Could you help with a QMJHL Expansion Idea?

[dwgs]

I initially thought someone whose kid had been overlooked but now I'm not so sure.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

I initially thought someone whose kid had been overlooked but now I'm not so sure.

I would agree, perhaps it is coupled with too much regional pride as well. It is a dangerous combination when someone thinks their kid should have been Claude Giroux and their locality is all-too-special and deserving of a team. And to get these thoughts (and broadcast it on HF Boards of all places) in the first place takes a very...special...kind of person.

 

[EnglishJet]

[Deleted]

 

[BrunetHockey]

[Deleted]

 

[Joe Lamb]

. The OHL can have first kick at drafting these players, however, they clearly leave really good hockey players on the table. I just think this is a CHL problem that the QJMHL could exploit if an agreement could be made between both leagues.[/QUOTE]

Isn't that what happens now ??

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

I just find it interesting how Hoffman, Byron, Giroux, Borowiecki produced more NHL games played than the entire 05 QJMHL draft! Undrafted OHL players. This should never be the case! Is it rare? Yes. But, it is in fact happening, as clearly evidenced by these players. This is what happens when the OHL is producing more NHL caliber players then the QJMHL when they are having their down draft years. We will never know if these Ottawa players are junior material because they simply don't get the opportunity in the OHL, some get drafted, never get to play, like they should. How is that not a problem when undrafted OHL players can have more games played in the NHL than an entire 05 draft year in the QJMHL? Most of these players are from the Ottawa region. Ottawa and region have many talented players. They will never get the chance to play junior in the OHL as it is becoming the GTAOHL. The Greater Toronto Area Ontario Hockey League. Talent is bursting everywhere, but it is the player who gets the opportunity that ends up tapping into their potential. I just feel that the Ottawa and region get the short end of the stick. I just think if the QJMHL was able to draft players out of Eastern Ontario you would see more players like them. As you pointed out, these guys benefited from the minutes played on their respective clubs. I just think if the QJMHL was able to draft players from Eastern Ontario it would equal the playing field between the QJMHL and OHL . The QJMHL that gets to select talent from the region of Ottawa and Montreal and the Maritimes will be able to compete against the heavily populated district of the Greater Toronto Area. I just think if the CHL really cared about developing their talent at home it would look at rezoning Ottawa and Eastern Ontario and allow these players to get drafted into the QJMHL. Stop focusing on players overseas and look at talent in the Ottawa district and region has to offer where good hockey players are just looking to play at the next level. The solution is in the nations capital where the OHL can afford to overlook them. The OHL can have first kick at drafting these players, however, they clearly leave really good hockey players on the table. I just think this is a CHL problem that the QJMHL could exploit if an agreement could be made between both leagues.

Now you're looking at the symptoms of a problem and thinking it is a problem. What you're suggesting is a solution not for the real problem, merely a symptom of the real problem. The real problem is the QMJHL development zone develops less players in quantity and quality on average than the WHL and OHL development zones, and OHL cuts can easily make QMJHL teams. The solution to this is not giving Eastern Ontario to the QMJHL zone, the solution is improving the development of players in Québec. Hoffman went undrafted in the OHL and was released from Gatineau in his draft year. I already told you why Giroux wasn't drafted.

What you're suggesting would not fix the fact that Québec and the Maritimes cannot compete with Ontario and Western Canada. The QMJHL would have no problems if they had a developmental system that worked as efficiently as the rest of the country, and they actually had a presence in their American zone. Unfortunately, they neither have a developmental system as efficient as the rest of the country and they have almost no American presence. Giving them Eastern Ontario is like giving a drug addict money: it will not fix anything.

You're making mountains out of molehills. Just about every NHLer was passed over in their careers at some point. The CHL should not and thankfully will not redraw the lines simply because Québec is falling behind. Accept that.

. The OHL can have first kick at drafting these players, however, they clearly leave really good hockey players on the table. I just think this is a CHL problem that the QJMHL could exploit if an agreement could be made between both leagues.

Isn't that what happens now ??[/QUOTE]

The OHL has first rights before those players can go to another league. If the player has quality, they will move up. They always have. An agreement between the two leagues is not necessary. If a player can't advance in Ontario, he is free to go elsewhere. What the OP is suggesting is completely unnecessary.

