2008–09 QMJHL season

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

Division Standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses ; SL - Shootout losses ; GF = Goals for ; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points

Overall Standing
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses ; SL - Shootout losses ; GF = Goals for ; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points
 * determines standings for the second round of the playoffs.

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

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

2008 QMJHL Entry Draft

 * First round


 * 1) 	Moncton Wildcats 	 Brandon Gormley (D)
 * 2) 	Drummondville Voltigeurs 	 Sean Couturier (C)
 * 3) 	Victoriaville Tigres 	 Brandon Hynes (RW)
 * 4) 	Val-d'Or Foreurs 	 Cedrick Henley (LW)
 * 5) 	Prince Edward Island Rocket 	 Ben Duffy (F)
 * 6) 	Lewiston MAINEiacs 	 Garrett Clarke (D)
 * 7) 	Shawinigan Cataractes 	 Michaël Bournival (C/LW)
 * 8) 	Montréal Juniors 	 Guillaume Asselin (RW)
 * 9) 	Lewiston MAINEiacs 	 Michael Chaput (C)
 * 10) 	Québec Remparts 	 Samuel Carrier (D)
 * 11) 	Acadie-Bathurst Titan 	 Vincent Arseneau (LW)
 * 12) 	Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 	 Logan Shaw (RW)
 * 13) 	Moncton Wildcats 	 Louis Domingue (G)
 * 14) 	Lewiston MAINEiacs 	 Étienne Brodeur (LW)
 * 15) 	Val-d'Or Foreurs 	 Alex Noël (RW)
 * 16) 	Gatineau Olympiques 	 Yoan Pinette (RW)
 * 17) 	Acadie-Bathurst Titan 	 Stefan Fournier (RW)
 * 18) 	Drummondville Voltigeurs 	 Jérôme Gauthier-Leduc (D)

2008 NHL Entry Draft
In total, 27 QMJHL players were selected at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Off-season
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 * September 9, 2008
 * To Gatineau Olympiques

Alex Lamontagne
 * To Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

5th round pick, 2009
 * September 4, 2008
 * To Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * To Drummondville Voltigeurs

Olivier Hotte
 * To Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

8th round pick, 2009
 * September 4, 2008
 * To Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
 * To Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

Jérome Gauthier-Leduc 2nd round pick, 2009
 * To Drummondville Voltigeurs

Yannick Riendeau 7th round pick, 2009
 * September 4, 2008
 * To Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
 * To Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

Kevin Maletto
 * To Shawinigan Cataractes

Michael Denoncourt 6th round pick, 2009
 * September 4, 2008
 * To Gatineau Olympiques
 * To Gatineau Olympiques

Marc-Antoine Gélinas
 * To PEI Rocket

8th round pick, 2009 (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)

2008-09-04 P.E.I. Gatineau Gélinas, Marc-Antoine (1989-02-13) Gatineau P.E.I. Rd_8, 2009 (Cape Breton)

2008-09-04 Rouyn-Noranda Val-d'Or Bouchard, Yan (1991-09-27) Val-d'Or Rouyn-Noranda Rd_10, 2010

2008-09-04 Shawinigan Montréal Fortier, Samuel (1991-03-09) Montréal Shawinigan Roski, Michael (1991-05-22)

2008-09-04 Lewiston Chicoutimi Therrien, Nicolas (1990-02-23) Chicoutimi Lewiston Rd_5, 2009 (Val d\'Or)

2008-09-04 Moncton Montréal Brenton, Matthew (1989-02-25) Montréal Moncton Rd_7, 2009

2008-09-04 Shawinigan Saint John Theriault, Dillen (1990-04-19) Saint John Shawinigan Rd_9, 2009

2008-09-03 Montréal Baie-Comeau Tremblay, Olivier (1991-05-07) Baie-Comeau Montréal Rd_5, 2010

2008-09-02 Québec P.E.I. Lacroix, Louis-Philippe (1990-07-13) P.E.I. Québec Rd_3, 2009

