Quebec Junior Hockey League (1988-)

The Ligue de Hockey Junior du Québec (LHJQ) or Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL) is a Hockey Québec Canadian Junior A ice hockey league and is a member of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The winner of the LHJQ playoffs competes for the Fred Page Cup against the winners of the Central Junior A Hockey League and the Maritime Hockey League and the host team which is on a three year cycle between the MHL, CJHL and LHJQ. The winner of the Fred Page Cup then moves on to compete for the Royal Bank Cup.
==History==
The Quebec Junior Hockey League is an offshoot of the Quebec Junior A Hockey League that lasted from 1972-1982. Founded in 1988, the QJHL has been a rather strong league with 3 Central Canadian Champions (Dudley Hewitt Cup) in its early years: the Longueuil Sieurs in 1990 and the Chateauguay Elites in 1993 and 1994. In 1994-95 they were grouped into the Eastern Canadian region to compete for the Fred Page Cup. The Joliette Nationals won the first ever Fred Page Cup in 1995. To this day, the QJHL has 4 Eastern Canadian titles, the others going to the Joliette Action, Lennoxville Cougars, and St. Jerome Panthers. No Quebec team has ever won the National Title despite attending the tournament 7 times since 1988.
Despite losing the Saint-Félicien Multiconcessionnaire in the summer of 2009. The QJAAAHL has done the opposite of its predecessor, the Quebec Junior A Hockey League. From 1972 until 1982, the QJAHL started big but steadily fell apart. The QJAAAHL, as well, started off big but through picking financially feasible markets and making smart relocations when the times have needed them, the QJAAAHL has maintained its size and success as a Junior A league. The only thing that has eluded the QJAAAHL is the National Championship, the Royal Bank Cup.
In 2002-03, Champlain College Lennoxville got a team to play in the LHJAAAQ - Lennoxville Cougars, based on the campus of College Champlain and Bishops University. The Cougars, who were coached by former NHLer Stéphan Lebeau formed a discipline style of hockey. The method paid off, and Lennoxville captured the Napa Cup as league champions and won the Fred Page Cup. Lennoxville finished the Royal Bank Cup 1-3, the Cougars exited the tournament with a semi-finals loss to the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL.
In 2003-04, the CJAHL and the LHJAAAQ saw the St-Eustache Gladiateurs rank #5 overall in Canada. However, the Gladiateurs lost the finals to the Valleyfield Braves in the finals. Because Valleyfield was hosting the Fred Page Cup, the Gladiateurs got a berth in the tournament. Despite that Saint-Eustache held a 2-0, along with Valleyfield, who also held a 2-0 record coming into the pivotal all-LHJAAAQ matchup, which would also decide the winner, who gets a bye to the championship finals. Valleyfield won the tilt 4-0, and Saint-Eustache lost to the Nepean Raiders 3-2 in double-overtime. The Valleyfield Braves would lose the championship game 4-0 to Nepean.
Despite losing the Saint-Félicien Multiconcessionnaire in the summer of 2009. The QJAAAHL has done the opposite of its predecessor, the Quebec Junior A Hockey League. From 1972 until 1982, the QJAHL started big but steadily fell apart. The QJAAAHL, as well, started off big but through picking financially feasible markets and making smart relocations when the times have needed them, the QJAAAHL has maintained its size and success as a Junior A league. The only thing that has eluded the QJAAAHL is the National Championship, the Royal Bank Cup.
thumb|league logo until 2014 league renaming
The 2014 off-season was a busy one for the hockey league. At the annual AGM, 12 year president Richard Morency announced his resignation, but staying on until the transition to the new leadership. The league also announced that it was re-branding itself the Quebec Junior Hockey League (dropping the "AAA" designation) and introduced the corresponding new league logo. The summer also saw the return of the Valleyfield Braves to the League. Owners of the team purchased the LaTuque Wolves, regained rights to the Braves name and logo and brought the team back to the Aréna Salaberry. Another long-time QJHL member, Kahnawake Condors, who were established in 1999 moved to Chambly, Quebec to be re-branded as the Chambly Forts. Shortly after that move, the Gatineau Mustangs of the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League made the jump to the league, becoming the first Hull-based team since the Aylmer Extreme, who only lasted one season in 2000-01. The Mustangs will be forced to change their name, in favor of the Vaudreuil-Dorion Mustangs, who have been members of the league since 2003. With the folding of the Saint-Hyacinthe Lauréats and the Sherbrooke Cougars the 2015-16 season, will see the league split into two divisions.
Several weeks after announcing the Gatineau Flames as a member, the Flames purchased the Lachine Maroons and absorbed the franchise rights. The most-notable move, was the league expelling the Sherbrooke Cougars because the league considered them as a college team and had ties to Bishop's University. The Saint-Hyacinthe Laureats withdrew from the league, possibly in cunjunction with the Cougars.