 

[BrunetHockey]

[Deleted]

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Population of BC/Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba = 11,985,000 22 WHL Teams
Population of Ontario= 14,570,000 20 OHL Teams
Population of Quebec and Maritimes= 10,912,000 18 QJMHL Teams

11,985,000/22 = 544,772/ WHL Team
14,570,000/20= 728,500/ OHL Team
10,912,000/18= 606,222/ QJMHL Team

Based on population, the odds of being drafted to the league are disproportionate. Especially, the OHL. Therefore, the CHL should look at making this more even between the leagues. This way you are truly picking the best players the country has to offer.

I think you really did go off the deep end this time.

The "odds of being drafted to the league based off population" is the most outrageously irrational and illogical thought you've put forward yet. Major junior has never been or will ever be about making everything in the population as even as possible. They gave the QMJHL only New England, where the best players have always and will always choose the NCAA path over the QMJHL. Ontario on the other hand has the rich recruiting grounds of New York to Michigan. The WHL has nearly the entire western half of the United States. That's not even. The Q has the worst attendance. That's not even. You're trying to turn major juniors into Timbits.

Ontario has the most players in the NHL right now, somewhere near 180. This is because they have the most efficient and effective development system, not because of population. Alberta has 56. Québec has 55. BC has 47. MB has 31. SK has 25. The Atlantic Canadian provinces are all in the single digits. This irrational "chances of being drafted to the league are disproportionate" is outrageously irrelevant. The WHL is constantly even with the OHL for draft picks, yet has way fewer people per WHL team. But Western Canada has a more effective system of development. If Québec improves their youth intake system, then it will improve. Do you remember the 70s and 80s when the QMJHL was almost entirely Québec based and dominated NHL draft entries? The CHL didn't try and give away part of their territory! The rest of the country improved their development systems, so now Québec has fallen behind. It is cyclical! Giving away territory every time a province isn't producing players of the same quality or quantity won't solve anything. Improving a broken development system is the only thing. Accept that. I'm not sure if you're a parent of a kid who was passed over, but you're grasping at some outrageously ridiculous straws here.

 

[Joe Lamb]

Population of BC/Alberta/Saskatchewan/Manitoba = 11,985,000 22 WHL Teams
Population of Ontario= 14,570,000 20 OHL Teams
Population of Quebec and Maritimes= 10,912,000 18 QJMHL Teams

11,985,000/22 = 544,772/ WHL Team
14,570,000/20= 728,500/ OHL Team
10,912,000/18= 606,222/ QJMHL Team

Based on population, the odds of being drafted to the league are disproportionate. Especially, the OHL. Therefore, the CHL should look at making this more even between the leagues. This way you are truly picking the best players the country has to offer.

Wow, that is more even than I would have imagined. But based on these numbers and recent Memorial Cups, I would suggest the WHL needs more support than the Q.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Wow, that is more even than I would have imagined. But based on these numbers and recent Memorial Cups, I would suggest the WHL needs more support than the Q.

The WHL doesn't need help. They had 28 players taken in last years NHL Entry Draft. The OHL had only 25. The WHL had 7 players taken in the first round. The OHL only had 4. It disproves his ridiculous population argument. Please stop giving his insanely illogical and outright irrational thoughts attention. And measuring the leagues by Memorial Cup winners is not a good measure of quality. It is whoever is the best team over the course of a week and a half. That isn't a measure of quality, that is a measure of grit, determination, and luck.

 

[dwgs]

If there is talent in a region it will be found, it's ridiculous to say that an association is ignoring a certain region. If you gave Eastern Ontario to the Q do you think that the truly elite from the region would stop going to the Toronto area?
Quebec is the weakest region but as Barclay Donaldson says, it's a question of develpment, not numbers. My son plays on a strong AAA team in the LHEQ, they do very well but their bottom two players are borderline. The problem is that year to year there is no one stronger than those bottom two or three. So the whole group moves on together and every second year they use two or three second year players to plug the weaker spots. The point is that in a healthy development model there should be a bunch of kids trying to break down the door and turnover on the team should be higher. The sad fact is that after those top 9 forwards, 6 D, and 2 goalies the talent level drops significantly. And AA is often an afterthought and a bit of a joke so a lot of the players who would be strong at AA go off to play school hockey.

