From the Point: QMJHL Commissioner Gilles Courteau
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Commissioner Gilles Courteau joined Junior Hockey Magazine to discuss the league’s upcoming Return to Play, updates on CHL national events, and the importance of hiring the QMJHL’s first female referee:
Junior Hockey Magazine: Is February 1 a realistic date for the QMJHL to return to the ice?
Gilles Courteau: This is something that as of last week when we met with our owners, I shared with them that we were pushing back the Return to Play to the week of February 1, expecting that it was going to go well. As an example, we have teams in four provinces, and 50 percent of them are shut down until January 31. Prince Edward Island has been the latest shutdown, and New Brunswick is the other one. In Nova Scotia and Quebec, teams are still allowed to practice with some restrictions. In Nova Scotia, it is 10 players allowed on the ice at a time. In Quebec, they can have a full squad. It is not easy, but we are still targeting February 1. We will see what is going to happen. It is a daily basis situation and we have to follow the flow.
JHM: The Saint John Sea Dogs host this year’s Memorial Cup presented by Kia. Do you think we will be able to play our first tournament in three years this year?
GC: I am very confident that we will play. I don’t know if it will be at the date we announced a couple of months ago. We might have to adjust. The three leagues want to do everything they can to play their regular seasons in full. It is important for us to play 68 games. From there, we will see if we can manage it. If we want to play 68 games, we may have to adjust our playoff format as well, plus maybe push back the Memorial Cup a week or two to make sure we can play as many games as we can before we reach the playoffs.
JHM: How difficult was it to postpone the 2022 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game?
GC: It is very important for our players, and for the NHL to see the Top 40 players from across the CHL, on the ice for a game, testing, practice, and meeting with teams. Everybody understands and realizes the situation that we are in so that is why we postponed the game. We will have to see what the evolution is of the latest variant, and when and how it would be possible to resume playing with fans in the buildings. All of those things need to be taken into consideration. As soon as we know all that and have a full picture of our situation from the three regional leagues, at that time we will be in a better position to determine what is going to happen with the prospects showcase.
JHM: Walk us through the process of the QMJHL hiring the first female referee.
GC: Our director of officiating has been following Elizabeth Mantha over the last couple of years. It has not be easy to come up with a proper evaluation because of the fact that over the last two years it has been on and off with hockey. She was expecting to do some junior and AAA games, as well as university, and it didn’t happen. She has great potential. We followed her since the start of the season and watched her in an AHL game and were very impressed. That is why we brought her to the QMJHL’s referee crew. She is going to be a part of it and she is going to do a game as soon as we resume playing.
JHM: How important is it for the league to take that step moving forward and the message it sends?
GC: It is very important. We were the first league to have a female goaltender with Manon Rheaume. We were one of the first leagues with female physiotherapists and they have been working with some of our teams. The evolution that we have been doing, not only in the QMJHL but across the CHL, has been something that is very important, and females can perform in our league whether it is a referee, player, or staff member. We need to give them the opportunity to prove themselves. This is where we are today, and not only to give them a chance but because they deserve it. It is because they have capacity, talent, and the dedication in the right way. We will continue to open our doors to welcome them the way they should be welcomed.