24 CHL Alumni Help UQTR Win the 2026 U SPORTS University Cup
Published on March 22, 2026 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) News Release
TORONTO, ON - On Sunday, 24 Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) alumni helped No. 3-seeded Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) capture its sixth national title, as the Patriotes edged the No. 8-seeded Saint Mary's University Huskies 3-2 in overtime to win the 2026 U SPORTS University Cup at Scotiabank Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. UQTR goaltender William Grimard (Rimouski Océanic & Cape Breton Eagles / QMJHL) made 45 saves, while Félix Lafrance (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Cape Breton Eagles, Chicoutimi Saguenéens & Acadie-Bathurst Titan / QMJHL) scored the game-winning goal 14:23 into overtime and was named player of the game.
Patriotes captain Conor Frenette (Victoriaville Tigres & Québec Remparts / QMJHL), a 2021 QMJHL champion, was named the 2026 University Cup MVP after leading the tournament with four goals and eight points (4G-4A) - tied for the third-highest single-tournament point total at the U Cup since 2005-06. As tournament MVP, Frenette was one of six CHL alumni named to the tournament all-star team, joining forwards Cody Morgan (Kingston Frontenacs, Windsor Spitfires, Flint Firebirds & London Knights / OHL) of the UNB Reds and Ben Allison (Cape Breton Eagles, Gatineau Olympiques & Acadie-Bathurst Titan / QMJHL) of the Saint Mary's Huskies; defencemen Loris Rafanomezantsoa (Chicoutimi Saguenéens & Shawinigan Cataractes / QMJHL) of the UQTR Patriotes and Ethan Ritchie (Kingston Frontenacs & Sarnia Sting / OHL) of the Saint Mary's Huskies; and Patriotes netminder Grimard, who led the tournament with a .941 save percentage and a 1.85 goals-against average.
Earlier in the day, ahead of the championship game, No.2-seeded UNB - backed by 22 CHL alumni - earned the fourth bronze medal in program history with a 5-1 win over the No.4-seeded University of Windsor Lancers. Stuart Rolofs (London Knights & Oshawa Generals / OHL) and Braeden MacPhee (Halifax Mooseheads / QMJHL) each scored twice, while Jax Dubois (Peterborough Petes & Kingston Frontenacs / OHL) added the other goal, as the Reds reached the podium at the U SPORTS University Cup for the 13th time in the last 20 years.
Among the 75 players rostered by the three medal-winning universities on Sunday, 69 were CHL graduates, including 23 on Saint Mary's roster, as the Huskies captured the sixth silver medal in program history at the U SPORTS University Cup.
Of the 215 players on the eight teams competing at the 2026 U SPORTS Men's Hockey Championship, 165 were CHL alumni, representing more than 75% of all participants. That group included 75 QMJHL graduates, 48 from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and 47 from the Western Hockey League (WHL), while five alumni had played in more than one Member League.
Together, the WHL, OHL, and QMJHL remain deeply committed to the academic advancement of their athletes, collectively investing approximately $10 million annually in the education of current and former CHL players - including the 165 alumni who competed for a national championship at the 2026 U SPORTS University Cup. The CHL also remains the leading supplier of talent to U SPORTS. Just last season, in 2024-25 alone, 975 CHL graduates were enrolled in post-secondary institutions across North America, including many who continued their playing careers in U SPORTS programs across Canada.