 

[Talking Hockey]

I think you really did go off the deep end this time.

The "odds of being drafted to the league based off population" is the most outrageously irrational and illogical thought you've put forward yet. Major junior has never been or will ever be about making everything in the population as even as possible. They gave the QMJHL only New England, where the best players have always and will always choose the NCAA path over the QMJHL. Ontario on the other hand has the rich recruiting grounds of New York to Michigan. The WHL has nearly the entire western half of the United States. That's not even. The Q has the worst attendance. That's not even. You're trying to turn major juniors into Timbits.

Ontario has the most players in the NHL right now, somewhere near 180. This is because they have the most efficient and effective development system, not because of population. Alberta has 56. Québec has 55. BC has 47. MB has 31. SK has 25. The Atlantic Canadian provinces are all in the single digits. This irrational "chances of being drafted to the league are disproportionate" is outrageously irrelevant. The WHL is constantly even with the OHL for draft picks, yet has way fewer people per WHL team. But Western Canada has a more effective system of development. If Québec improves their youth intake system, then it will improve. Do you remember the 70s and 80s when the QMJHL was almost entirely Québec based and dominated NHL draft entries? The CHL didn't try and give away part of their territory! The rest of the country improved their development systems, so now Québec has fallen behind. It is cyclical! Giving away territory every time a province isn't producing players of the same quality or quantity won't solve anything. Improving a broken development system is the only thing. Accept that. I'm not sure if you're a parent of a kid who was passed over, but you're grasping at some outrageously ridiculous straws here.

Just to pick your thoughts... mainly because I feel very similar about the development model and provincial development approach as whole through out Atlantic Canada / Quebec. What do you feel is the main driving force that has put Western Canada ahead in developing players, and I mean grass routes up? I don’t think NHL players are all developed in Major Junior, that may be where things are fine tuned but I think it starts well before and the Maritimes / Quebec are behind.
Population has always been an argument but I don’t bye in. There seems to be an increase in kids heading away 2nd year Bantam to 1rst - 2nd year Midget. Are they just feeling the same way? Is the popularity of the Hockey Academy / school league (CSSHL) in The West driving it? I know there is always more but what’s the significant difference?

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Just to pick your thoughts... mainly because I feel very similar about the development model and provincial development approach as whole through out Atlantic Canada / Quebec. What do you feel is the main driving force that has put Western Canada ahead in developing players, and I mean grass routes up? I don’t think NHL players are all developed in Major Junior, that may be where things are fine tuned but I think it starts well before and the Maritimes / Quebec are behind.
Population has always been an argument but I don’t bye in. There seems to be an increase in kids heading away 2nd year Bantam to 1rst - 2nd year Midget. Are they just feeling the same way? Is the popularity of the Hockey Academy / school league (CSSHL) in The West driving it? I know there is always more but what’s the significant difference?

Depth is the main thing that has propelled Western Canada and has suffocated the QMJHL.

The CSSHL is a huge contribution, but the WHL also pulls from a wide range of AAA and AA programs in every province. It is also a tantalizing option to play Junior A in the BCHL, AJHL, SJHL, and MJHL. They all are powerhouse feeders for NCAA D1, particularly the BC and AJ. This depth allows the WHL to be a top NHL feeder with 28 players drafted last year, but 13 players from the BC and 2 from the AJ also were drafted. Many players play pro at some level after they finish their NCAA careers.

Québec does not have that depth. There are only two leagues, Midget AAA and LPHS. That is it. No appreciable number of players are advancing from Espoirs or another source. They both lead only to the QMJHL and QJHL. We already know the QMJHL's problems. The QJHL has almost no college commits. I cannot find the article, but it tracked the insane number of QJHL players simply age out and don't continue playing hockey. Québec players often have to go elsewhere once they decide to go NCAA. Lac St. Louis feeds American prep schools and the NCAA. CCHL rosters have a very strong Québec presence. So to advance in Québec, it is the very flawed QMJHL or nothing.