2008-09-02 Drummondville Gatineau Porowski, Mitchell (1991-12-21) Gatineau Drummondville Rd_6, 2009

2008-09-02 Drummondville Acadie-Bathurst Vouligny, Charles (1990-04-15) Acadie-Bathurst Drummondville Rd_8, 2009

2008-08-29 Rimouski Lewiston Gratchev, Maxime (1988-09-26) Rd_6, 2010 Lewiston Rimouski Rd_4, 2009 Rd_2, 2010

2008-08-28 Val-d'Or Chicoutimi Boulianne, Francis (1989-02-11) Rd_8, 2009 Chicoutimi Val-d'Or Turgeon, Jean-Daniel (1990-11-01)

2008-08-28 Saint John Halifax McDonald, Scott (1990-05-21) Halifax Saint John Rd_8, 2010

2008-08-26 Halifax Chicoutimi Bouchard, David (1988-04-11) Chicoutimi Halifax Rd_5, 2010

2008-08-22 Saint John Lewiston Gallant, Brett (1988-12-28) Lewiston Saint John Rd_6, 2009

2008-06-26 Chicoutimi Shawinigan Rd_2, #65, Euro 2008 Shawinigan Chicoutimi Rd_10, 2009

2008-06-26 Rouyn-Noranda Chicoutimi Rd_1, #53, Euro 2008 Chicoutimi Rouyn-Noranda Rd_12, 2010

2008-06-26 Acadie-Bathurst Baie-Comeau Rd_5, 2009 Baie-Comeau Acadie-Bathurst Rd_6, 2010 Rd_1, #50, Euro 2008

2008-06-26 Rimouski Val-d'Or Rd_2, #77, euro 2008

2008-06-26 Rouyn-Noranda Val-d'Or Rd_5, 2009 Val-d'Or Rouyn-Noranda Rd_1, #47, Euro 2008

2008-06-26 Moncton Chicoutimi Rd_2, #65, Euro 2008 Chicoutimi Moncton Rd_8, 2009

2008-06-23 Halifax Moncton Rd_1, #44, Euro 2008 Moncton Halifax Rd_6, 2009

2008-06-23 Rimouski Saint John Rd_6, 2009 Saint John Rimouski Rd_1, #41, Euro 2008

2008-06-23 Québec Rouyn-Noranda Bohac, Dominik (1990-02-18) Rouyn-Noranda Québec Rd_8, 2009

2008-06-07 Victoriaville Acadie-Bathurst Dorsey, Paul (1990-06-21) Rd_10, 2009 Acadie-Bathurst Victoriaville Rd_4, 2009

2008-06-07 Moncton Chicoutimi Rd_8, #144, 2008 Chicoutimi Moncton Rd_7, 2009

2008-06-07 Saint John Cape Breton Rd_7, #122, 2008 Cape Breton Saint John Rd_6, 2009

2008-06-07 Shawinigan Halifax Rd_6, #101, 2008 Halifax Shawinigan Rd_5, 2009 Rd_7, #123, 2008

2008-06-07 Lewiston Shawinigan Rd_6, #100, 2008 Shawinigan Lewiston Rd_4, 2009

2008-06-07 Val-d'Or Victoriaville Dorsey, Paul (1990-06-21) Victoriaville Val-d'Or Rd_5, 2009

2008-06-07 Chicoutimi Saint John Rd_5, #79, 2008 Saint John Chicoutimi Rd_7, #119, 2008 Rd_4, 2009

2008-06-07 Moncton Victoriaville Rd_5, #78, 2008 Victoriaville Moncton Rd_5, #87, 2008 Rd_6, #93, 2008

2008-06-07 Shawinigan Gatineau Rd_3, #53, 2008 Gatineau Shawinigan Rd_2, 2009

2008-06-07 Acadie-Bathurst Drummondville Rd_3, #37, 2008 Drummondville Acadie-Bathurst Rd_3, #47, 2008 Rd_3, 2009

