2023 Road to the Memorial Cup: QMJHL preview

By Matt Tidcombe March 29, 2023

Tags: Road to Memorial Cup presented by Kia

For the first time, the Gilles Courteau Trophy will be awarded in 2023.

Formerly known as the President Cup, the QMJHL championship was renamed to honour the now retired former commissioner.

Last year saw Shawinigan claim its first QMJHL title after they beat Charlottetown in five games. The Cataractes will have the opportunity to defend its title but a strong foursome of Gatineau, Halifax, Quebec and Sherbrooke will be heavily favoured.

Eastern Conference

(1) Quebec vs. (8) Charlottetown

As they continue to seek a first league championship, Quebec won a QMJHL best 53 games in 2022-23, a number that also set a new franchise record.

The Remparts’ 109 points were the third most in the CHL while the club topped the Kia CHL Top 10 rankings on five different occasions. Zachary Bolduc (STL) and Theo Rochette led the charge offensively as each passed the 100-point threshold while William Rousseau’s 35 wins were the second most in the Q.

Charlottetown came oh so close to a first QMJHL title a season ago but will face a stern test in the first round this season. Giovanni Morneau was the lone player to reach 50 points for a club that struggled to score all season; their 189 goals were the fewest in the league.

Season series: Quebec won series 2-0-0.

Schedule:

Game 1 — March 31 — CHA @ QUE — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 2 — April 1 — CHA @ QUE — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 3 — April 4 — QUE @ CHA — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — QUE @ CHA — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — QUE @ CHA — 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT
Game 6* — April 10 — CHA @ QUE — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 7* — April 11 — CHA @ QUE — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
*if necessary

(2) Halifax vs. (7) Cape Breton

It was a season of records for the Mooseheads in 2022-23. The club’s 50 wins were the second most in franchise history and the most since their Memorial Cup winning campaign in 2012-13.

Furthermore, the trio of Alexandre Doucet (DET), Jordan Dumais (CBJ) and Josh Lawrence all surpassed the 50-goal, 100-point mark in what were three sensational individual campaigns. In fact, the trio were the first three QMJHL teammates to score 50 goals in a single season since 1993-94 as Halifax’s 335 goals led the CHL. Between the pipes, Mathis Rousseau’s 36 wins led the QMJHL. Halifax spent 19 weeks in the Kia CHL Top 10 rankings and reached a season-high third spot in weeks 17 and 18.

As for the Eagles, they return to the postseason for the first time since 2018-19. Captain Ivan Ivan finished 10th in QMJHL scoring with 90 points while NHL Draft prospect Cam Squires found the back of the net 30 times. Cape Breton heads into playoffs unbeaten on home ice over their last eight games.

Season series: Halifax won series 6-2-1

Schedule:

Game 1 — March 31 — CAP @ HAL — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 2 — April 1 — CAP @ HAL — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 3 — April 4 — HAL @ CAP — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — HAL @ CAP — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — CAP @ HAL — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 6* — April 9 — HAL @ CAP — 3pm ET / 12pm PT
Game 7* — April 11 — CAP @ HAL — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
*if necessary

(3) Moncton vs. (6) Baie-Comeau

A 35-win campaign saw the Wildcats finish third in the Eastern Conference as they find themselves in the postseason for the fifth consecutive season as they seek a third league title (2006, 2010).

Charles Beaudoin, who won a Q title with Shawinigan last season, led all Wildcats forwards in scoring while Etienne Morin, one of the premier defencemen available in the 2023 NHL Draft, finished third in scoring among QMJHL blueliners with 72 points.

Baie-Comeau made it a sixth straight playoff appearance after a 30-win campaign. Rookie Matyas Melovsky, who was the ninth overall pick in the 2022 CHL Import Draft, led the team in scoring with 58 points, the only Drakkar skater to pass 50 points. His 52 assists led all QMJHL rookies.

Season series: Tied 1-1-0.

Schedule:

Game 1 — March 31 — BAC @ MON — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 2 — April 1 — BAC @ MON — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 3 — April 4 — MON @ BAC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — MON @ BAC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — MON @ BAC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 6* — April 10 — BAC @ MON — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 7* — April 11 — BAC @ MON — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
*if necessary

(4) Chicoutimi vs. (5) Rimouski

For the 22nd straight season, the Sagueneens, who are two-time QMJHL champs (1991, 1994), find themselves in the postseason.

A 33-win season saw them finish fourth in the Eastern Conference as 2023 NHL Draft prospect Andrei Loshko, and 2024 prospect, Maxime Masse, led the charge. The club will need to shore up defensively however; their 281 goals against were the third most in the QMJHL.

Rimouski, who were victors in 2015, finished above .500 for the fifth time in six seasons. Julien Beland and William Dumoulin each had more than 50 points but defensively is where the Oceanic shine; their 216 goals against were the sixth fewest in the league.

Season series: Rimouski won series 4-3-1.

Schedule:

Game 1 — March 31 — RIM @ CHI — 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT
Game 2 — April 1 — RIM @ CHI — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 3 — April 4 — CHI @ RIM — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — CHI @ RIM — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — RIM @ CHI — 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT
Game 6* — April 9 — CHI @ RIM — 3pm ET / 12pm PT
Game 7* — April 11 — RIM @ CHI — 7:30pm ET / 4:30pm PT
*if necessary

Western Conference

(1) Sherbrooke vs. (8) Blainville-Boisbriand

In their short 11-year history, 2022-23 was one to remember for the Phoenix.