If Québec wants to improve their system, they need fundamental changes. It starts with poor rink infrastructure. Half the rinks look the exact same and are 60 years old, like Colisée de Laval, Colisée Cardin, and the vieux T-R Colisée. They need a new wave of rinks. Gatineau looks to be leading this charge having announced their new arena, and I thought Chicoutimi was going to announce something when they were forced to play a bunch of games in Jonquière but nothing happened. Then, they need to create a real Jr. A league like the rest of the country with actual rinks. Create the depth of teams and advancement options and make them quality. Inevitably players will fill in those teams with talent.

 

[Talking Hockey]

Depth is the main thing that has propelled Western Canada and has suffocated the QMJHL.

The CSSHL is a huge contribution, but the WHL also pulls from a wide range of AAA and AA programs in every province. It is also a tantalizing option to play Junior A in the BCHL, AJHL, SJHL, and MJHL. They all are powerhouse feeders for NCAA D1, particularly the BC and AJ. This depth allows the WHL to be a top NHL feeder with 28 players drafted last year, but 13 players from the BC and 2 from the AJ also were drafted. Many players play pro at some level after they finish their NCAA careers.

Québec does not have that depth. There are only two leagues, Midget AAA and LPHS. That is it. No appreciable number of players are advancing from Espoirs or another source. They both lead only to the QMJHL and QJHL. We already know the QMJHL's problems. The QJHL has almost no college commits. I cannot find the article, but it tracked the insane number of QJHL players simply age out and don't continue playing hockey. Québec players often have to go elsewhere once they decide to go NCAA. Lac St. Louis feeds American prep schools and the NCAA. CCHL rosters have a very strong Québec presence. So to advance in Québec, it is the very flawed QMJHL or nothing.

If Québec wants to improve their system, they need fundamental changes. It starts with poor rink infrastructure. Half the rinks look the exact same and are 60 years old, like Colisée de Laval, Colisée Cardin, and the vieux T-R Colisée. They need a new wave of rinks. Gatineau looks to be leading this charge having announced their new arena, and I thought Chicoutimi was going to announce something when they were forced to play a bunch of games in Jonquière but nothing happened. Then, they need to create a real Jr. A league like the rest of the country with actual rinks. Create the depth of teams and advancement options and make them quality. Inevitably players will fill in those teams with talent.

All very good points! I wasn’t even considering the fact of how good their Jr. A leagues are also. I think maybe it will have to come down to Quebec / Maritimes actually realizing that maybe they could be doing something better and actually figuring out what other places are doing. I’m not sure if it’s just the old school players that haven’t grown with the times are now higher ups in the associations and running things how they think or what but looking at the caliber of hockey - Bantam / Midget over this year and the years coming in the QMJHL regions compared to parts of Ontario, Western Canada and pockets through the states it doesn’t look as if the QMJHL will be dominating NHL drafts from the CHL anytime soon. But we will see! Thanks for your input.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

All very good points! I wasn’t even considering the fact of how good their Jr. A leagues are also. I think maybe it will have to come down to Quebec / Maritimes actually realizing that maybe they could be doing something better and actually figuring out what other places are doing. I’m not sure if it’s just the old school players that haven’t grown with the times are now higher ups in the associations and running things how they think or what but looking at the caliber of hockey - Bantam / Midget over this year and the years coming in the QMJHL regions compared to parts of Ontario, Western Canada and pockets through the states it doesn’t look as if the QMJHL will be dominating NHL drafts from the CHL anytime soon. But we will see! Thanks for your input.

I don't want to bring politics into it, but there was a wave of new major junior, Junior A, and community rinks as well built in Western Canada and Ontario in the 2000s with public money. I guess Maire Labeaume is okay with dropping a few hundred million dollars on an arena that will never host a NHL team, but the provincial government overall would have to get involved to bring the new facilities, of which they would need to construct many. There simply is not enough private money anywhere to fix what ails Québec.

