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An expert from Langue de Puck. I’m not a native Francophone, nor am I fluent, but I do enjoy learning. Combining hobbies, I began watching hockey in French several years ago. Two things happened fairly quickly. First, I began to prefer hearing the game called in French. I’m still not sure why but, to me, the flow of the game just sounds better in French. Second, I realized how easy it was to pick up certain words. Yes, watching hockey is a fun and easy tool that helps me lear

With nothing but silence coming from the LNAH on the fate of the Petrioliers Franchise, including the potential relocation to Ottawa, all fans can do is speculate about what’s next. The fact that there hasn’t been a dispersal draft says that, for one reason or another, the league is keeping the roster together. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some markets where fans have generated significant on-line chatter about wanting to land the team. For starters, there’s Laval

The Patriotes took home their 6th National Title this Spring. (photo from Le Nouvelliste) In the early 2000’s, “they never rebuild, they just reload” was how Gary Thorne described Boston College following their third national championship in 5 seasons. Fast forward to today, and the same can be said about the University of Quebec Trois-Rivieres. The Patriotes have always been competitive, but since hiring Marc-Etienne Hubert in 2013 the program has been racking up wins like i

As Guelph, Ontario prepares to host the 2027 edition of the CHL’s championship event, teams in the QMJHL are preparing their bids for the 2028 version. As the most recent Memorial Cup was wrapping up in Kelowna, news outlets across Quebec and the Maritimes released the names of four teams who were in the running. Earlier this week the CHL narrowed the list to two finalists. Let's look at the teams and, more importantly, cities who will be stating their case to host the event

The 2026 LHSAAAQ Draft is in the books. Trading continued throughout the event, and heavily impacted the early rounds, including the first overall pick. Once again, fans were given indications about individual teams as well as the league as a whole. Early shakeups: Following a woeful 4-18-4 season, Valleyfield was primed to draft its way out of the cellar, holding three first round picks including the number one overall. Instead, the National opted to acquire veteran talent,

Following a season in which their visibility skyrocketed, the LHSAAAQ has spent the early part of the Summer generating the kind of headlines that excite fans and keep wind in the sails when things normally slow down. New markets, ownership additions and blockbuster trades have been among the league’s big off-season stories. The championship confetti had barely stopped falling when the league took care of its only major end-of-season issue. The sale and relocation of the BSR

Earlier this month, the Laval Petroliers ended their season by winning the LNAH Championship. The ensuing celebration ended their existence. In a move that shocked the minor and senior hockey landscape, the LNAH responded to the Petroliers’ celebration by terminating their membership. For anyone who missed it, the Petroliers locker room celebration went viral when an unidentified person did his best Randy Savage impression on the Cup, leaving the cylindrical base flattened. T

Another PWHL Season is in the books. With it came another round of neutral site games, another amazing turnout in Quebec and another "thanks but no thanks” to the city with regard to league expansion. Maybe it's a case of the fox & the grapes, or maybe it’s something a little more legit, but with each turndown from the NHL and now, PWHL, comes a little more comfort. A comfort that Quebec can remain Quebec rather than becoming another sports-influenced city that imports an unh

In less than 24 hours, the Laval Petroliers won the LNAH Championship and were subsequently suspended by the league. Not a few players- the team. What happened is the latest example of “Social Media Strikes Again” meets “You can’t make this stuff up, folks.” Describing this is difficult because we’re talking about an approximate 5 second video and very few public facts in the midst of a growing tidal wave of public opinion. Saturday Night, the Petroliers capped off a season

Seasons have wrapped up, champions have been crowned and teams have moved. The BSR relocation saga is over and Grand-Mere is a no-go. Many wrinkles have been ironed out, but one item is still on the table: what about Nicolet? What’s next for the town that can finally say that, after three attempts, Senior AAA hockey isn’t an option. The town is still a good geographic location, has a renovated venue and has a municipal council that has shown a willingness to work with senior

