The 2008–09 QMJHL season was the 40th season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The regular season began on September 11, 2008, and ended on March 15, 2009. The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge series, featuring Team QMJHL versus the Russian Selects, took place on November 17 and 19, 2008. Eighteen teams played 68 games each. The Drummondville Voltigeurs, who finished first overall in the regular season, went on to capture their first President's Cup vs. the Shawinigan Cataractes in a series they won 4–3.
Team changes The St. John's Fog Devils relocated to Verdun, Quebec, and are rename the Montreal Junior Hockey Club, and move from the Atlantic Division to the Telus West. The league switch from 2 division to 4. All 6 Maritime teams play in the Atlantic Division and all Quebec teams and the Lewiston Maineiacs are split into 3 Divisions Telus East, Telus Central, Telus West.
Notable dates Offseason June 20–21, 2008—27 QMJHL players were selected in the 2008 NHL entry draft.
Regular season November 17, 2008–Team QMJHL defeats the Russian Selects 5–3 in Game 1 of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge held in Sydney, Nova Scotia. November 19, 2008–Team QMJHL defeated by Russian Selects 4–3 in Game 2 of the ADT Canada-Russia Challenge held in Saint John, New Brunswick Playoffs
Standings
Division Standings Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL - Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points Division Telus Centre GP W L OTL SL GF GA Pts Drummondville Voltigeurs z 68 54 10 0 4 345 189 112 Shawinigan Cataractes x 68 51 14 3 0 308 183 105 Victoriaville Tigres x 68 32 32 2 2 219 249 68 Lewiston Maineiacs x 68 22 43 1 2 190 286 47
Division Telus Est GP W L OTL SL GF GA Pts Québec Remparts z 68 49 16 0 3 282 184 101 Rimouski Océanic x 68 44 23 1 0 267 223 89 Chicoutimi Saguenéens x 68 24 32 4 8 215 256 60 Baie-Comeau Drakkar x 68 22 37 7 2 206 297 53
Division Atlantique GP W L OTL SL GF GA Pts Moncton Wildcats z 68 48 14 2 4 236 149 102 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles x 68 46 18 3 1 252 201 96 Saint John Sea Dogs x 68 34 30 2 2 222 232 72 P.E.I. Rocket x 68 26 32 5 5 229 243 62 Acadie-Bathurst Titan x 68 20 35 7 6 187 256 53 Halifax Mooseheads 68 19 41 3 5 193 290 46
Division Telus Ouest GP W L OTL SL GF GA Pts Gatineau Olympiques z 68 38 25 2 3 232 232 81 Montreal Junior Hockey Club x 68 34 30 2 2 211 202 72 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies x 68 30 30 5 3 210 245 68 Val-d'Or Foreurs 68 19 41 3 5 206 293 46
Overall Standing determines standings for the second round of the playoffs. Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; SL - Shootout losses; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points Rank Team GP W L OTL SL GF GA Pts 1 Drummondville Voltigeurs z 68 54 10 0 4 345 189 112 2 Moncton Wildcats z 68 48 14 2 4 236 149 102 3 Québec Remparts z 68 49 16 0 3 282 184 101 4 Gatineau Olympiques z 68 38 25 2 3 232 232 81 5 Shawinigan Cataractes x 68 51 14 3 0 308 183 105 6 Cape Breton Screaming Eagles x 68 46 18 3 1 252 201 96 7 Rimouski Océanic x 68 44 23 1 0 267 223 89 8 Montreal Junior Hockey Club x 68 34 30 2 2 211 202 72 9 Saint John Sea Dogs x 68 34 30 2 2 222 232 72 10 Victoriaville Tigres x 68 32 32 2 2 219 249 68 11 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies x 68 30 30 5 3 210 245 68 12 P.E.I. Rocket x 68 26 32 5 5 229 243 62 13 Chicoutimi Saguenéens x 68 24 32 4 8 215 256 60 14 Baie-Comeau Drakkar x 68 22 37 7 2 206 297 53 15 Acadie-Bathurst Titan x 68 20 35 7 6 187 256 53 16 Lewiston MAINEiacs x 68 22 43 1 2 190 286 47 17 Val-d'Or Foreurs 68 19 41 3 5 206 293 46 18 Halifax Mooseheads 68 19 41 3 5 193 290 46
x - team clinched QMJHL Playoff spot
z - team has clinched division
Scoring leaders Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player Team GP G A Pts PIM Yannick Riendeau Drummondville Voltigeurs 64 58 68 126 31 Dany Massé Drummondville Voltigeurs 68 44 66 110 52 Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll Shawinigan Cataractes 65 38 66 104 22 Paul Byron Gatineau Olympiques 65 33 66 99 32 Mike Hoffman Drummondville Voltigeurs 62 52 42 94 86 Nick Petersen Shawinigan Cataractes 68 37 53 90 42 Félix Petit Baie-Comeau Drakkar 68 25 65 90 28 Matthew Pistilli Shawinigan Cataractes 63 45 41 86 37 Alexandre Quesnel Gatineau Olympiques 63 37 45 82 88 Robert Slaney Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 63 36 45 81 78