 

[dwgs]

All of this. I'm in Montreal and our facilities are embarassing when you compare them to the suburbs. And it's going to be like that for a long time because the city has recently spent many millions of dollars retrofitting them with new chillers, making them handicap accesible, painting, replacing lighting and boards etc. This all well and good but I know for a fact that they spent over 7 million retrofitting my local arena which was built in the mid 60's. Surely a new arena could have been had for that money. One amazing thing we do have (and I think it's a major reason my son advanced) is one of the Canadiens outdoor rinks, the Bleu Blanc Bouge. That's where the kids who really love to play go for hours at a time several days per week, no coaches, nobody telling them what to do, just play, or practice shots or stickhandling or whatever. We need two seemingly opposite things; more unstructured time for the kids to play on their own terms and better coaching at the lower levels. Way too many well meaning but unqualified dads behind benches.
Also, from PW up things are only going to get worse because the schools are coming on strong. At this point if my kid got cut from AAA I would put him straight into a school program because as I said, unless you're in a region where the AAA team is too far away to be practical AA hockey is not strong. Depending on where you are playing AA can still cost you 5k per year easily when you factor in the soft costs. Am I going to spend that to have the kid go nowhere developmentally or am I going to spend around 7 or 8k to attend a good private school where the practices are before or after class, his gear stays there, all transportation to games etc. is included? It's a no brainer.
Also, Gatineau is getting another new arena?!?

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

All of this. I'm in Montreal and our facilities are embarassing when you compare them to the suburbs. And it's going to be like that for a long time because the city has recently spent many millions of dollars retrofitting them with new chillers, making them handicap accesible, painting, replacing lighting and boards etc. This all well and good but I know for a fact that they spent over 7 million retrofitting my local arena which was built in the mid 60's. Surely a new arena could have been had for that money. One amazing thing we do have (and I think it's a major reason my son advanced) is one of the Canadiens outdoor rinks, the Bleu Blanc Bouge. That's where the kids who really love to play go for hours at a time several days per week, no coaches, nobody telling them what to do, just play, or practice shots or stickhandling or whatever. We need two seemingly opposite things; more unstructured time for the kids to play on their own terms and better coaching at the lower levels. Way too many well meaning but unqualified dads behind benches.
Also, from PW up things are only going to get worse because the schools are coming on strong. At this point if my kid got cut from AAA I would put him straight into a school program because as I said, unless you're in a region where the AAA team is too far away to be practical AA hockey is not strong. Depending on where you are playing AA can still cost you 5k per year easily when you factor in the soft costs. Am I going to spend that to have the kid go nowhere developmentally or am I going to spend around 7 or 8k to attend a good private school where the practices are before or after class, his gear stays there, all transportation to games etc. is included? It's a no brainer.
Also, Gatineau is getting another new arena?!?

I actually cannot even find any news about this after looking, so I may be wrong. The last thing I can find about it is a construction update from 2018. After a long delay, hockey arena construction starts Friday in Gatineau | Ottawa Citizen Projet du Complexe 4 glaces

As for Québec's problems, there needs to be investment in a new wave of rinks for kids to play at. Verdun Auditorium received $26 million for upgrades. They could have built a brand new, high quality rink for that money. Minnesota in the United States appears to be doing things correctly. Non-profit youth hockey association ownership of the rink, with cheap ice times and the availability to not need to leave home or engage in insane travel. Kids can and do regularly get drafted playing for their home town high schools without ever having paid insane amount of money playing travel hockey.

 

[dwgs]

When we play Gatineau we play at Complexe Branchaud Briere which is new and very nice. Maybe they want something even bigger for the Olympique? Complexe Branchaud-Brière
BTW Gatineau is an example of a program that works, their teams are consistently very strong and they somehow manage to have a school affiliated team and a minor team and they are both good. Big, skilled, and well coached. Maybe it's the proximity to Ontario ;-) ?

 

[EnglishJet]

Slightly off-topic but Jamie Tozer over on Station Nation posted this, thought it might of interest:

“Trois-Rivieres getting a QMJHL franchise has looked unlikely for a while - but there is still some hope. The city will have a new 5,000 seat arena ready for the 2021-22 hockey season but have not landed a tenant yet.”

He doesn’t expand on this and he acknowledges it’s still a long shot but thought I’d post anyway.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Slightly off-topic but Jamie Tozer over on Station Nation posted this, thought it might of interest:

“Trois-Rivieres getting a QMJHL franchise has looked unlikely for a while - but there is still some hope. The city will have a new 5,000 seat arena ready for the 2021-22 hockey season but have not landed a tenant yet.”

