Quebec Major Junior Hockey League - History - Timeline of Teams

Timeline of Teams

• QMJHL team histories Complete list of team histories since 1969 from QMJHL website

• 1969- First season, 2 divisions. East: Quebec City Remparts, Shawinigan Bruins, Drummondville Rangers, Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks), Trois-Rivières Ducs (Dukes), and Sherbrooke Castors (Beavers). West: Saint-Jérôme Alouettes, Cornwall Royals, Rosemont National, Verdun Maple Leafs, and Laval Saints.
• 1970- Divisions dissolved, Laval folds.
• 1971- Rosemont National move to Laval.
• 1972- The Saint-Jérôme Alouettes and the Verdun Maple Leafs fold. The Montreal Junior Canadiens franchise of the OHA transfers to QMJHL, becoming the Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge.
• 1973- League split into two divisions. East: Sorel, Quebec, Shawinigan, Trois-Rivières, Chicoutimi; West: Cornwall, Montreal, Sherbrooke, Laval, Drummondville, Hull. Chicoutimi Saguenéens, and the Hull Festivals granted franchises. Shawinigan Bruins become Shawinigan Dynamos.
• 1974- Drummondville Rangers fold, Trois-Rivières Ducs become Trois-Rivières Draveurs (Lumberjacks).
• 1975- Montreal Bleu Blanc Rouge became Montreal Juniors.
• 1976- Hull Festivals became Hull Olympiques. Divisions renamed: East becomes Dilio, West becomes Lebel.
• 1977- Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks) move to Verdun. Sherbrooke moved to Dilio Division, while Verdun played in the Lebel.
• 1978- Shawinigan Dynamos became Shawinigan Cataractes.
• 1979- Verdun Éperviers (Black Hawks) became Sorel/Verdun Éperviers. Laval National become Laval Voisins (Neighbours).
• 1980- Sorel/Verdun Éperviers became Sorel Éperviers.
• 1981- Divisions cease to exist, Cornwall moved to the OHL, Sorel Éperviers moved to Granby and became the Bisons.
• 1982- Lebel and Dilio Divisions reintroduced. Shawinigan, Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, and Drummondville played in the Dilio, while Laval, Verdun, Longueuil, Saint-Jean, Hull, and Granby played in the Lebel. Sherbrooke Castors moved to Saint-Jean. Montreal Juniors moved to Verdun. Drummondville Voltigeurs (Infantrymen) granted a franchise, Longueuil Chevaliers (Cavaliers) granted a franchise.
• 1984- Plattsburgh Pioneers granted a franchise, but fold three months into the schedule after playing 17 games. They played in the Lebel Division, Granby is moved to the Dilio. Verdun Juniors become the Verdun Junior Canadiens.
• 1985- Quebec Remparts fold. Laval Voisins became Laval Titan.
• 1987- Longueuil Chevaliers moved to Victoriaville and became the Tigres. They played in the Dilio. Granby was moved to the Lebel Division.
• 1988- Divisions ceased to exist, Longueuil Collège-Français are granted the rights to resurrect the Quebec Remparts franchise.
• 1989- Verdun Junior Canadiens moved to Saint-Hyacinthe and became the Laser. Saint-Jean Castors became St-Jean Lynx.
• 1990- Lebel and Dilio divisions created yet again: Chicoutimi, Trois-Rivières, Drummondville, Shawinigan, Beauport, and Victoriaville play in the Dilio; Longueuil, Hull, Laval, Saint-Hyacinthe, Granby, and Saint-Jean played in the Lebel. Beauport Harfangs (Snow Owls) was granted a franchise.
• 1991- Longueuil Collège-Français moved to Verdun.
• 1992- Trois-Rivières Draveurs moved to Sherbrooke and became the Faucons (Falcons).
• 1993- Val-d'Or Foreurs (Miners) granted a franchise, they played in the Lebel.
• 1994- Verdun Collège-Français folded. Halifax awarded an expansion team, the Mooseheads. Halifax played in the Dilio. Laval Titan became Laval Titan Collège-Français.
• 1995- Saint-Jean Lynx moved to Rimouski and become the Océanic. Moncton Alpines franchise granted. Rimouski and Moncton both played in the Dilio. Drummondville and Sherbrooke moved to the Lebel. Granby Bisons became Granby Prédateurs.
• 1996- Saint-Hyacinthe Laser moved to Rouyn-Noranda and became the Huskies. Moncton Alpines became Moncton Wildcats.
• 1997- Granby Prédateurs move to Cape Breton and became the Screaming Eagles. They played in the Dilio. Shawinigan moved to the Lebel. The Beauport Harfangs moved to Quebec City and became the Quebec Remparts.
• 1998- Baie-Comeau granted an expansion team called the Drakkar (Viking ship), and played in the Dilio. Laval Titan Collège-Français moved to Acadie-Bathurst, and played in the Dilio.
• 1999- Lebel Division became Lebel Conference, and split into the West Division (Hull, Rouyn-Noranda, Montreal, Val-d'Or) and the Central Division (Shawinigan, Drummondville, Sherbrooke, Victoriaville). The Dilio Division became the Dilio Conference and split into the Eastern Division (Rimouski, Quebec City, Baie-Comeau, Chicoutimi) and the Maritime Division (Moncton, Halifax, Cape Breton, Acadie-Bathurst). Montreal Rocket was granted a franchise.
• 2003 - The QMJHL switched to a three-division format: Atlantic (Cape Breton, Moncton, Prince Edward Island, Halifax, Acadie-Bathurst); Eastern (Rimouski, Chicoutimi, Lewiston, Quebec, Baie-Comeau); and Western (Gatineau, Shawinigan, Rouyn-Noranda, Val-d'Or, Drummondville, Victoriaville). Sherbrooke Castors moved to Maine, becoming the Lewiston Maineiacs; Montreal Rocket moved to Charlottetown and took the Prince Edward Island name, Hull Olympiques become Gatineau Olympiques.
• 2004 - The QMJHL announced plans to expand from 16 to 18 teams, effective with the 2005-06 season. St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Saint John, New Brunswick were awarded franchises, the St. John's Fog Devils and Saint John Sea Dogs respectively.
• 2005 - Effective with the 2005-06 season, the league reverted to a two-division format. The East Division consisted of all of the league's non-Québec teams, and the West Division contained all of the Quebec teams.
• 2006 - The Western Division was renamed the Telus Division, under a sponsorship agreement with the Telus Corporation.
• 2008 - The St. John's Fog Devils relocated to Verdun, Quebec to become the Montreal Junior Hockey Club.
• 2011- The Lewiston Maineiacs were purchased by the league and were dissolved. The remaining roster that's still eligible to play in the QMJHL was claimed by the remaining teams in a dispersal draft.
• 2011- The Montreal Junior Hockey Club was sold to a group lead by former NHL Defensemen Joel Bouchard and renamed the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.
• 2012- Sherbrooke permitted to resurrect the former Lewiston franchise as the Phoenix