The QMJHL will have three divisions in 2003-2004
The Québec Major Junior Hockey League announced today the new format schedule for the season 2003-2004, the 35th season of the QMJHL.
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League has proceeded to a reorganization of its divisions and of its next schedule due to the Montréal and Sherbrooke franchise relocated. That decision was made after the semi-annual meeting held last week in Montréal. At the start of the 2003-2004 season, the QMJHL will have 3 divisions (East, West and Atlantic), which will share a schedule of 70 games in the regular season. The five teams of the East division will be Rimouski, Québec, Baie-Comeau, Chicoutimi and Lewiston. The six teams of the West division will be Shawinigan, Victoriaville, Drummondville, Gatineau, Val-d’Or and Rouyn-Noranda. The five teams of the Atlantic division will be Cape Breton, Charlottetown, Acadie-Bathurst, Halifax and Moncton.
The playoffs will be in four parts and series four (4) best of seven will claimed each of the winners. The three (3) champions of each division will get a bye and the ice advantage during the playoffs. The three last teams with fewer points will be eliminated.
The four (4) of seven (7) series of the first round will be established according to the general standing. The 4th position will play against the 13th, 5 against 12, 6 against 11, 7 against 10 and 8 against 9. The second round of the playoffs will have 4 four (4) best of seven: 1st against 8, 2 against 7, 3 against 6 and 4 against 5. The semi-final series will be the 1st position against the 4th and the 2nd against the 3rd. The two winners of this series will be in final for the President’s Cup.
With this new format of its divisions, the QMJHL has to reorganize the teams’ royalties. The teams, which will get a bye, will receive an amount according to their attendance average during the regular season, for an example: 2500 spectators x 2 games x 4.00$ = 20 000$. For the travelling between two teams far from each other, the four (4) best of seven (7) series will be played 2-3-2 instead of 2-2-1-1-1 this year.
Finally, the QMJHL will pay a part of the fees allowed to travelling. This amount will be determined according to the total of kilometres done by each of the teams playing in the playoffs. The financing, which will be effective at the beginning of the 2002-2003 playoffs, will be of 0.50$ per spectator. Starting at the next season, an amount of 0.10$ per spectator will be effective during the regular season. The amount of 0.50$ during the playoffs will stay. All the teams will contribute to a maximum of 5 500 persons per game during the playoffs for the fees of 0.50$ per spectator. Also, the teams’ financial contribution during the playoffs – to reduce the travelling expenses – will be reduce of 50% for the 2002-2003 playoffs and to nothing starting next season.
