# 2003–04 QMJHL season

The 2003–04 QMJHL season was the 35th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league continued to expand to new eastern markets, with teams relocating to Maine and Prince Edward Island. Conferences were abandoned and teams were divided into three divisions by geography. Sixteen teams played 70 games each in the schedule.
The Lewiston Maineiacs became the league's second American-based team in history after the Plattsburgh Pioneers, and first to survive a full season. The P.E.I. Rocket also became the first major junior hockey team based on Prince Edward Island.
Rookie Sidney Crosby led the league in scoring as a 16-year-old, and won the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy as the MVP of the regular season.
The Gatineau Olympiques finished first overall in the regular season winning their fourth Jean Rougeau Trophy, and also won their sixth President's Cup, defeating the Moncton Wildcats in the finals.

## Team changes

* The Hull Olympiques were renamed the Gatineau Olympiques.
* The Montreal Rocket relocated to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, becoming the P.E.I. Rocket.
* The Sherbrooke Castors relocated to Lewiston, Maine, becoming the Lewiston Maineiacs.

## Final standings

Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OL = Overtime loss; PTS = Points; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against
| Western Division | GP | W | L | T | OL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y-Gatineau Olympiques | 70 | 50 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 107 | 306 | 179 |
| x-Shawinigan Cataractes | 70 | 39 | 21 | 4 | 6 | 88 | 259 | 215 |
| x-Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | 70 | 30 | 27 | 9 | 4 | 73 | 260 | 265 |
| x-Val-d'Or Foreurs | 70 | 29 | 29 | 10 | 2 | 70 | 213 | 222 |
| x-Drummondville Voltigeurs | 70 | 27 | 30 | 10 | 3 | 67 | 210 | 224 |
| Victoriaville Tigres | 70 | 20 | 43 | 5 | 2 | 47 | 204 | 295 |
| Eastern Division | GP | W | L | T | OL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y-Rimouski Océanic | 70 | 34 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 76 | 284 | 252 |
| x-Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 70 | 32 | 27 | 7 | 4 | 75 | 218 | 220 |
| x-Lewiston Maineiacs | 70 | 33 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 72 | 233 | 215 |
| x-Quebec Remparts | 70 | 28 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 66 | 210 | 245 |
| x-Baie-Comeau Drakkar | 70 | 21 | 42 | 5 | 2 | 49 | 195 | 285 |
| Atlantic Division | GP | W | L | T | OL | Pts | GF | GA |
| y-Cape Breton Screaming Eagles | 70 | 49 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 103 | 273 | 164 |
| x-Moncton Wildcats | 70 | 46 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 97 | 270 | 206 |
| x-P.E.I. Rocket | 70 | 40 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 91 | 251 | 189 |
| Halifax Mooseheads | 70 | 17 | 43 | 7 | 3 | 44 | 194 | 274 |
| Acadie-Bathurst Titan | 70 | 18 | 49 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 184 | 314 |
    y-received first-round bye
    x-made playoffs
* 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 |
| Sidney Crosby | Rimouski Océanic | 59 | 54 | 81 | 135 | 74 |
| Dany Roussin | Rimouski Océanic | 66 | 59 | 58 | 117 | 70 |
| Maxime Talbot | Gatineau Olympiques | 51 | 25 | 73 | 98 | 41 |
| Jean-Michel Daoust | Gatineau Olympiques | 60 | 31 | 65 | 96 | 82 |
| Benoît Mondou | Shawinigan Cataractes | 68 | 34 | 61 | 95 | 32 |
| Pascal Pelletier | Shawinigan Cataractes | 64 | 39 | 52 | 91 | 85 |
| Yannick Tifu | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | 70 | 42 | 48 | 90 | 39 |
| Guillaume Fournier | Victoriaville/ Gatineau | 65 | 40 | 48 | 88 | 28 |
| François-Pierre Guenette | Cape Breton Screaming Eagles | 69 | 34 | 51 | 85 | 26 |
| Karl Gagné | Moncton Wildcats | 68 | 24 | 60 | 84 | 20 |
| Michael Lambert | P.E.I. Rocket | 67 | 42 | 42 | 84 | 53 |
* 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 |
| Martin Houle | Cape Breton Screaming Eagles | 51 | 2950:48 | 34 | 15 | 114 | 3 | .921 | 2.32 |
| Corey Crawford | Moncton Wildcats | 54 | 3019:02 | 35 | 15 | 132 | 2 | .919 | 2.62 |
| David Tremblay | Gatineau Olympiques | 47 | 2671:34 | 33 | 10 | 117 | 3 | .908 | 2.63 |
| Jeff Deslauriers | Chicoutimi Saguenéens | 50 | 2705:44 | 21 | 20 | 129 | 1 | .916 | 2.87 |
| Julien Ellis | Shawinigan Cataractes | 59 | 3286:54 | 32 | 18 | 157 | 1 | .903 | 2.87 |

## Canada-Russia Challenge

The 2003–04 season was the first time the Canada-Russia challenge was played. The event, then known as the RE/MAX Canada-Russia Challenge was hosted by the Halifax Mooseheads and the Rimouski Océanic. On November 20, 2003, the Russian Selects defeated the QMJHL All-stars 3–2 at the Halifax Metro Centre. On November 24, 2003, the QMJHL All-stars defeated the Russian Selects 6–2 at Colisée de Rimouski.