The club’s 50 wins were the second most in franchise history while it was the first time they claimed the Western Conference crown.

Joshua Roy (MTL) and Jacob Melanson (SEA) both finished the season with 99 points with the former’s 46 goals the seventh most in the QMJHL. An offensive juggernaut, the clubs 317 goals were the fourth most in the CHL as 11 players recorded more than 50 points.

Also in their 11th campaign, the Armada maintained their perfect postseason attendance record despite the third fewest wins in team history.

NHL Draft prospect Jonathan Fauchon led the team in goals (25) and points (65) while the Armada’s 15 overtime/shootout defeats were tied for the most in the QMJHL.

Season series: Sherbrooke won series 4-0.

Schedule:

Game 1 — March 31 — BLB @ SHE — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 2 — April 1 — BLB @ SHE — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 3 — April 4 — SHE @ BLB — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — SHE @ SHE — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — BLB @ SHE — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 6* — April 9 — SHE @ BLB — 3pm ET / 12pm PT
Game 7* — April 11 — BLB @ SHE — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
*if necessary

(2) Gatineau vs. (7) Saint John

There is no hotter team in the CHL currently than the Olympiques.

On a 23-0-1 streak, Gatineau ended the regular season as the no.1 ranked team in the Kia CHL Top 10 rankings. The Olympiques have not lost in regulation since Jan. 18 and have been beaten just twice in 2023.

Their 49 wins are the second most since their relocation from Hull ahead of the 2003-04 season, where they won 50 games in their first season in Gatineau. Tristan Luneau (ANA) led the team, and all QMJHL defencemen, in scoring with 83 points while Riley Kidney (MTL) had a staggering 65 points in just 29 games after he was acquired in early January.

Saint John, the defending Memorial Cup presented by Kia champions, slide over to the Western Conference after they finished ninth in the East.

The Sea Dogs won 23 fewer games than a year ago but it marks a third consecutive postseason appearance for the three-time QMJHL champions. Brady Burns, who became the team’s all-time scoring leader after he passed Jonathan Huberdeau on the penultimate day of the season, led the team with 71 points but defensively the Sea Dogs gave up a league-high 318 goals.

Season series: Tied 1-1-0

Schedule:

Game 1 — March 31 — SNB @ GAT — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 2 — April 1 — SNB @ GAT — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 3 — April 4 — GAT @ SNB — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — GAT @ SNB — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — GAT @ SNB — 6pm ET / 3pm PT
Game 6* — April 10 — SNB @ GAT — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 7* — April 11 — SNB @ GAT — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
*if necessary

(3) Victoriaville vs. (6) Drummondville

For the 11th time in team history, the Tigres reached the 40-win mark as they made an immediate return to the postseason having missed out a year ago.

The two-time QMJHL champions (2002, 2021) were ranked on 10 occasions in the Kia CHL Top 10 rankings throughout 2022-23 that included two weeks at no. 7. Tommy Cormier and Maxime Pellerin both scored 40 goals in the regular season while d-man Pier-Olivier Roy finished four in scoring among defencemen with 68 points.

Drummondville return to the playoffs for the third straight season although it comes on the heels of their first losing record since 2016-17. Luke Woodworth’s career year saw him lead the team in points while 2023 NHL Draft prospect Tyler Peddle’s sophomore season showed tremendous promise. Defenceman Maveric Lamoureux (ARI) will be tasked with shutting down the Tigres offence as the Voltigeurs begin their quest for a second QMJHL championship (2009).

Season series: Victoriaville won series 4-3-0

Schedule:

Game 1 — March 31 — DRU @ VIC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 2 — April 1 — DRU @ VIC — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 3 — April 4 — VIC @ DRU — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — VIC @ DRU — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — DRU @ VIC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 6* — April 9 — VIC @ DRU — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 7* — April 11 — DRU @ VIC — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
*if necessary

(4) Rouyn-Noranda vs. (5) Shawinigan

The 2016 and 2019 QMJHL champions, the Huskies find themselves competing for the Gilles Courteau Trophy for the 11th consecutive season.

Overager Tristan Allard paced Rouyn-Noranda with 77 points while Daniil Bourash’s 41 goals were tied for the 11th most by a Huskies player in a single season. Sixteen-year-old Bill Zonnon impressed with a 39-point showing for a Rouyn-Noranda squad that had its first winning season since their 2019 championship season.

For the Cataractes, they will have the opportunity to defend their championship from a year ago.

While the likes of Mavrik Bourque (DAL), Xavier Bourgault (EDM) and Olivier Nadeau (BUF) have moved on, Lorenzo Canonica, Isaac Menard and Jordan Tourigny, alongside rookie Felix Lacerte, all helped lead the Cataractes to the postseason once again.

Series record: Rouyn-Noranda won series 3-2

Schedule:

Game 1 — March 31 — SHA @ ROU — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 2 — April 1 — SHA @ ROU — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 3 — April 4 — ROU @ SHA — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 4 — April 5 — ROU @ SHA — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 5* — April 7 — ROU @ SHA — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
Game 6* — April 10 — SHA @ ROU — 4pm ET / 1pm PT
Game 7* — April 11 — SHA @ ROU — 7pm ET / 4pm PT
*if necessary