He doesn’t expand on this and he acknowledges it’s still a long shot but thought I’d post anyway.

Not happening. That news article coming out of le Nouvelliste in Trois-Rivières said this: Looking back, ex-Montréal Canadien Marc-André Bergeron must rejoice the negotiations between Trois-Rivières and businessman Dean MacDonald for the establishment of a ECHL team dragged on this past winter. A quick agreement, and this potential Canadiens farm team should take its first step in the city of (insert generic colonial New France reference here) in autumn. Can you imagine Bergeron running after sponsors during this pandemic? The team would be in trouble before having played a single game. Solid other than that.

Add to the puzzle the logistical annoyances the delays to the new Colisée would have brought, the uncertainty surrounding professional sports resuming and everything is present for a disaster.

The pre-pandemic hesitation allows both parties to do their due diligence without stress. It discusses, it negotiates, it approaches. There is little media noise of the current situation, which is generally a good sign. From the two sides, we expect an agreement in the coming for a 2021-22 season launch.

If MacDonald and Bergeron escaped it beautifully, the current situation is equally advantageous for the city. A quick agreement and the city is open to the Martimes invester. If Macdonald would not have wanted to reopen the deal quickly, who knows what would be going on? If it failed, it is certain the sporting reputation of T-R would have been tarnished.

Anyways, these COVID-19 related problems could maybe create new opportunities.

"It is not a big state secret that mayor Jean Lamarche dreams of major junior hockey for the Colisée"— Steve Turcotte

Despite his longtime friendship with QMJHL commisioner Gilles Courteau, the door was always closed. That does not stop him from regularly knocking.

"Every time there is something new that happens, I call. Two weeks ago, I took the liberty of recalling it by invoking the pandemic."

But, his discourse has not changed. The leauge will not expand and no team wishes to relocate. (Insert generic try and fail idiom here) laughed Lamarche, who said the MacDonald group is aware of the city's preference.

"It is not a problem for them. If there is an opportunity in the QMJHL, they already said they will pack up. Everything happns with respect."

It remains to be seen if the new economic realities with force certain teams to explore their options in the coming months. This past week, I was told a small market laid off several hockey people, including scouts. One month from the draft! This does not mean the team will become available, but it shows how fragile some are.

When we ask the middle men questions, the most likely sceneario is the one from January. Already, New Brunswick made rules against meetings of more than 250 people until December 31. Without fixing the date, minister François Legault was clear enough of that large indoor meetings would be the last thing alowed on the confinement list.

Technically, the QMJHL could be without revenue for more than 8 months. Those who need all the money they can get to remain afloat will feel the pressure build up in the coming weeks, it is inevitable.

In these conditions, nothing presses the city to come to an agreement with the ECHL. With a brand spanking new 5000 seat arena in the heart of Québec, T-R could become an important element of a recovery plan.

Trois-Rivières is not going to get a QMJHL because there is no team for sale, even in the current climate, and the league is not expanding. Shawinigan can, and would, veto any move into their zone for obvious reasons. The mayor is the only one who wants the QMJHL, and everyone else who has a say wants Montréal's ECHL team which is lined up, ready and willing. This is discussed further in the ECHL/minor pro thread under "new team in Trois-Rivières."

 

[EnglishJet]

Not happening. That news article coming out of le Nouvelliste in Trois-Rivières said this: Looking back, ex-Montréal Canadien Marc-André Bergeron must rejoice the negotiations between Trois-Rivières and businessman Dean MacDonald for the establishment of a ECHL team dragged on this past winter. A quick agreement, and this potential Canadiens farm team should take its first step in the city of (insert generic colonial New France reference here) in autumn. Can you imagine Bergeron running after sponsors during this pandemic? The team would be in trouble before having played a single game. Solid other than that.

Add to the puzzle the logistical annoyances the delays to the new Colisée would have brought, the uncertainty surrounding professional sports resuming and everything is present for a disaster.

The pre-pandemic hesitation allows both parties to do their due diligence without stress. It discusses, it negotiates, it approaches. There is little media noise of the current situation, which is generally a good sign. From the two sides, we expect an agreement in the coming for a 2021-22 season launch.