Last month, the city of Shawinigan was engulfed in a debate that could very well be uniquely Canadian: the territorial rights of a hockey team. The Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL exercised an exclusivity agreement in their lease when the BSR of the Senior AAA League attempted to sign a lease at a rink across town. The debate and reasonings got into the gritty finances of a lower income city, and what each team does or could mean to the area. With the focus getting narrowe

It’s finally here! After eight weeks of scenarios and team profiles, the LNAH Playoff Bracket is set. Looking at how we got there, we know this post season will be a great one. Going into the final weekend of the regular season, five positions were up for grabs, and each of them had the potential to need a tiebreaker. In the end, it came down to the final game to determine things. Even then, a tie breaker was necessary. Format-wise, each series will be a best of seven with t

When the story of a team’s desired relocation broke on February 11th, it seemed like the City of Shawinigan was in for a hockey treat- a second team. There were discussions between a prospective Senior AAA team and the city, but there was a catch: an exclusivity agreement between the local QMJHL team and the city. Over the past week, the issue has become a bit of a flashpoint in the city and its hockey community. When the BSR ownership group purchased the La Tuque Wolves fra

We’re down to the final weekend of the LNAH regular season. Several positions are locked up, including the #1 and #8, but the majority are still in play, including three with home ice for the first round. If the LNAH playoffs started today, the following scenarios would apply. Laval (1) vs Riviere-du-Loup (8): There’s no more “potential” with this one. After the Petroliers locked up the number one spot last weekend, the 3L were ensured a last place finish with an overtime l

There are just 2 weekends remaining in the regular season. Laval has locked up the #1 spot, but with each team having 2-4 games remaining, every other position is still in play. If the LNAH playoffs started today, the following scenarios would apply. Laval (1) vs Riviere-du-Loup (8): Laval has sealed up the regular season championship. A lot would have to happen, including tie-breakers, to get Rivière-du-Loup out of the basement, so this pairing is all but a lock. Saint-Ge

Laval got back on track, Saint-Georges is rolling and Quebec is sliding. There are just 3 weekends remaining in the regular season. If the LNAH playoffs started today, the following scenarios would apply. Laval (1) vs Riviere du Loup (8): Laval ended its skid but, with Saint-Georges on a roll, this matchup could change from the top seed with just 4 points separating #1 and #2. The 3L are playing better, but they’ll need some help to climb out of the basement. Saint-George (2

Photo from Le Hebdo du St-Maurice when announcing the move. It was only a few weeks ago that we asked the question of whether or not the 3rd time would be a charm in Nicolet. The answer has arrived, and it’s a hard no. On February 12th, the team announced that it was in discussions with the town of Shawinigan for relocation. Today, we look at the specifics of the deal. First, Nicolet: The town has been drawing Triple A Teams since 2018. In the case of BSR, it turned out to b

The LHSAAAQ is rolling into the final weekend of its regular season. It was a fantastic season in terms of the talent on the ice and the visibility and reach of the league with its new streaming partner. Before we move on the playoffs, let's look back at the memorable and not so memorable performances of the 2025-26 season, The Good: We can’t talk about anything good without talking about the Granby Bison. The team that hoisted the cup last Spring had all the makings of a d

There are just 4 weekends remaining in the regular season. If the LNAH playoffs started today, the following scenarios would apply. Laval (1) vs Riviere-du-Loup (8): Nothing changes in the pairing, but the 3L put on a clinic Friday night while the Petroliers skid hit 3 games. This is suddenly starting to look like a legitimate matchup. Saint-Hyacinthe (2) vs Sorel-Tracy (7): The 2-vs-7 matchup remains the same but with both teams a single game from a position change. The Ep

A photo from Le Nouvelliste when covering the QMJHL's no fighting rule It’s a question that may not be on the QMJHL’s docket but is on the minds of many throughout the league and the province. In a series of articles over the last 2 weeks, news outlets have gathered opinions and background from QMJHL General Managers, player agents, league representatives, on-ice officials and politicians. One thing is certain- they agree to disagree. The QMJHL made waves going into the 2023