Quebec Junior Hockey League (1988-)

The Ligue de Hockey Junior du Québec (LHJQ) or Quebec Junior Hockey League (QJHL) is a Hockey Québec Canadian Junior A ice hockey league and is a member of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Junior Hockey League. The winner of the LHJQ playoffs competes for the Fred Page Cup against the winners of the Central Junior A Hockey League and the Maritime Hockey League and the host team which is on a three year cycle between the MHL, CJHL and LHJQ. The winner of the Fred Page Cup then moves on to compete for the Royal Bank Cup.

History
The Quebec Junior Hockey League is an offshoot of the Quebec Junior A Hockey League that lasted from 1972-1982. Founded in 1988, the QJHL has been a rather strong league with 3 Central Canadian Champions (Dudley Hewitt Cup) in its early years: the Longueuil Sieurs in 1990 and the Chateauguay Elites in 1993 and 1994. In 1994-95 they were grouped into the Eastern Canadian region to compete for the Fred Page Cup. The Joliette Nationals won the first ever Fred Page Cup in 1995. To this day, the QJHL has 4 Eastern Canadian titles, the others going to the Joliette Action, Lennoxville Cougars, and St. Jerome Panthers. No Quebec team has ever won the National Title despite attending the tournament 7 times since 1988.

Despite losing the Saint-Félicien Multiconcessionnaire in the summer of 2009. The QJAAAHL has done the opposite of its predecessor, the Quebec Junior A Hockey League. From 1972 until 1982, the QJAHL started big but steadily fell apart. The QJAAAHL, as well, started off big but through picking financially feasible markets and making smart relocations when the times have needed them, the QJAAAHL has maintained its size and success as a Junior A league. The only thing that has eluded the QJAAAHL is the National Championship, the Royal Bank Cup.

In 2002-03, Champlain College Lennoxville got a team to play in the LHJAAAQ - Lennoxville Cougars, based on the campus of College Champlain and Bishops University. The Cougars, who were coached by former NHLer Stéphane Lebeau formed a discipline style of hockey. The method paid off, and Lennoxville captured the Napa Cup as league champions and won the Fred Page Cup. Lennoxville finished the Royal Bank Cup 1-3, the Cougars exited the tournament with a semi-finals loss to the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL.

In 2003-04, the CJAHL and the LHJAAAQ saw the St-Eustache Gladiateurs rank #5 overall in Canada. However, the Gladiateurs lost the finals to the Valleyfield Braves in the finals. Because Valleyfield was hosting the Fred Page Cup, the Gladiateurs got a berth in the tournament. Despite that Saint-Eustache held a 2-0, along with Valleyfield, who also held a 2-0 record coming into the pivotal all-LHJAAAQ matchup, which would also decide the winner, who gets a bye to the championship finals. Valleyfield won the tilt 4-0, and Saint-Eustache lost to the Nepean Raiders 3-2 in double-overtime. The Valleyfield Braves would lose the championship game 4-0 to Nepean.

Despite losing the Saint-Félicien Multiconcessionnaire in the summer of 2009. The QJAAAHL has done the opposite of its predecessor, the Quebec Junior A Hockey League. From 1972 until 1982, the QJAHL started big but steadily fell apart. The QJAAAHL, as well, started off big but through picking financially feasible markets and making smart relocations when the times have needed them, the QJAAAHL has maintained its size and success as a Junior A league. The only thing that has eluded the QJAAAHL is the National Championship, the Royal Bank Cup.