Leading goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SOL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Total shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player Team GP Min W L GA SO Sv% GAA Nicola Riopel Moncton Wildcats 59 3487 43 15 117 5 .931 2.01 Charles Lavigne Quebec Remparts 51 2839 34 13 112 6 .916 2.37 Gabriel Girard Shawinigan Cataractes 30 1638 22 5 70 2 .895 2.57 Timo Pielmeier Shawinigan Cataractes 43 2408 29 11 106 2 .914 2.64 Antoine Tardif Drummondville Voltigeurs 43 2378 32 7 109 0 .893 2.75
Players
2008 QMJHL Entry Draft First round Moncton Wildcats Brandon Gormley (D) Drummondville Voltigeurs Sean Couturier (C) Victoriaville Tigres Brandon Hynes (RW) Val-d'Or Foreurs Cedrick Henley (LW) Prince Edward Island Rocket Ben Duffy (F) Lewiston MAINEiacs Garrett Clarke (D) Shawinigan Cataractes Michaël Bournival (C/LW) Montréal Juniors Guillaume Asselin (RW) Lewiston MAINEiacs Michael Chaput (C) Québec Remparts Samuel Carrier (D) Acadie-Bathurst Titan Vincent Arseneau (LW) Cape Breton Screaming Eagles Logan Shaw (RW) Moncton Wildcats Louis Domingue (G) Lewiston MAINEiacs Étienne Brodeur (LW) Val-d'Or Foreurs Alex Noël (RW) Gatineau Olympiques Yoan Pinette (RW) Acadie-Bathurst Titan Stefan Fournier (RW) Drummondville Voltigeurs Jérôme Gauthier-Leduc (D)
2008 NHL entry draft In total, 27 QMJHL players were selected at the 2008 NHL entry draft.
Trades Date Deal made January 8, 2009 To Shawinigan Cataractes
Mathieu Bolduc To Chicoutimi Saguenéens
1st round pick, 2011 January 8, 2009 To Montreal Juniors
Philippe Fontaine To Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
5th round pick, 2010 January 8, 2009 To Gatineau Olympiques
Dave NolinJohn Esposito To Victoriaville Tigres
Bradley MacDonald2nd round pick, 2010 January 8, 2009 To Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Artem Demkov To Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
8th round pick, 2009 January 8, 2009 To Shawinigan Cataractes
Nicolas Marcoux-Larocque To Saint John Sea Dogs
5th round pick, 2009 (Halifax Mooseheads) January 8, 2009To Shawinigan Cataractes
Maxime MacenauerTo Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Brad Yetman4th round pick, 2009 January 8, 2009 To Drummondville Voltigeurs
Francis Schanck To Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
10th round pick, 2009 January 8, 2009To PEI Rocket
Jarrad StruthersTo Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
2nd round pick, 2009 (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)3rd round pick, 2009 (Acadie-Bathurst Titan) January 8, 2009 To Halifax Mooseheads
Andrew Smith To Chicoutimi Saguenéens
8th round pick, 2009 January 8, 2009To Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Louis LeblancMaxim GuérinMarc-André CarréTo Val-d'Or Foreurs
3rd round pick, 20099th round pick, 2009 January 8, 2009To Moncton Wildcats
Tomy JolyTo Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Julien Tremblay2nd round pick, 2009 (Victoriaville Tigres)2nd round pick, 2010 January 8, 2009To Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Jeremie BlainTo Victoriaville Tigres
Olivier Jannard4th round pick, 20105th round pick, 2010 January 8, 2009 To Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Anthony Taylor To Montreal Juniors
Félix-Antoine Poulin January 8, 2009 To Saint John Sea Dogs
Olivier Ouellet To Chicoutimi Saguenéens
2nd round pick, 2009 (Shawinigan Cataractes) January 7, 2009 To Val-d'Or Foreurs
Keven Charland-Guérette To Saint John Sea Dogs
3rd round pick, 2009 (Halifax Mooseheads) January 7, 2009To Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Nathan Dunnett7th round pick, 2009 (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)3rd round pick, 2010To Drummondville Voltigeurs
Marco Cousineau January 7, 2009To Gatineau Olympiques
3rd round pick, 2009To Drummondville Voltigeurs