## Playoffs

Each regular season division winner received a first round bye, and ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall. Remaining teams were ranked 4th to 13th, regardless of division.
Maxime Talbot was the leading scorer of the playoffs with 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists).
| First round | First round | First round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| | | | 1 | Gatineau | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 8 | Rouyn-Noranda | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Rouyn-Noranda | 4 | 8 | Rouyn-Noranda | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Lewiston | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Lewiston | 3 | | | | 1 | Gatineau | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 7 | Chicoutimi | 2 | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Cape Breton | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 7 | Chicoutimi | 4 | | | | | | | |
| 7 | Chicoutimi | 4 | 7 | Chicoutimi | 4 | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Val-d'Or | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Val-d'Or | 3 | | | | | | | | 1 | Gatineau | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Moncton | 1 |
| | | | 3 | Rimouski | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Shawinigan | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Shawinigan | 4 | 6 | Shawinigan | 0 | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Drummondville | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Drummondville | 3 | | | | 3 | Rimouski | 1 | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Moncton | 4 | | | | |
| 5 | P. E. I. | 4 | | | | | | | 4 | Moncton | 4 | |
| 12 | Quebec | 1 | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Quebec | 1 | 4 | Moncton | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | 5 | P. E. I. | 2 | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Moncton | 4 | 5 | P. E. I. | 2 | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Baie-Comeau | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |

## First round
### (8) Rouyn-Noranda Huskies vs. (9) Lewiston Maineiacs

* Rouyn-Noranda won series 4 – 3

### (7) Chicoutimi Saguenéens vs. (10) Val-d'Or Foreurs

* Chicoutimi won series 4 – 3

### (6) Shawinigan Cataractes vs. (11) Drummondville Voltigeurs

* Shawinigan won series 4 – 3

### (5) P.E.I. Rocket vs. (12) Quebec Remparts

* P.E.I. won series 4 – 1

### (4) Moncton Wildcats vs. (13) Baie-Comeau Drakkar

* Moncton won series 4 – 0

## Quarterfinals
### (1) Gatineau Olympiques vs. (8) Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

* Gatineau won series 4 – 0

### (3) Rimouski Océanic vs. (6) Chicoutimi Saguenéens

* Chicoutimi won series 4 – 1

### (1) Rimouski Océanic vs. (8) Shawinigan Cataractes

* Rimouski won series 4 – 0

## All-star teams
### First team

* Goaltender - Martin Houle, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
* Left Defence - Doug O'Brien, Gatineau Olympiques
* Right Defence - Jonathan Paiement, Lewiston Maineiacs
* Left Winger - Dany Roussin, Rimouski Océanic
* Centreman - Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Right Winger - Jean-Michel Daoust, Gatineau Olympiques
* Coach - Benoît Groulx, Gatineau Olympiques

### Second team

* Goaltender - Corey Crawford, Moncton Wildcats
* Left Defence - Mathieu Dumas, Val-d'Or Foreurs
* Right Defence - Mario Scalzo, Victoriaville Tigres
* Left Winger - Alexandre Picard, Lewiston Maineiacs
* Centreman - Maxime Talbot, Gatineau Olympiques
* Right Winger - Steve Bernier, Moncton Wildcats
* Coach - Alain Vigneault, P.E.I. Rocket

### Rookie team

* Goaltender - Julien Ellis, Shawinigan Cataractes
* Left Defence - Nathan Welton, Quebec Remparts
* Right Defence - Mathieu Carle, Acadie-Bathurst
* Left Winger - Guillaume Latendresse, Drummondville
* Centreman - Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Right Winger - Martins Karsums, Moncton Wildcats
* Coach - no eligible candidate
* List of First/Second/Rookie team all-stars.

## Trophies and awards
### Team

* President's Cup - Playoff Champions, Gatineau Olympiques
* Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular Season Champions, Gatineau Olympiques
* Luc Robitaille Trophy - Team that scored the most goals, Gatineau Olympiques
* Robert Lebel Trophy - Team with best GAA, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

### Player

* Michel Brière Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Jean Béliveau Trophy - Top Scorer, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Guy Lafleur Trophy - Playoff MVP, Maxime Talbot, Gatineau Olympiques
* Telus Cup – Offensive - Offensive Player of the Year, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Telus Cup – Defensive - Defensive Player of the Year, Corey Crawford, Moncton Wildcats
* Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy - Best GAA, Martin Houle, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
* Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year, Doug O'Brien, Gatineau Olympiques
* Mike Bossy Trophy - Best Pro Prospect, Alexandre Picard, Lewiston Maineiacs
* RDS Cup - Rookie of the Year, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Michel Bergeron Trophy - Offensive Rookie of the Year, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year, Julien Ellis-Plante, Shawinigan Cataractes
* Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player, Benoît Mondou, Shawinigan Cataractes
* QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year - Humanitarian of the Year, Josh Hennessy, Quebec Remparts
* Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player, Nicolas Laplante, Acadie-Bathurst Titan
* Paul Dumont Trophy - Personality of the Year, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic

### Executive

* Ron Lapointe Trophy - Coach of the Year, Benoît Groulx, Gatineau Olympiques
* John Horman Trophy - Executive of the Year, Sylvie Fortier, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
* Jean Sawyer Trophy - Marketing Director of the Year, Johanne Lefebvre, Baie-Comeau Drakkar