The 2014 off-season was a busy one for the hockey league. At the annual AGM, 12 year president Richard Morency announced his resignation, but staying on until the transition to the new leadership. The league also announced that it was re-branding itself the Quebec Junior Hockey League (dropping the "AAA" designation) and introduced the corresponding new league logo. The summer also saw the return of the Valleyfield Braves to the League. Owners of the team purchased the LaTuque Wolves, regained rights to the Braves name and logo and brought the team back to the Aréna Salaberry. Another long-time QJHL member, Kahnawake Condors, who were established in 1999 moved to Chambly, Quebec to be re-branded as the Chambly Forts. Shortly after that move, the Gatineau Mustangs of the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League made the jump to the league, becoming the first Hull-based team since the Aylmer Extreme, who only lasted one season in 2000-01. The Mustangs will be forced to change their name, in favor of the Vaudreuil-Dorion Mustangs, who have been members of the league since 2003. With the folding of the Saint-Hyacinthe Lauréats and the Sherbrooke Cougars the 2015-16 season, will see the league split into two divisions.

Several weeks after announcing the Gatineau Flames as a member, the Flames purchased the Lachine Maroons and absorbed the franchise rights. The most-notable move, was the league expelling the Sherbrooke Cougars because the league considered them as a college team and had ties to Bishop's University. The Saint-Hyacinthe Laureats withdrew from the league, possibly in cunjunction with the Cougars.

Potential Markets
The Quebec Junior Hockey League has yet to explore the Northern Quebec market, but distance is also a factor for teams in Eastern and Southern Quebec. Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec remains open, as well as Laval and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Rural communities in Northern New York and Maine, are also a possibility for American markets, but unlikely as the league has never had any teams based in the United States. Since its inception in 1988, the Quebec Junior Hockey League has taken over relocated former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League markets, who have relocated, such as Granby, Saint-Hyacinthe, Sherbrooke, St-Jean and Laval.

2018-19 Expansion
On April 13, 2018 it was announced on the league website that financing was being worked on for a team in the South Coast Region. The team will apparently be called the Cote-du-Sud Everest (or L’Everest de la Côte-du-Sud in French). The team appears it will be based out of the city of Montmagny, Quebec.

2019-20 changes
During the Board of Governors meeting held in May of 2019, the termination of the Montreal-Nord Arctic was announced, along with the sale and renaming of the Lac St-Louis Revolution to the West Island Shamrocks, and the addition of the Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Condors, based in Saint-Georges, Quebec which run by the college (vocational school) and will be based out of the Centre Sportif Lacroix-Dutil.

La Coupe NAPA Playoff Champions

 * For the Eastern Regional playoffs, please go to the Fred Page Cup.
 * For the National Championship, please go to the Centennial Cup.

Former member teams

 * Kahnawake Condors - 2015 relocated to Chambly Forts
 * L'Extreme D'Aylmer
 * Lachine Maroons - 2015 relocate to Gatineau Flames
 * La Tuque Wolves - renewed Valleyfield Braves franchise
 * Lac St-Louis Revolution renamed West Island Shamrocks
 * Les Husky de Cowansville
 * Le National de Joliette
 * Le Junior de Montreal
 * Les Dragons de Saint-Hyacinthe
 * Les Chevaliers de St-Jean
 * Montreal-Nord Arctic removed from league after 2018-19 season
 * Saint-Félicien Multiconcessionnaire
 * Saint-Lazare Revolution renamed Lac St-Louis Revolution
 * Saint-Hyacinthe Lauréats - 2015 withdrew from league
 * Sherbrooke Cougars - 2015 expelled from league
 * Thetford Mines Filons - relocated to La Tuque Wolves
 * Valleyfield Braves