If MacDonald and Bergeron escaped it beautifully, the current situation is equally advantageous for the city. A quick agreement and the city is open to the Martimes invester. If Macdonald would not have wanted to reopen the deal quickly, who knows what would be going on? If it failed, it is certain the sporting reputation of T-R would have been tarnished.

Anyways, these COVID-19 related problems could maybe create new opportunities.

"It is not a big state secret that mayor Jean Lamarche dreams of major junior hockey for the Colisée"— Steve Turcotte

Despite his longtime friendship with QMJHL commisioner Gilles Courteau, the door was always closed. That does not stop him from regularly knocking.

"Every time there is something new that happens, I call. Two weeks ago, I took the liberty of recalling it by invoking the pandemic."

But, his discourse has not changed. The leauge will not expand and no team wishes to relocate. (Insert generic try and fail idiom here) laughed Lamarche, who said the MacDonald group is aware of the city's preference.

"It is not a problem for them. If there is an opportunity in the QMJHL, they already said they will pack up. Everything happns with respect."

It remains to be seen if the new economic realities with force certain teams to explore their options in the coming months. This past week, I was told a small market laid off several hockey people, including scouts. One month from the draft! This does not mean the team will become available, but it shows how fragile some are.

When we ask the middle men questions, the most likely sceneario is the one from January. Already, New Brunswick made rules against meetings of more than 250 people until December 31. Without fixing the date, minister François Legault was clear enough of that large indoor meetings would be the last thing alowed on the confinement list.

Technically, the QMJHL could be without revenue for more than 8 months. Those who need all the money they can get to remain afloat will feel the pressure build up in the coming weeks, it is inevitable.

In these conditions, nothing presses the city to come to an agreement with the ECHL. With a brand spanking new 5000 seat arena in the heart of Québec, T-R could become an important element of a recovery plan.

Trois-Rivières is not going to get a QMJHL because there is no team for sale, even in the current climate, and the league is not expanding. Shawinigan can, and would, veto any move into their zone for obvious reasons. The mayor is the only one who wants the QMJHL, and everyone else who has a say wants Montréal's ECHL team which is lined up, ready and willing. This is discussed further in the ECHL/minor pro thread under "new team in Trois-Rivières."

Thanks for translating—I don't read French so honestly didn't even go through to the link. I didn't know about the ECHL thing either (I don't wonder too far on this site haha). It seems there isn't much appetite to expand beyond fans and a few bored journalists, but figured I'd share this since we're in dark, info-starved days right now.

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

Thanks for translating—I don't read French so honestly didn't even go through to the link. I didn't know about the ECHL thing either (I don't wonder too far on this site haha). It seems there isn't much appetite to expand beyond fans and a few bored journalists, but figured I'd share this since we're in dark, info-starved days right now.

No problem. Newfoundland Growlers owner Dean MacDonald has been trying to replicate what he has in Newfoundland to Trois-Rivières also, in terms of an independently-owned ECHL team working closely with a parent organization to develop prospects and have many AHL/ECHL contract players playing in the ECHL. Montréal already said they would engage in this affiliation and development model if the city approved a lease with Dean MacDonald. Everyone who has a say in the matter except for the mayor wants the Canadiens ECHL team to be put there, but the mayor wants the QMJHL despite everyone, including QMJHL commissioner Gilles Courteau, telling him to get lost. Bored journalist from the Nouvelliste is probably trying to provide updates and get some eyes during a time when everyone is hurting.

 

[Liam Whitton]

I think Fredricton could work or maybe even Corner Brook. The Civic Centre is large enough for a QMJHL team.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I think Fredricton could work or maybe even Corner Brook. The Civic Centre is large enough for a QMJHL team.

blocked UNB wanted or wants nothing to do with a professional team (Q, or otherwise) in Fredericton even back when the Express and the Canadiens were based there..... it's very similar to why Lowell is simply a 1 team hockey market and that is UMASS-Lowell....

 

[Barclay Donaldson]

I think Fredricton could work or maybe even Corner Brook. The Civic Centre is large enough for a QMJHL team.

As it has been discussed many times, Fredericton is UNB territory. The university owns the one rink capable of hosting a successful QMJHL team and they have shot down multiple attempts to start a team there. They don't want to give up any of the market share. They've been very vocal about it. It couldn't work.