifinals
### Lebel Division
#### (L1) Hull Olympiques vs. (L4) Drummondville Voltigeurs

* Hull won series 4 – 1

#### (L2) Granby Prédateurs vs. (L3) Val-d'Or Foreurs

* Val-d'Or won series 4 – 1

### Dilio Division
#### (D1) Victoriaville Tigres vs. (D4) Chicoutimi Saguenéens

* Chicoutimi won series 4 – 2

#### (D2) Shawinigan Cataractes vs. (D3) Halifax Mooseheads

* Halifax won series 4 – 3

## Division Finals
### Lebel Division
#### (L1) Hull Olympiques vs. (L3) Val-d'Or Foreurs

* Hull won series 4 – 1

### Dilio Division
#### (D3) Halifax Mooseheads vs. (D4) Chicoutimi Saguenéens

* Chicoutimi won series 4 – 3

## President's Cup Finals
### (L1) Hull Olympiques vs. (D4) Chicoutimi Saguenéens

* Hull won series 4 – 0

## Playoff scoring leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| Frédéric Bouchard | Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 21 | 22 | 29 | 51 | 42 |
| Martin Ménard | Hull Olympiques | 14 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 17 |
| Pavel Rosa | Hull Olympiques | 14 | 18 | 13 | 31 | 16 |
| Martin Chouinard | Halifax Mooseheads | 18 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 12 |
| Marc Bouchard | Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 21 | 8 | 18 | 28 | 14 |
| Denis Hamel | Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 20 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 65 |
| Jonathan Delisle | Hull Olympiques | 14 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 48 |
| Jamie Brown | Halifax Mooseheads | 18 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 39 |
| François Sasseville | Halifax Mooseheads | 18 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 16 |
| Christian Dubé | Hull Olympiques | 14 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 14 |

## Playoff leading goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Total ice time; W = Wins; L = Losses ; GA = Goals against; SO = Total shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
| Player | Team | GP | TOI | W | L | GA | SO | SV% | GAA |
| Jean-Sébastien Giguère | Halifax Mooseheads | 16 | 953 | 9 | 7 | 58 | 0 | .899 | 3.65 |
| Jean-Sébastien Aubin | Laval Titan Collège Français | 2 | 127 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 0 | .872 | 4.70 |
| Frédérick Brind'Amour | Sherbrooke Faucons | 3 | 173 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 0 | .846 | 5.54 |
| Sébastien Charpentier | Shawinigan Cataractes | 4 | 195 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 0 | .863 | 3.99 |
| Nicolas Chabot | Rimouski Océanic | 4 | 225 | 1 | 3 | 21 | 0 | .872 | 5.58 |

## All-star teams
### First team

* Goaltender - Marc Denis, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Left defence - Derrick Walser, Beauport Harfangs / Rimouski Océanic
* Right defence - Stéphane Robidas, Shawinigan Cataractes
* Left winger - Philippe Audet, Granby Prédateurs
* Centreman - Daniel Corso, Victoriaville Tigres
* Right winger - Pavel Rosa, Hull Olympiques
* Coach - Clément Jodoin, Halifax Mooseheads

### Second team

* Goaltender - Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Halifax Mooseheads
* Left defence - Radoslav Suchý, Sherbrooke Faucons / Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Right defence - Frédéric Bouchard, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Left winger - Jean-Pierre Dumont, Val-d'Or Foreurs
* Centreman - Daniel Brière, Drummondville Voltigeurs
* Right winger - Eric Normandin, Rimouski Océanic
* Coach - Alain Rajotte, Victoriaville Tigres

### Rookie team

* Goaltender - Christian Bronsard, Hull Olympiques
* Left defence - François Beauchemin, Laval Titan Collège Français & Jeffrey Sullivan, Granby Prédateurs / Halifax Mooseheads
* Right defence - Jonathan Girard, Laval Titan Collège Français
* Left winger - Alex Tanguay, Halifax Mooseheads
* Centreman - Vincent Lecavalier, Rimouski Océanic
* Right winger - Gregor Baumgartner, Laval Titan Collège Français
* Coach - Denis Francoeur, Shawinigan Cataractes
* List of First/Second/Rookie team all-stars.

## Trophies and awards
### Team

* President's Cup - Playoff Champions, Hull Olympiques
* Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular Season Champions, Hull Olympiques
* Robert Lebel Trophy - Team with best GAA, Hull Olympiques

### Player

* Michel Brière Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player, Daniel Corso, Victoriaville Tigres
* Jean Béliveau Trophy - Top Scorer, Pavel Rosa, Hull Olympiques
* Guy Lafleur Trophy - Playoff MVP, Christian Bronsard, Hull Olympiques
* Ford Cup – Offensive - Offensive Player of the Year, Pavel Rosa, Hull Olympiques
* Ford Cup – Defensive - Defensive Player of the Year, Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Halifax Mooseheads
* AutoPro Plaque - Best plus/minus total, Pavel Rosa, Hull Olympiques
* Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy - Best GAA, Marc Denis, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year, Stéphane Robidas, Shawinigan Cataractes
* Mike Bossy Trophy - Best Pro Prospect, Roberto Luongo, Val-d'Or Foreurs
* RDS Cup - Rookie of the Year, Vincent Lecavalier, Rimouski Océanic
* Michel Bergeron Trophy - Offensive Rookie of the Year, Vincent Lecavalier, Rimouski Océanic
* Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year, Christian Bronsard, Hull Olympiques
* Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player, Daniel Brière, Drummondville Voltigeurs
* QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year - Humanitarian of the Year, Jason Groleau, Victoriaville Tigres
* Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player, Luc Vaillancourt, Beauport Harfangs

### Executive

* Ron Lapointe Trophy - Coach of the Year, Clément Jodoin, Halifax Mooseheads
* John Horman Trophy - Executive of the Year, Harold MacKay, Halifax Mooseheads
* St-Clair Group Plaque - Marketing Director of the Year, Matt McKnight, Halifax Mooseheads
* Paul Dumont Trophy - Personality of the Year, Michel Therrien, Granby Prédateurs