===Potential Markets===
The Quebec Junior Hockey League has yet to explore the Northern Quebec market, but distance is also a factor for teams in Eastern and Southern Quebec. Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec remains open, as well as Laval and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Rural communities in Northern New York and Maine, are also a possibility for American markets, but unlikely as the league has never had any teams based in the United States. Since its inception in 1988, the Quebec Junior Hockey League has taken over relocated former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League markets, who have relocated, such as Granby, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sherbrooke, St-Jean and Laval.
==2018-19 Expansion==
On April 13, 2018 it was announced on the league website that financing was being worked on for a team in the South Coast Region.  The team will apparently be called the Cote-du-Sud Everest (or L’Everest de la Côte-du-Sud in French).  The team appears it will be based out of the city of Montmagny, Quebec.
==2019-20 changes==
During the Board of Governors meeting held in May of 2019, the termination of the Montreal-Nord Arctic was announced, along with the sale and renaming of the Lac St-Louis Revolution to the West Island Shamrocks, and the addition of the Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Condors, based in Saint-Georges, Quebec which run by the college (vocational school) and will be based out of the Centre Sportif Lacroix-Dutil.https://www.lhjaaaq.com/fr/publication/nouvelle/vague_de_mouvements_dans_la_lhjaaaq.html
==The Teams==
Team 	Centre
Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Condors	Saint-Georges
Côte-du-Sud Everest 	Montmagny
Gatineau Flames 	Buckingham (Gatineau)
Granby Inouk 	Granby
Joliette Predateurs 	Joliette
Longueuil Collège Français 	Longueuil
Montreal-Est Rangers 	Montreal-Est
Princeville Titans 	Princeville
St-Jérôme Panthers 	Saint-Jérôme
Terrebonne Cobras 	Terrebonne
Valleyfield Braves 	Salaberry-de-Valleyfield
West Island Shamrocks 	Pierrefonds
==La Coupe NAPA playoff champions==
Year	Champion 	Runner-up 	Series
1989	Longueuil Collège Français 	 	
1990	Longueuil Collège Français 	 	
1991	Montreal Olympics 	 	
1992	Joliette Nationals 	 	
1993	Châteauguay Élites 	 	
1994	Châteauguay Élites 	 	
1995	Joliette Nationals 	 	
1996	Contrecoeur Éperviers 	 	
1997	Longueuil Collège Français 	 	
1998	Coaticook Frontaliers 	 	
1999	Valleyfield Braves 	Contrecoeur Blackhawks 	4-3
2000	Coaticook Frontaliers 	 	
2001	St-Jérôme Panthers 	 	
2002	Valleyfield Braves 	Longueuil Collège Français 	4-3
2003	Lennoxville Cougars 	Longueuil Collège Français 	4-0
2004	Valleyfield Braves 	St-Eustache Gladiateurs 	4-1
2005	Vaudreuil Mustangs 	St-Jérôme Panthers 	4-1
2006	Joliette Action 	College Lafleche Titans 	4-2
2007	Joliette Action 	Longueuil Collège Français 	4-0
2008	Sherbrooke Cougars 	Joliette Action 	4-2
2009	Sherbrooke Cougars 	Princeville Titans 	4-0
2010	Terrebonne Cobras 	Longueuil Collège Français 	4-1
2011	Longueuil Collège Français 	Valleyfield Braves 	4-1
2012	Princeville Titans 	St-Jérôme Panthers 	4-1
2013	Longueuil Collège Français 	Lachine Maroons 	4-0
2014	Granby Inouk 	Sherbrooke Cougars 	4-3
2015	Longueuil Collège Français 	Sherbrooke Cougars 	4-3
2016	Longueuil Collège Français 	Granby Inouk 	4-0
2017	Terrebonne Cobras 	Longueuil Collège Français 	4-1
2018	Longueuil Collège Français 	Terrebonne Cobras 	4-1
2019	Princeville Titans 	Terrebonne Cobras 	4-1
2020	Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic	Playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic 	Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022	Longueuil Collège Francais 	Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Condors 	4-1
2023	Terrebonee Cobras 	Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Condors 	4-3
2024	Longueuil Collège Francais 	Côte-du-Sud Everest 	4-3
==Former member teams==
*Kahnawake Condors / Chambly Forts - relocated to Chambly in 2015, folded prior to 2021-2022 season
*L'Extreme D'Aylmer - folded after 2000–01 season
*Lachine Maroons - 2015 relocate to Gatineau Flames
*La Tuque Wolves - renewed Valleyfield Braves franchise
* Les Husky de Cowansville - folded after 1999–00 season
*Le National de Joliette - ceased operations mid-season (January 2000)
*Le Junior Canadiens de Montreal - folded after 1999–00 season
*Les Dragons de Saint-Hyacinthe - folded after 1999–00 season
*Les Chevaliers de St-Jean - folded after 2001–02 season
*Montreal-North Arctic - folded after 2018–19 season. Founded 2002 as the St-Eustache Patriotes. 
