2003–04 QMJHL season

The 2003–04 QMJHL season was the 35th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league continues to expand new eastern markets, with teams relocating to Maine and Prince Edward Island. Conferences are abandoned and teams divided into three divisions by geography. Sixteen teams played 70 games each in the schedule.

The Lewiston MAINEiacs became the league's second American-based team in history after the Plattsburgh Pioneers, and first to survive a full season. The P.E.I. Rocket also became the first major junior hockey team based on Prince Edward Island.

Rookie Sidney Crosby leads the league in scoring as a 16-year old, and wins the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy as the MVP of the regular season.

The Gatineau Olympiques finished first overall in the regular season winning their fourth Jean Rougeau Trophy, and also won their sixth President's Cup, defeating the Moncton Wildcats in the finals.

Team changes

* The Hull Olympiques were renamed the Gatineau Olympiques.
* The Montreal Rocket relocated to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, becoming the P.E.I. Rocket.
* The Sherbrooke Castors relocated to Lewiston, Maine, becoming the Lewiston MAINEiacs.

Final standings

"Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OL = Overtime loss; PTS = Points; GF = Goals For; GA = Goals Against"

:"y-received first-round bye":"x-made playoffs"
* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/qmjhl1970.html complete list of standings] .

coring leaders

"Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes"

* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/leaders/qmjhl19702004.html complete scoring statistics]

Canada-Russia Challenge

The 2003–04 season was the first time the Canada-Russia challenge was played. The event, then known as the RE/MAX Canada-Russia Challenge was hosted by the Halifax Mooseheads and the Rimouski Océanic. On November 20, 2003, the Russian Selects defeated the QMJHL All-stars 3–2 at the Halifax Metro Centre. On November 24, 2003, the QMJHL All-stars defeated the Russian Selects 6–2 at Colisée de Rimouski.

Playoffs

Each regular season division winner received a first round bye, and ranked 1st, 2nd, and 3rd overall. Remaining teams were ranked 4th to 13th, regardless of division.

Maxime Talbot was the leading scorer of the playoffs with 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists).

4RoundBracket-Byes
RD1= First round
RD2= Quarterfinals
RD3= Semifinals
RD4= Finals

RD1-seed03= 8
RD1-team03= Rouyn-Noranda
RD1-score03= 4
RD1-seed04= 9
RD1-team04= Lewiston
RD1-score04= 3

RD1-seed07= 7
RD1-team07= Chicoutimi
RD1-score07= 4
RD1-seed08= 10
RD1-team08= Val-d'Or
RD1-score08= 3

RD1-seed11= 6
RD1-team11= Shawinigan
RD1-score11= 4
RD1-seed12= 11
RD1-team12= Drummondville
RD1-score12= 3

RD1-seed13= 5
RD1-team13= P. E. I.
RD1-score13= 4
RD1-seed14= 12
RD1-team14= Québec
RD1-score14= 0

RD1-seed15= 4
RD1-team15= Moncton
RD1-score15= 4
RD1-seed16= 13
RD1-team16= Baie-Comeau
RD1-score16= 0

RD2-seed01= 1
RD2-team01= Gatineau
RD2-score01= 4
RD2-seed02= 8
RD2-team02= Rouyn-Noranda
RD2-score02= 0

RD2-seed03= 2
RD2-team03= Cape Breton
RD2-score03= 1
RD2-seed04= 7
RD2-team04= Chicoutimi
RD2-score04= 4

RD2-seed05= 3
RD2-team05= Rimouski
RD2-score05= 4
RD2-seed06= 6
RD2-team06= Shawinigan
RD2-score06= 0

RD2-seed07= 4
RD2-team07= Moncton
RD2-score07= 4
RD2-seed08= 5
RD2-team08= P. E. I.
RD2-score08= 2

RD3-seed01= 1
RD3-team01= Gatineau
RD3-score01= 4
RD3-seed02= 7
RD3-team02= Chicoutimi
RD3-score02= 2

RD3-seed03= 3
RD3-team03= Rimouski
RD3-score03= 1
RD3-seed04= 4
RD3-team04= Moncton
RD3-score04= 4

RD4-seed01= 1
RD4-team01= Gatineau
RD4-score01= 4
RD4-seed02= 4
RD4-team02= Moncton
RD4-score02= 1

All-star teams

;First team
* Goalkeeper - Martin Houle, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
* Left Defence - Doug O'Brien, Gatineau Olympiques
* Right Defence - Jonathan Paiement, Lewiston MAINEiacs
* Left Winger - Danny Roussin, Rimouski Océanic
* Centreman - Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Right Winger - Jean-Michel Daoust, Gatineau Olympiques
* Coach - Benoit Groulx, Gatineau Olympiques

;Second team
* Goalkeeper - Corey Crawford, Moncton Wildcats
* Left Defence - Mathieu Dumas, Val-d'Or Foreurs
* Right Defence - Mario Scalzo, Victoriaville Tigres
* Left Winger - Alexandre Picard, Lewiston MAINEiacs
* Centreman - Maxime Talbot, Gatineau Olympiques
* Right Winger - Steve Bernier, Moncton Wildcats
* Coach - Alain Vigneault, P.E.I. Rocket

;Rookie team
* Goalkeeper - Julien Ellis, Shawinigan Cataractes
* Left Defence - Nathan Welton, Quebec Remparts
* Right Defence - Mathieu Carle, Acadie-Bathurst
* Left Winger - Guillaume Latendresse, Drummondville
* Centreman - Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
* Right Winger - Martin Karsums, Moncton Wildcats
* Coach - "no eligible candidate"
* [http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php?page=45634654 List of First/Second/Rookie team all-stars] .

Trophies and awards

;Team
*President's Cup - Playoff Champions, Gatineau Olympiques
*Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular Season Champions, Gatineau Olympiques
*Luc Robitaille Trophy - Team that scored the most goals, Gatineau Olympiques
*Robert Lebel Trophy - Team with best GAA, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles;Player
*Michel Brière Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
*Jean Béliveau Trophy - Top Scorer, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
*Guy Lafleur Trophy - Playoff MVP, Maxime Talbot, Gatineau Olympiques
*Telus Cup – Offensive - Offensive Player of the Year, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
*Telus Cup – Defensive - Defensive Player of the Year, Corey Crawford, Moncton Wildcats
*Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy - Best GAA, Martin Houle, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
*Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year, Doug O'Brien, Gatineau Olympiques
*Mike Bossy Trophy - Best Pro Prospect, Alexandre Picard, Lewiston MAINEiacs
*RDS Cup - Rookie of the Year, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
*Michel Bergeron Trophy - Offensive Rookie of the Year, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic
*Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year, Julien Ellis-Plante, Shawinigan Cataractes
*Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player, Benoit Mondou, Shawinigan Cataractes
*QMJHL Humanitarian of the Year - Humanitarian of the Year, Josh Hennessy, Québec Remparts
*Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player, Nicolas Laplante, Acadie-Bathurst Titan
*Paul Dumont Trophy - Personality of the Year, Sidney Crosby, Rimouski Océanic

;Executive
*Ron Lapointe Trophy - Coach of the Year, Benoit Groulx, Gatineau Olympiques
*John Horman Trophy - Executive of the Year, Sylvie Fortier, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
*Jean Sawyer Trophy - Marketing Director of the Year, Johanne Lefebvre, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

ee also

*2004 Memorial Cup
*2004 NHL Entry Draft
*2003–04 OHL season
*2003–04 WHL season

References

* [http://www.lhjmq.qc.ca/lang_en/index.php Official QMJHL Website]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ www.hockeydb.com/]