2008-06-07 Rouyn-Noranda Moncton Rd_1, #13, 2008 Moncton Rouyn-Noranda Rd_2, #21, 2008 Rd_2, #35, 2008

2008-06-07 Shawinigan Acadie-Bathurst Rd_1, #11, 2008 Acadie-Bathurst Shawinigan Rd_2, #26, 2008 Rd_3, #53, 2008 Rd_1, 2009

2008-06-07 Québec Lewiston Rd_1, #6, 2008 Lewiston Québec Rd_1, #10, 2008 Rd_3, #54, 2008 Rd_5, 2009

2008-06-07 Cape Breton Baie-Comeau Benda, Marek (1989-05-21) Baie-Comeau Cape Breton Rd_8, #143, 2008 Rd_5, 2009

2008-06-07 Gatineau Montréal Rubin, Benjamin (1989-01-25) Montréal Gatineau Rd_8, #134, 2008

2008-06-07 Shawinigan Halifax Bahm, Linden (1989-11-18) Halifax Shawinigan Rd_6, 2009

2008-06-07 Moncton Victoriaville Pianosi, Alexi (1989-02-22) Victoriaville Moncton Rd_2, 2010 Rd_5, 2010

2008-06-07 Drummondville Baie-Comeau Trudel, Michael (1990-05-21) Rd_9, #145, 2008 Baie-Comeau Drummondville Rd_5, #84, 2008

2008-06-07 Baie-Comeau Rouyn-Noranda Leclair, Mathieu (1990-06-14) Rouyn-Noranda Baie-Comeau Rd_4, #72, 2008

2008-06-07 Chicoutimi P.E.I. Nadeau, Bobby (1988-03-23) Provencher, Maxime (1988-12-31) P.E.I. Chicoutimi Rd_3, #51, 2008 Rd_5, #77, 2008 Rd_2, 2009

2008-06-07 Cape Breton Montréal Sherren, Neil (1990-02-27) Montréal Cape Breton Rd_3, #49, 2008

2008-06-07 Montréal Shawinigan Pielmeier, Timo (1989-07-07) Shawinigan Montréal Baca, Martin (1989-02-02) Johnson, Will (1990-08-20) Rd_1, euro 2008 Rd_12, #36, 2008 Montréal Shawinigan Rd_5, #83, 2008 Rd_2, euro 2008

2008-06-07 Gatineau Cape Breton Stinziani, Michael (1989-05-11) Cape Breton Gatineau Rd_2, #30, 2008 Rd_3, #48, 2008 Rd_8, 2009 Gatineau Cape Breton Rd_5, #85, 2008

2008-06-07 Québec Montréal Esposito, Angelo (1989-02-20) Bourgeois, Vincent (1990-02-14) Montréal Québec Allard, Jean-Simon (1989-05-24) Rd_1, #13, 2008 Rd_3, #45, 2008 Rd_5, #81, 2008 Rd_1, 2009

2008-06-07 Québec Rouyn-Noranda Lecomte, Benjamin (1990-05-31) Rouyn-Noranda Québec Rd_1, #6, 2008 Québec Rouyn-Noranda Rd_1, #13, 2008 Rd_2, #28, 2008

2008-06-07 Rimouski Rouyn-Noranda Gervais, Benoit (1988-05-05) Rouyn-Noranda Rimouski Piché, Sébastien (1988-02-04) Gougeon, Maxim (1988-05-03) Rimouski Rouyn-Noranda Rd_1, #6, 2008 Rd_3, #42, 2008 Rd_6, #92, 2008 Rd_3, 2009 Rouyn-Noranda Rimouski Rd_4, #62, 2008 Rd_6, #108, 2008

2008-06-06 Val-d'Or Victoriaville Hinse, Olivier (1991-03-02) Tremblay-Gratton, William (1990-02-10) Victoriaville Val-d'Or Monahan, Alexandre (1988-03-14) Rd_1, 2009 (RIM)

