QMJHL Hands out Its First Trophies
Published on March 25, 2024 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) News Release
Boucherville, QC - With the 2023-2024 regular season coming to a close last Saturday, the QMJHL today presented its first end-of-season individual and team honours.
Jean-Rougeau Trophy (regular-season champion)
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
For the third time in team history, the Drakkar wins the Jean-Rougeau Trophy, which they previously captured in 2003 and 2014.
With 109 points, the Drakkar broke its team record of 108, set in 2002-2003. That season, Baie-Comeau recorded 50 wins, a team mark they improved to 53 this season.
In the overall standings, the Drakkar finished seven points ahead of the Drummondville Voltigeurs and nine ahead of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
Luc-Robitaille Trophy (team with the best offensive average)
Drummondville Voltigeurs
No team in the QMJHL scored more goals than the Voltigeurs this season - 306. Excluding shootout goals, they averaged 4.45 goals per game, enough to win the Luc-Robitaille Trophy ahead of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (4.31).
Ethan Gauthier led the Voltigeurs with 36 goals, one more than Sam Oliver, four more than Justin Côté and six more than Peter Repcik. Noah Reinhart (26), Luke Woodworth (21) and Kassim Gaudet (20) also scored more than 20 times.
The Voltigeurs won the Western Conference championship and will face the Saint John Sea Dogs in the first round of the playoffs.
Robert-Lebel Trophy (team with the best defensive average)
Baie-Comeau Drakkar
The Drakkar finished with the best defense, with an average of 2.37 goals allowed per game, excluding shootout goals.
The Drakkar won the Robert-Lebel Trophy ahead of the Halifax Mooseheads and the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, who both conceded an average of 2.66 goals per game.
The Drakkar used four goaltenders this season: Olivier Ciarlo, traded to the Armada, Philippe Bourdages, traded to the Huskies, rookie Lukas Beckman and veteran Charles-Édward Gravel.
The latter filled the number one role after his acquisition from Blainville-Boisbriand, and played 26 games while posting a 2.34 GAA and a .906 efficiency rating.
Jean-Béliveau Trophy (scoring champion)
Antonin Verreault, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
In his fourth QMJHL season, Antonin Verreault wins his first scoring championship with a total of 107 points, including 36 goals.
Verreault finishes nine points ahead of Justin Gill (40-58) of the Drakkar.
Verreault, the second overall pick in the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft, spent his first three seasons with the Gatineau Olympiques, totaling 104 points (30-74) in 125 games.
He was finally able to stay healthy this season, and his performance is a testament to his great talent.
Mario-Lemieux Trophy (goal scoring champion)
Justin Poirier, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Justin Poirier finished the season with 51 goals, 6 more than Markus Vidicek of the Halifax Mooseheads. He becomes the first-ever recipient of the Mario-Lemieux Trophy.
Poirier became the first 17-year-old to score 50 goals in the QMJHL since Sidney Crosby in 2004-2005.
In his second season, Poirier was consistent, also recording two hat-tricks and 11 two-goal games.
Poirier will be eligible for the next NHL Entry Draft.
Jacques-Plante Trophy (goaltender with the best goals-against-average)
William Rousseau, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies
There was quite a battle for the best goals-against-average between Mathis Rousseau of the Halifax Mooseheads and William Rousseau of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.
It finally came down to the final weekend of the regular season, with William winning the Jacques-Plante Trophy with a GAA of 2.24 compared to Mathis' 2.27.
William, who is in his first season in Rouyn-Noranda after three seasons in Quebec, was also among the QMJHL leaders in all major goaltending statistics, making him a prime candidate for the league's first-ever Patrick-Roy Trophy, awarded to the league's top goaltender (announcement to come in April).
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2024
- 2023-2024 Moncton Wildcats Awards Winners Announced - Moncton Wildcats
- Playoff Tickets on Sale Tomorrow - Saint John Sea Dogs
- QMJHL Hands out Its First Trophies - QMJHL
- QMJHL Team of the Week Named - QMJHL
- Brody Fournier Named Vidéotron Player of the Week - QMJHL
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