*Saint-Félicien Multiconcessionnaire - folded after 2008–09 season
*Saint-Hyacinthe Lauréats - 2015 withdrew from league
*Saint-Lazare Revolution - sold 2019. Remain in Saint Lazare but re-branded West Island Shamrocks
*Sherbrooke Cougars - 2015 expelled from league
*Thetford Mines Filons - relocated to La Tuque Wolves
*Valleyfield Braves (defunct) - left league to join LNAH
*Vaudreuil-Dorion Mustangs - sold and relocated to Saint-Lazare (2017)
==Timeline of teams in the QJHL ==
*1988 - Black Lake Miners play in 1988 Centennial Cup playdowns as Quebec's only Jr. A team
*1988 - Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League is officially founded
* 1990 - St. Antoine Rapidos join league
*1990 - Laval-Bourassa Cobras join league
*1991 - St. Antoine Rapidos become Louiseville Jaguars
*1991 - Laval-Bourassa Cobras become Montreal-Nord Cobras
* 1991 - Ste-Marie Beaucerons join league
*1992 - Ste-Marie Beaucerons become Loretteville Riverains
*1992 - Louisville Jaguars become Saint-Jerome Panthers
* 1994 - Coaticook Frontaliers join league
*1994 - Valleyfield Elites join league
* 1995 - Lachine Maroons join league
*1996 - Warwick Titans join league
*1998 - Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League becomes Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League
*1998 - Joliette National cease operations in January 1998
*1998 - Valleyfield Elites become Valleyfield Braves
*1999 - Kahnawake Condors join league
*2000 - Montreal Junior Canadiens fold
*2000 - Aylmer Extreme join league and fold after the 2000–01 season
* 2000 - Cowansville Husky fold
*2000 - Saint-Hyacinthe Dragons fold
*2002 - Saint-Eustache Gladiateurs join league
*2002 - Lennoxville Cougars join league
*2003 - Lennoxville Cougars become College Champlain Cougars
*2002 - Warwick Titans become College Lefleche Titans
*2002 - St-Jean Chevaliers fold
*2003 - l’Ile Perrot Mustangs join league
*2003 - La Plaine Cobras become Terrebonne Cobras
*2004 - St-Lawrence of Quebec Lions join league
*2004 - l’Ile Perrot Mustangs become Vaudreuil Mustangs
*2005 - Coaticook Frontaliers become Granby Inouk
* 2006 - Saint-Eustache Gladiateurs become Saint-Eastache Patriotes
*2005 - Joliette Action join league
*2007 - St-Lawrence of Quebec Lions become Quebec AssurSports
*2007 - College Champlain Cougars become Sherbrooke Cougars
*2008 - Saint-Eustache Patriotes become Sainte-Therese Nordiques
*2008 - Quebec AssurExperts move and become Thetford Mines Filons
*2008 - Sainte-Agathe Montagnards join league
* 2008 - College Lefleche Titans become Princeville Titans
*2008 - Saint-Felicien Multiconcessionnaire fold after three seasons
*2009 - Sainte-Therese Nordiques become Rousseau-Sports Junior AAA Laval
*2009 - Joliette Action become Joliette Traffic
*2010 - Thetford Mines Filons become La Tuque Wolves
*2010 - Rousseau-Sports Junior AAA Laval become Laval Arctic
*2011 - Joliette Traffic become Montreal-Est Rangers
*2011 - Laval Arctic become St. Leonard Arctic
*2013 - Valleyfield Braves dissolve franchise to seek membership with the Ligue Nord-Americaine de Hockey (LNAH)
*2014 - La Toque Wolves relocate to Valleyfield and become the Valleyfield Braves. The ownership reclaims the rights to the Braves name and logo
*2014 - League shortens name to Quebec Junior Hockey League
*2015 - Kahnawake Condors relocate to Chambly and become Chambly Forts
*2015 - Gatineau Flames purchase Lachine Maroons franchise and join league from Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League 
*2015 - Sherbrooke Cougars expelled from league
*2015 - Saint-Hyacinthe Lauréats withdraw from league
*2016 - League returns to the full name of Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League
*2017 - Vaudreuil-Dorion Mustangs sold and relocated to St-Lazare Revolution.
*2017 - Ste-Agathe Montagnards are sold and relocated to St-Gabriel-de-Brandon
* 2017 - Côte-du-Sud Everest join league and began play in 2018–19
*2018 - St-Léonard Arctic relocates to Montreal-North
*2018 - St-Lazare Revolution relocated to Pierrefonds, renamed Lac-St-Louis Revolution
*2019 - Lac-St-Louis Revolution renamed as West Island Shamrocks
* 2019 - Franchise awarded to Cegep de Beauce-Appalaches Condors. The team was set to begin during the 2020-2021 season, but the debut was pushed back to 2021-2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
*2021 - Chambly Forts fold
==See also==
*List of QJAAAHL Seasons 
==References==
==External links== 
*LHJQ website
==See also==
*List of QJAAAHL Seasons
Category:Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League
Category:Canadian Junior Hockey League