2008-06-06 Rouyn-Noranda Shawinigan Dubuc, Michael (1988-06-29) Shawinigan Rouyn-Noranda Rd_1, 2009 (ROU)

2008-06-06 Moncton Québec Lavigne, Charles (1988-07-18) Québec Moncton Rd_4, 2009

2008-06-06 Québec Montréal Rd_5, #81, 2008 Montréal Québec Rd_4, 2009

2008-06-06 Québec Victoriaville Boivin, Loïc (1990-06-10) Rd_5, #87, 2008 Victoriaville Québec Rd_5, #81, 2008 Rd_6, 2009 (SNB)

2008-06-06 P.E.I. Val-d'Or Rd_7, 2009 Val-d'Or P.E.I. Rd_6, #95, 2008

2008-06-06 Lewiston Québec Marshall, Kevin (1989-03-10) Rd_2, #28, 2008 Rd_3, 2009 Québec Lewiston Rd_1, #9, 2008 Rd_1, #14, 2008 (SNB) Rd_2, #34, 2008 Rd_6, #99, 2008

2008-06-06 Halifax Val-d'Or Rd_1, #15, 2008 Val-d'Or Halifax Rd_2, #24, 2008 (RIM) Rd_1, 2011

2008-06-06 Halifax Québec Monast, Guillaume (1988-05-12) Québec Halifax Rd_2, 2009

2008-06-06 Gatineau Shawinigan Pistilli, Matthew (1988-10-17) Shawinigan Gatineau Rd_1, #16, 2008

2008-06-06 Gatineau Val-d'Or Rd_4, #55, 2008 Rd_1, Euro 2008 Val-d'Or Gatineau Rd_5, #85, 2008 Rd_1, Euro 2008

2008-06-06 Drummondville Gatineau Rd_4, #65, 2008

2008-06-06 Halifax Drummondville Corsi, Peter-James (1988-08-03) Drummondville Halifax Rd_3, #40, 2008 Rd_4, #69, 2008 Rd_7, #109, 2008 Rd_4, 2009 (HAL)

2008-06-06 Baie-Comeau Québec Breault, Benjamin (1988-02-21) Rd_3, 2009 (SNB) Québec Baie-Comeau Petit, Félix (1988-08-27) Rd_2, #33, 2008

2008-06-06 Baie-Comeau Val-d'Or Morneau, Samuel (1990-02-10) Rd_9, 2009 Val-d'Or Baie-Comeau Céré, Jesse (1990-03-07) Samson, Tommy (1990-03-03) Rd_2, 2009

2008-06-06 Baie-Comeau Gatineau Rd_1, Euro 2009 Gatineau Baie-Comeau Rd_5, #88, 2008

2008-06-06 Acadie-Bathurst Drummondville Tardif, Antoine (1990-04-12) Massé, Dany (1988-05-12) Rd_1, Euro 2008 Rd_9, 2009 Rd_6, 2010 Drummondville Acadie-Bathurst Lessard, Jonathan (1991-02-22) Vlasanek, Radek (1989-08-14) Rd_1, #17, 2008 (BAC) Rd_2, #19, 2008 Rd_2, 2009 (BAT) Rd_5, 2009 Rd_2, Euro 2008

2008-06-06 Acadie-Bathurst Val-d'Or McNeil, Kyle (1988-07-26) Rd_7, #121, 2008 Rd_11, #193, 2008 Val-d'Or Acadie-Bathurst Senecal, Joel (1990-02-16) Rd_6, #106, 2008 (GAT) -->

Canada Russia Challenge
The ADT Canada Russia Challenge is a six-game series featuring four teams: three from the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) versus Russia's National Junior hockey team. Within the Canadian Hockey League umbrella, one team from each of its three leagues — the Ontario Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, and Western Hockey League — compete in two games against the Russian junior team.

The ADT Canada Russia Challenge has become a highlight on the CHL schedule and we are very proud to be associated with it. These two nations have such a storied hockey history that fans from across the country tune in expecting to see a hard fought series. We expect nothing short of world class hockey this November that hockey fans from across the country won't want to miss.