3rd round pick, 2010 (Drummondville Voltigeurs) January 7, 2009To Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Jordan BernierCharles VoulignyTo Acadie-Bathurst Titan
5th round pick, 2009 (Acadie-Bathurst Titan) January 7, 2009To Baie-Comeau Drakkar
François Lacerte4th round pick, 2009 (Lewiston Maineiacs)To Rimouski Océanic
Maxime Ouimet January 7, 2009 To Victoriaville Tigres
Tyler Noseworthy To Moncton Wildcats
6th round pick, 2010 January 7, 2009 To Val-d'Or Foreurs
Michel Kowalew To Montreal Juniors
10th round pick, 2009 January 6, 2009To Saint John Sea Dogs
Mathieu GingrasSimon Giroux1st round pick, 20092nd round pick, 2010To Drummondville Voltigeurs
Christopher DiDomenico January 5, 2009 To Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Brad Tesink To Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Olivier Dame-Malka January 6, 2009To Rimouski Océanic
Marc-André BourdonMatthew DopudJustin MacNaughtonTo Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
1st round pick, 2009 (Quebec Remparts)2nd round pick, 20093rd round pick, 2009 (Quebec Remparts)7th round pick, 20091st round pick, 20104th round pick, 2010 January 5, 2009To Halifax Mooseheads
Pascal Amyot1st round pick, 2009 (EU)To Saint John Sea Dogs
1st round pick, 2009 (EU)4th round pick, 2010 January 5, 2009To Shawinigan Cataractes
Alex Grant5th round pick, 2010to Saint John Sea Dogs
Danick Gauthier2nd round pick, 20091st round pick, 2010 January 5, 2009 To Rimouski Océanic
Jason Demers To Victoriaville Tigres
8th round pick, 2009 January 5, 2009To Quebec Remparts
Alexandre NéronTo Rimouski Océanic
1st round pick, 20093rd round pick, 2009 January 2, 2009 To Gatineau Olympiques
Alexei Dostoinov To Saint John Sea Dogs
5th round pick, 2010 December 31, 2008To Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Drew ParisTo Acadie-Bathurst Titan
4th round pick, 20094th round pick, 2010 December 31, 2008 To Val-d'Or Foreurs
Matthew LachaineJeremiah Coon-Come To PEI Rocket
Jason LegaultMaxime Lévesque December 31, 2008To Shawinigan Cataractes
Nicolas Deslongchamps9th round pick, 2009To Victoriaville Tigres
Jean-Michel Fortier December 30, 2008 To Moncton Wildcats
Joe Dillon To Val-d'Or Foreurs
12th round pick, 2009 December 30, 2008 To Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
Mickael Audette To Quebec Remparts
2nd round pick, 2009 (Drummondville Voltigeurs) December 29, 2008To Val-d'Or Foreurs---- Sasha FaminTo Moncton Wildcats
Mitch Morgan3rd round pick, 20091st round pick, 2010 (EU) December 27, 2008 To Shawinigan Cataractes
4th round pick, 2009 (Shawinigan Cataractes) To Lewiston Maineiacs
5th round pick, 2009 December 27, 2008 To Halifax Mooseheads
Jan Stransky To Gatineau Olympiques
5th round pick, 2010 (Chicoutimi Saguenéens) December 26, 2008To Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Michael WardStephen HorylTo Lewiston Maineiacs
Samuel FinnMurdock MacLellan5th round pick, 2010 December 26, 2008 To Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Taylor MacDougall To Montreal Juniors
Jérémy Gouchie December 23, 2008 To Drummondville Voltigeurs
Gabriel Coté To Acadie-Bathurst Titan
7th round pick, 2009 (Val-d'Or Foreurs) December 23, 2008To Rimouski Océanic
Logan MacMillanto Halifax Mooseheads
Guillaume Pelletier4th round pick, 20092nd round pick, 20102nd round pick, 20113rd round pick, 2011 December 22, 2008 To Saint John Sea Dogs
Benjamin Lecomte To Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
6th round pick, 2009 (Rimouski Océanic) December 22, 2008 To Lewiston Maineiacs
Nick Huard To Victoriaville Tigres
Pierre-Luc Pelletier December 22, 2008To PEI Rocket
Joel ChampagneChristopher Guay6th round pick, 2010To Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Mathieu Tousignant6th round pick, 2009 (Quebec Remparts) December 22, 2008 To Drummondville Voltigeurs
Marc-Antoine Dupuis To Acadie-Bathurst
8th round pick, 2009 (Acadie-Bathurst Titan) December 20, 2008 To Val-d'Or Foreurs
Raphael Neiderer To PEI Rocket
William Beaudoin December 20, 2008 To Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Danick Malouin To PEI Rocket
3rd round pick, 2009 November 25, 2008 To Gatineau Olympiques
Kyle Paige To Saint John Sea Dogs
9th round pick, 2010 October 15, 2008 To Drummondville Voltigeurs