What Hockey Team Is in Quebec? (NHL, AHL, ECHL, Juniors)


The first-ever indoor game of ice hockey was played on March 3, 1875, in Montreal, Quebec.

Fast-forward to 1909 and the first professional hockey team was formed in Quebec. In 1917, that team was officially launched as one of seven NHL teams that kicked off the beginning of the now 100-year-plus league.

Now, it’s hard to talk about the Canadian province of Quebec without mentioning hockey. It’s one of the most dominant hockey regions in the world. They have multiple professional teams, including one NHL team.

So, just what are those teams?

Well, in this article, I’ll show you what NHL teams are in Quebec, what other top hockey teams are in the Canadian province, and where you can watch them. Plus… you’ll find out if Quebec City has an NHL team or not.

Pssssst! Are you curious about hockey teams in other Canadian provinces? You can learn more by checking out our other posts: What Hockey Team Is in Ontario and What Hockey Team Is in British Columbia.

Let’s dive in.

Here’s What Hockey Teams Are In Quebec:

The province of Quebec, Canada is home to one NHL team: The Montreal Canadiens ( Les Canadiens de Montréal). The province also has one AHL team: The Laval Rocket (an affiliate of the NHL’s Canadiens). They also have another professional team in the ECHL: The Trois-Rivières, Quebec. There are also 18 major junior teams in the QMJHL.

What’s the Current Quebec Hockey Team?

Many professional teams have come and gone in Quebec (including the Quebec Nordiques). However, the current Quebec hockey team is the Montreal Canadiens.

The Habs are the only National Hockey League (NHL) team that plays in Quebec. First introduced in 1909, the Montreal Canadiens are the longest operating professional ice hockey team in the entire world. They’re also the only current NHL team that predates the original founding of the NHL.

The Canadiens are also an “Original Six” NHL team — the six teams that made up the entire NHL between 1942 to 1967. Other “Original Six” teams include the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, and Detroit Red Wings.

The Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more than any other team in NHL history – with a whopping 24 championships. They won their last Stanley Cup in 1993 led by Coach Jacques Demers and Goalie Patrick Roy.

What Hockey Teams Are in Quebec?

There is only one NHL team in Quebec. However, there are two other professional hockey teams in the Canadian province and hundreds of junior hockey teams.

NHL

Quebec has one NHL team: the Montreal Canadiens. They’re also known in French as “Les Canadiens de Montréal” and officially as “le Club de hockey Canadien”. The Habs compete within the Atlantic Division in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the Bell Centre in downtown Montreal.

AHL

Quebec also has one professional hockey team that plays within the American Hockey League (AHL). The Laval Rocket is the AHL team that plays out of Laval, Quebec at the Place Bell. The Rocket are the AHL minor-league affiliate for the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL.

ECHL

Quebec also has one other professional ice hockey team: the Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The team plays within the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Trois-Rivières are a mid-level professional hockey team that is the affiliated farm team for the AHL’s Laval Rocket Rocket and NHL’s Montreal Canadiens.

Junior

Quebec has hundreds of junior hockey teams, ranging from Junior B all the way to Major Junior. The most prolific junior league is the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and it features 18 teams across 4 eastern provinces.

What Teams Are in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)?

Quebec has one of the most elite junior hockey leagues in Canada and even the world. There are a variety of leagues in Quebec, with the most skilled league being the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL / LHJMQ). The QMJHL, otherwise known as “The Q” is a major junior hockey league that would be on a similar (though more competitive) level to Tier I junior hockey in the United States. 

Something interesting to note is that the QMJHL doesn’t just have teams located within the province of Quebec. There are six teams that are located outside the province: some in New Brunswick, some in Nova Scotia, and one in Prince Edward island.

Here are the 18 QMJHL / LHJMQ teams in Quebec (and nearby provinces):

  • Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
  • Drummondville Voltigeurs
  • Gatineau Olympiques
  • Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
  • Sherbrooke Phoenix
  • Val-d’Or Foreurs
  • Baie-Comeau Drakkar
  • Chicoutimi Saguenéens
  • Quebec Remparts
  • Rimouski Océanic
  • Shawinigan Cataractes
  • Victoriaville Tigres
  • Acadie–Bathurst Titan
  • Cape Breton Eagles
  • Charlottetown Islanders
  • Halifax Mooseheads
  • Moncton Wildcats
  • Saint John Sea Dogs

What Junior Hockey Leagues Are in Quebec?

Quebec is one of the most dominant hockey provinces in Canada. Because of this, there are hundreds of junior hockey teams in the province with thousands of players.

The list of junior hockey teams is too large, so I’ll share the different junior leagues instead. All junior hockey leagues are under the umbrella of Hockey Quebec (the major governing hockey body in Quebec) except for the QMJHL.

Major Junior

  • Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) is the highest level of junior hockey in Quebec. Also known as LHJMQ, the major junior hockey league has 18 different teams with six teams from out of province (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island).

Here are the remaining junior hockey leagues throughout Quebec:

Junior AAA

  • Quebec Junior Hockey League (Canadian Junior A)

Junior AA

  • Chaudiere-Appalaches Junior AA Hockey League
  • Capitale Junior AA Hockey League
  • Laurentides-Lanaudière Junior AA Hockey League
  • Lac St-Louis Junior AA Hockey League
  • Metropolitaine Junior AA Hockey League
  • Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean Junior AA Hockey League

Junior A

  • Boucherville Junior A Hockey League
  • Hockey Expert Junior A Hockey League
  • Laval Junior A Hockey League
  • Lac St-Louis Junior A Hockey League
  • Lac St-Jean Junior A Hockey League
  • Mauricie Junior A Hockey League
  • Montreal Junior A Hockey League
  • Orford-St-Francois Junior A Hockey League
  • Ligue de Hockey Junior A Rive-Sud
  • Rive-Nord Junior A Hockey League
  • Saguenay Junior A Hockey League
  • Yamaska-Missisquoi Junior A Hockey League

Junior B

  • Hockey Expert Junior B Hockey League
  • Laval Junior B Hockey League
  • Lac St-Louis Junior B Hockey League
  • Mauricie Junior B Hockey League
  • Montreal Junior B Hockey League
  • Orford-St-Francois Junior B Hockey League
  • Rive-Nord Junior B Hockey League
  • Rive-Sud Junior B Hockey League
  • Yamaska-Missisquoi Junior B Hockey League

Does Quebec City Have a Hockey Team?

No, Quebec City doesn’t have a hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). years ago, the city did have an NHL team. However, that team is long gone. 

The Quebec Nordiques were the NHL team in Quebec City that was active between 1979 and 1995. For nearly 20 years, the Quebec Nordiques competed in the NHL, and had an intense rivalry with their nearby neighbors—the Montreal Canadiens.

However, in 1995, the team disbanded (and became the Colorado Avalanche). Curious to know the full story and whether Quebec City will get another NHL team? Check out this article I wrote here!

Wondering about how prominent hockey is in different Canadian provinces and U.S. States? Don’t forget to check out our other popular blog posts: What Hockey Team Is in Ontario, What Hockey Team Is in Washington State, and  What Hockey Team Is in Chicago, Illinois.

Sources

https://www.nhl.com/canadiens

https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-expansion-history/c-281005106

https://theahl.com/team-map-directory

https://theqmjhl.ca/teamsid/

https://www.lions3r.com/en/

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