New division format announced for 2008-09 season
BOUCHERVILLE, Thursday, March 13, 2008 The Commissioner of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Gilles Courteau, today announced the details surrounding the new regular season and playoff formats as well as the changes made to existing division structures for the 2008-09 campaign.
"Following the Board of Governors’ approval to reduce the number of regular season games from 70 to 68 as well as the upcoming transfer of the St. John’s franchise to Montreal, we have restructured our divisions and changed our regular season and playoff formats," said the Commissioner.
"After taking into account club requests and a thorough analysis, I am pleased to announce that the QMJHL will harbour four divisions next season."
<u>TELUS West</u>: Gatineau Olympiques, Montreal Junior, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and Val-d’Or Foreurs
<u>TELUS Centre</u>: Drummondville Voltigeurs, Lewiston MAINEiacs, Shawinigan Cataractes and Victoriaville Tigres
<u>TELUS East</u>: Baie-Comeau Drakkar, Chicoutimi Saguenéens, Quebec Remparts and Rimouski Océanic
<u>Atlantic</u>: Acadie-Bathurst Titan, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Halifax Mooseheads, Moncton Wildcats, PEI Rocket and Saint John Sea Dogs
<a href="http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/navcache/getcontents.php?currentpath=%2Froot%2FCalendrier%2Fcalendrierenmars&content=view" class="lnkBase10px"><b>Consult the new 2008-09 regular season format</b></a>
Sixteen (16) teams will be eligible to partake in the playoffs. The first four positions will be awarded to the teams which finish at the top of their respective divisions and they will be ranked according to the number of points earned during the regular season. Amongst the teams which finish in last place in their respective division, the two teams which cumulated the least number of points in the standings will be eliminated.
In the first round, series are played between teams in the same division; the team ranked first will play the team ranked fourth while the team ranked second will play the team ranked third.
Should it occur that, in a given division, only three (3) teams are eligible for the playoffs, then the fourth position will be occupied by the team holding fifth place in the six-team division. Should this situation occur in two divisions – where there are only three (3) eligible teams then the fourth-placed spots in each of these divisions will be comprised of teams which finished fifth and sixth in the six-team division. The sixth-placed team will battle the team with the greater number of points in either division.
The second round will comprised of the winners of the first round match-ups; the first seed will meet the eighth seed, the second seed will meet the seventh seed, the third seed will meet the sixth seed and the fourth seed will meet the fifth seed.
The semi-finals will oppose the winners of the second round; the first seed will meet the fourth seed and the second seed will meet the third seed.
The final will oppose the winners of the semi-finals.
<a href=" http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/navcache/getcontents.php?currentpath=%2Froot%2FCalendrier%2Fregleanglais1&content=view" class="lnkBase10px"><b>Consult the new administrative rules
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