1982–83 QMJHL season

The 1982–83 QMJHL season was the 14th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league undergoes its first expansion since the 1973–74 QMJHL season by adding two new teams in Drummondville and Longueuil. Divisions are restored, and eleven teams played 70 games each in the regular season.

Rookie centreman Pat LaFontaine of the Verdun Juniors posts 234 points in the regular season, the second highest season total in junior ice hockey history at the time, behind only Pierre Larouche's 251 points from the 1973–74 QMJHL season. LaFontaine would go on to win six individual trophies at the season's end.

The Longueuil Chevaliers coached by Jacques Lemaire, set the Canadian Hockey League record for the best first season by an expansion team posting 37 wins and a winning percentage of 0.557 in 70 games, ahead of the 2003–04 Everett Silvertips with 35 wins and a winning percentage of 0.556 in 72 games. The Chevaliers also became the first expansion team to reach the championship series of the playoffs, a feat later equalled by the Silvertips.

The Laval Voisins and Shawinigan Cataractes both set a QMJHL record with 33 wins on home ice during the regular season. The Laval Voisins finished first overall in the regular season, winning the Jean Rougeau Trophy. The Verdun Juniors won the President's Cup, defeating the Longueuil Chevaliers in the finals.

Team changes

* The Sherbrooke Castors relocate to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, becoming the Saint-Jean Castors.
* The Montreal Juniors relocate to Verdun, Quebec becoming the Verdun Juniors.
* The Drummondville Voltigeurs join the league as an expansion franchise.
* The Longueuil Chevaliers join the league as an expansion franchise.

Final standings

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

* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/leaders/qmjhl19701983.html complete scoring statistics]

Playoffs

Pat LaFontaine was the leading scorer of the playoffs with 35 points (11 goals, 24 assists).

;Quarterfinals
* Laval Voisins defeated Hull Olympiques 4 games to 3.
* Shawinigan Cataractes defeated Saint-Jean Castors 4 games to 0.
* Verdun Juniors defeated Trois-Rivières Draveurs 4 games to 0.
* Longueuil Chevaliers defeated Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4 games to 1.

;Semifinals
* Longueuil Chevaliers defeated Laval Voisins 4 games to 1.
* Verdun Juniors defeated Shawinigan Cataractes 4 games to 2.

;Finals
* Verdun Juniors defeated Longueuil Chevaliers 4 games to 1.

All-star teams

;First team
* Goalkeeper - Mario Gosselin, Shawinigan Cataractes
* Left Defence - J. J. Daigneault, Longueuil Chevaliers
* Right Defence - Michel Petit, Saint-Jean Castors
* Left Winger - Sylvain Turgeon, Hull Olympiques
* Centreman - Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
* Right Winger - Bobby Mormina, Longueuil Chevaliers
* Coach - Jacques Lemaire, Longueuil Chevaliers;Second team
* Goalkeeper - Luc Guenette, Québec Remparts
* Left Defence - Jocelyn Gauvreau, Granby Bisons
* Right Defence - Bobby Dollas, Laval Voisins
* Left Winger - Claude Vilgrain, Laval Voisins & Ronald Choules, Trois-Rivières Draveurs
* Centreman - Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins
* Right Winger - Denis Dore, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
* Coach - Ron Lapointe, Shawinigan Cataractes
* [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, Verdun Juniors
*Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular Season Champions, Laval Voisins
*Robert Lebel Trophy - Team with best GAA, Shawinigan Cataractes

;Player
*Michel Brière Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
*Jean Béliveau Trophy - Top Scorer, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
*Guy Lafleur Trophy - Playoff MVP, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
*Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy - Best GAA, Tony Haladuick, Laval Voisins
*Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year, J. J. Daigneault, Longueuil Chevaliers
*Mike Bossy Trophy - Best Pro Prospect, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors & Sylvain Turgeon, Hull Olympiques
*Michel Bergeron Trophy - Offensive Rookie of the Year, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
*Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bobby Dollas, Laval Voisins
*Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
*Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player, Claude Gosselin, Québec Remparts

ee also

*1983 Memorial Cup
*1983 NHL Entry Draft
*1982–83 OHL season
*1982–83 WHL season

References

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