The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge was held in six cities across Canada, with two cities for each league within the Canadian Hockey League. The series began on November 17, 2008, and concluded on November 27, 2008. All six games were televised nationally on Rogers Sportsnet, along with RDS televising both games from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

In the first game of the two part series between Team QMJHL and the Russian Selects, Team QMJHL scored five goals en route to a 5–3 win in front of 4,378 fans at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Kmitri Kugryshev of the Russian Selects and goaltender Olivier Roy of Team QMJHL were named the ADT Players of the Game for their respective teams. The Russian Selects evened the ADT Canada Russia Challenge, winning the second game after having registered four goals in a 4–3 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 6,451 assembled at Harbour Station in Saint John, New Brunswick.
 * Results

Memorial Cup
The 91st MasterCard Memorial Cup was held in Rimouski, Quebec.

All-star teams

 * First team
 * Goaltender - Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
 * Defence - Dmitri Kulikov, Drummondville Voltigeurs & Marc-André Bourdon, Rimouski Océanic
 * Left winger - Mike Hoffman, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Centreman - Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll, Shawinigan Cataractes
 * Right winger - Yannick Riendeau, Drummondville Voltigeurs


 * Second team
 * Goaltender - Charles Lavigne, Quebec Remparts
 * Defence - Charles-Olivier Roussel, Shawinigan Cataractes & Sébastien Piché, Rimouski Océanic
 * Left winger - Paul Byron, Gatineau Olympiques
 * Centreman - Dany Massé, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Right winger - Nicholas Petersen, Shawinigan Cataractes


 * Rookie team
 * Goaltender - Christopher Holden, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
 * Defence - Dmitri Kulikov, Drummondville Voltigeurs & Brandon Gormley, Moncton Wildcats
 * Left winger - Sergey Ostapchuk, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
 * Centreman - Ben Duffy, P.E.I. Rocket
 * Right winger - Dmitri Kugryshev, Quebec Remparts

Trophies and awards

 * Team
 * President's Cup - Playoff Champions: Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular Season Champions: Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Luc Robitaille Trophy - Team that scored the most goals: Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Robert Lebel Trophy - Team with best GAA: Moncton Wildcats


 * Player
 * Michel Brière Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player: Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
 * Jean Béliveau Trophy - Top Scorer: Yannick Riendeau, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Guy Lafleur Trophy - Playoff MVP : Yannick Riendeau, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy - Best GAA: Nicola Riopel, Moncton Wildcats
 * Guy Carbonneau Trophy - Best Defensive Forward: Jean-Philip Chabot, Gatineau Olympiques
 * Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year: Dmitri Kulikov, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Kevin Lowe Trophy - Best Defensive Defenceman: Maxime Ouimet, Rimouski Oceanic
 * Mike Bossy Trophy - Best Pro Prospect: Dmitri Kulikov, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * RDS Cup - Rookie of the Year: Dmitri Kulikov, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Michel Bergeron Trophy - Offensive Rookie of the Year: Dmitri Kugryshev, Quebec Remparts
 * Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year: Dmitri Kulikov, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player: Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll, Shawinigan Cataractes
 * QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year - Humanitarian of the Year: Matthew Pistilli, Shawinigan Cataractes
 * Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player: Payton Liske, Saint John Sea Dogs
 * Paul Dumont Trophy - Personality of the Year: Guy Boucher, Drummondville Voltigeurs


 * Executive
 * Ron Lapointe Trophy - Coach of the Year: Danny Flynn, Moncton Wildcats
 * Maurice Filion Trophy - General Manager of the Year: Dominic Ricard, Drummondville Voltigeurs
 * John Horman Trophy - Executive of the Year: Louis Painchaud, Quebec Remparts
 * Jean Sawyer Trophy - Marketing Director of the Year: Sylvie Fortier, Drummondville Voltigeurs