Complete list of 69 CHL alumni who won a medal at the 2026 U SPORTS University Cup in Halifax
GOLD - Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes (24)
Félix Lafrance (Blainville-Boisbriand, Cape Breton, Chicoutimi, Acadie-Bathurst/QMJHL), Conor Frenette (Victoriaville, Québec/QMJHL), Pier-Olivier Roy (Gatineau, Québec/QMJHL), Charles Beaudoin (Shawinigan, Moncton/QMJHL), Anthony Turcotte (Rouyn-Noranda/QMJHL), William Dumoulin (Rimouski/QMJHL), Thomas Auger (Moncton, Québec/QMJHL), Loris Rafanomezantsoa (Chicoutimi, Shawinigan/QMJHL), Anthony Munroe-Boucher (Sherbrooke/QMJHL), Ludovic Soucy (Rimouski/QMJHL), Mathis Cloutier (Val-d'Or, Moncton, Shawinigan, Blainville-Boisbriand/QMJHL), Kaylen Gauthier (Drummondville, Sherbrooke/QMJHL), Christophe Rondeau (Sherbrooke/QMJHL), Zachary Gravel (Gatineau, Victoriaville, Québec, Cape Breton, Chicoutimi/QMJHL), Olivier Boutin (Gatineau, Moncton/QMJHL), Edouard Cournoyer (Québec, Rouyn-Noranda/QMJHL), Mathis Perron (Rouyn-Noranda/QMJHL), Charles-Antoine Pilote (Moncton, Gatineau, Val-d'Or/QMJHL), Kassim Gaudet (Québec, Drummondville, Chicoutimi/QMJHL), Zachaël Turgeon (Victoriaville, Val-d'Or/QMJHL), Charles-Antoine Lavallée (Moncton, Shawinigan, Chicoutimi/QMJHL), William Grimard (Rimouski, Cape Breton/QMJHL), Vincent Filion (Moncton, Rimouski/QMJHL), Antoine Lagacé (Val-d'Or/QMJHL)
SILVER - Saint Mary's University Huskies (23)
Ben Allison (Cape Breton, Gatineau, Acadie-Bathurst/QMJHL), Reid Valade (Kitchener/OHL), Charlie Da Fonseca (Drummondville/QMJHL), Ethan Ritchie (Kingston, Sarnia/OHL), Will Chisolm (Gatineau/QMJHL), Jacob Holmes (Soo, Sudbury,Windsor, Kingston/OHL), Ben Boyd (Charlettetown/QMJHL), Connor Olson (Moncton/QMJHL), Matthew MacDonald (Shawinigan, Cape Breton, Baie-Comeau, Blainsville-Boisbriand/QMJHL), Liam Arnsby (North Bay/OHL), Derek Gentile (Québec, Charlottetown, Cape Breton/QMJHL), Davis Cooper (Cape Breton, Québec/QMJHL), Liam Van Loon (Hamilton, Niagara/OHL), Dylan Andrews (Acadie-Bathurst/QMJHL), Landon Cato (Niagara/OHL), Connor Trenholm (Cape Breton, Saint John, Moncton/QMJHL), Jake Uberti (Niagara, Mississauga/OHL, Acadie-Bathurst/QMJHL), Nolan Dillingham (Sarnia/OHL), Chris Grisolia (Barrie, Kitchener/OHL), Dixon Grimes (Guelph/OHL, Charlottetown/QMJHL), Ben West (Barrie/OHL), Marcus Vandenberg (Kitchener, Niagara, Sudbury/OHL), Gage Alexander (Winnipeg, Swift Current/WHL)
BRONZE - University of New Brunswick Reds (22)
Cody Morgan (Kingston, Windsor, Flint, London/OHL), Cole Huckins (Acadie-Bathurst, Sherbrooke, Charlottetown/QMJHL), Mike Petizian (Kitchener/OHL), Luca D'Amato (Flint, Oshawa/OHL), Justin Nolet (Sarnia, Kitchener/OHL), Braeden MacPhee (Halifax/QMJHL), Peter Reynolds (Saint John, Halifax/QMJHL), Stuart Rolofs (London, Oshawa/OHL), Jax Dubois (Peterborough, Kingston/OHL), Camaryn Baber (Saginaw, London/OHL), Thomas Larouche (Val-d'Or/QMJHL), Gage Heyes (Kingston/OHL), Luke Torrance (Oshawa/OHL), Nicolas Savoie (Québec/QMJHL), Colton Kammerer (Sarnia, Hamilton/OHL), Roberto Mancini (Saginaw, Windsor, Flint/OHL), Leighton Carruthers (Saint John, Rouyn-Noranda//QMJHL), Marc-Olivier Beaudry (Drummondville/QMJHL), Nicholas Blagden (Blainville-Boisbriand, Moncton, Saint John/QMJHL), Remi Delafontaine (Cape Breton, Shawinigan, Chicoutimi, Blainville-Boisbriand/QMJHL), Liam Sztuska (Peterborough/OHL, Shawinigan/QMJHL), Adam Rouleau (Val-d'Or/QMJHL)
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2026
- 24 CHL Alumni Help UQTR Win the 2026 U SPORTS University Cup - QMJHL
- The Round 1 Matchup: Halifax vs Chicoutimi - Halifax Mooseheads
- A Final Regular Season Farewell: Celebrating Three Overagers - Charlottetown Islanders
- Round 1 Playoff Schedule Set vs Chicoutimi - Halifax Mooseheads
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