Timeline of teams in the QJHL

 * 1988 - Black Lake Miners play in 1988 Centennial Cup playdowns as Quebec's only Jr. A team
 * 1988 - Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League is officially founded
 * 1990 - St. Antoine Rapidos join league
 * 1990 - Laval-Bourassa Cobras join league
 * 1991 - St. Antoine Rapidos become Louisville Jaguars
 * 1991 - Laval-Bourassa Cobras become Montreal-Nord Cobras
 * 1991 - Ste-Marie Beaucerons join league
 * 1992 - Ste-Marie Beaucerons become Loretteville Riverains
 * 1992 - Louisville Jaquars become Saint-Jerome Panthers
 * 1994 - Coaticook Frontaliers join league
 * 1994 - Valleyfield Elites join league
 * 1995 - Lachine Maroons join league
 * 1996 - Warwick Titans join league
 * 1998 - Quebec Provincial Junior Hockey League becomes Quebec Junior AAA Hockey League
 * 1998 - Joliette National cease operations in January 1998
 * 1998 - Valleyfield Elites become Valleyfield Braves
 * 1999 - Kahnawake Condors join league
 * 2000 - Aylmer Extreme join league and fold after the 2000-01 season
 * 2002 - Saint-Eustache Gladiateurs join league
 * 2002 - Lennoxville Cougars join league
 * 2003 - Lennoxville Cougars become College Champlain Cougars
 * 2002 - Warwick Titans become College Lefleche Titans
 * 2003 - l’Ile Perrot Mustangs join league
 * 2003 - La Plaine Cobras become Terrebonne Cobras
 * 2004 - St-Lawrence of Quebec Lions join league
 * 2004 - l’Ile Perrot Mustangs become Vaudreuil Mustangs
 * 2005 - Coaticook Frontaliers become Granby Inouk
 * 2006 - Saint-Eustache Gladiateurs become Saint-Eastache Patriotes
 * 2005 - Joliette Action join league
 * 2007 - St-Lawrence of Quebec Lions become Quebec AssurSports
 * 2007 - College Champlain Cougars become Sherbrooke Cougars
 * 2008 - Saint-Eustache Patriotes become Sainte-Therese Nordiques
 * 2008 - Quebec AssurExperts move and become Thetford Mines Filons
 * 2008 - Sainte-Agathe Montagnards join league
 * 2008 - College Lefleche Titans become Princeville Titans
 * 2008 - Saint-Felicien Multiconcessionnaire fold after three seasons
 * 2009 - Sainte-Therese Nordiques become Rousseau-Sports Junior AAA Laval
 * 2009 - Joliette Action become Joliette Traffic
 * 2010 - Thetford Mines Filons become La Tuque Wolves
 * 2010 - Rousseau-Sports Junior AAA Laval become Laval Arctic
 * 2011 - Joliette Traffic become Montreal-Est Rangers
 * 2011 - Laval Arctic become St. Leonard Arctic
 * 2013 - Valleyfield Braves dissolve franchise to seek membership with the Ligue Nord-Americaine de Hockey (LNAH)
 * 2014 - La Toque Wolves relocate to Valleyfield and become the Valleyfield Braves. The ownership reclaims the rights to the Braves name and logo
 * 2014 - League shortens name to Quebec Junior Hockey League
 * 2015 - Kahnawake Condors relocate to Chambly and become Chambly Forts
 * 2015 - Gatineau Flames purchase Lachine Maroons franchise and join league from Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League
 * 2015 - Sherbrooke Cougars expelled from league
 * 2015 - Saint-Hyacinthe Lauréats withdraw from league
 * 2017 - Montreal-Nord Arctic are renamed from St-Leonard Arctic
 * 2017 - Sainte-Agathe Montagnards are renamed St-Gabriel-de-Brandon Montagnards when team changes arenas
 * 2017 - Vaudreuil-Dorion Mustangs are renamed Saint-Lazare Revolution when the team relocates
 * 2018 - Saint-Lazare Revolution are renamed Lac St-Louis Revolution when the team relocates when the team relocated to Pierrefonds
 * 2018 - Cote-du-Sud Everest begin play as an expansion team
 * 2019 - Montreal-Nord Arctic have their membership terminated
 * 2019 - Lac St-Louis Revolution are renamed West Island Shamrocks
 * 2020 - Cégep Beauce-Appalaches Condors (Saint-Georges) added to the league
 * 2020 - the 2020-21 season is cancelled due to provincial wide restrictions in place due to COVID-19 pandemic