Could you help with a QMJHL Expansion Idea?

ns64

Registered User
Aug 8, 2013
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0
Is 2500 big enough for a Q rink? Honest question I'm not sure..

I am not sure what the league requirements are for seating.I know some of the teams in Quebec are around 3000 and that is with standing room. Valdor and Rouyn- Noranda being two of them.If I remember Victo is around 2,500 seats plus standing.
 

Raimu

That weird Dragon girl
Jan 21, 2006
1,192
5
Halifax, NS
The other thing I'd say is that you can't put another team in Montreal. Montreal has proven twice that it will not support a junior team. Charlettown and B-B were both moved from Montreal, and for good reason.

I'll never forget the night I heard that the Montreal Junior had an attendance of less than 2,000 for a playoff game. Add the fact that the team was second place in the whole QMJHL and had Canadiens first rounder Louis Leblanc in the lineup.

If that mix of circumstances cannot sell out a building, than nothing will. Montreal is not a hockey town, its a Habs town.
 
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OilerPensfan97

Registered User
Feb 27, 2014
10,569
100
Saint John, NB
They can't properly support a Major Junior franchise either. Population is around 15 thousand. Just not enough. Bearcat games draw only 1000 fans. This would be a recipe for disaster and that's why the league won't go here.

Meh. I don't see that as a problem. Swift Current has around that many people too and the Broncos have had no known problems. Blame economy for Bathurst's lack of success.
 

Canucks21

Registered User
Feb 24, 2015
246
0
Canada
Meh. I don't see that as a problem. Swift Current has around that many people too and the Broncos have had no known problems. Blame economy for Bathurst's lack of success.

Last year the only 3 teams in the CHL with less then 2000 fans a game were in the Q. The league need to think twice before adding teams in small market
 

Thebesthockey

Registered User
Aug 6, 2013
3,921
882
expand ?? this league better and quickly cut some teams
fast becoming a tier 2 league in Canada

:help:
 

Cacciaguida

Registered User
Jan 11, 2010
1,620
327
Ottawa
you can start by matching the amount of teams you have

could Cornwall profit? it's small but has an arena. would there be any interest? the team did better in the Q than in the O.
 

zeropotentate

Registered User
Dec 4, 2012
493
0
Ontario
Someone mentioned Sorel awhile back in this thread, they had a team in the 70s and 80s (it moved to Verdun and back) before it was moved to Granby and eventually Cape Breton. Sorel-Tracy according to wikipedia has a city pop of 34,600 and metro pop of 47,772, but I know nothing about the situation there.

Laval has always sort of lingered around, but the rumours of Montreal's AHL affiliate moving there maybe?

What happens in St. John's if their AHL team moves, do they try to get another one? Does the QMJHL attempt to go back there? Last time their team (Fog Devil's) only lasted 3 years before moving.

Does the QMJHL also reconsider Maine or New Hampshire? It seemed like Lewiston MAINEiacs left a bad taste in a number of people's mouths, but it seems that the North East region of USA is untouched by all the major junior levels (I'm including USHL). How plausible is it to have a team based in the USA in the QMJHL today, say like in Bangor, or in Plattsburgh?

And another place, is North East Ontario, someone mentioned Cornwall earlier, and could be a possible expansion idea.

And of course Frederiction if something works out with UNB.

Though, expansion is a fun idea, I don't know if it really necessary at this time, but It would be good to see eventually.
 

saintflannel

Registered User
Oct 6, 2011
5,198
71
Wasn't the territorial veto amended in the QMJHL constitution in the summer? I don't think the Cataractes can prevent Trois-Rivières from landing a team anymore. If so, Trois-Rivières is definitely inline for a team through expansion or relocation.
 

jason2020

Registered User
Sep 24, 2014
5,596
1
you can start by matching the amount of teams you have

could Cornwall profit? it's small but has an arena. would there be any interest? the team did better in the Q than in the O.

It will be interesting to watch Cornwall these next few years with the mass refugee plan the feds have plus cost of living is far cheaper then Quebec and most of Ontario you could see a massive population boom.
 

Canucks21

Registered User
Feb 24, 2015
246
0
Canada
Wasn't the territorial veto amended in the QMJHL constitution in the summer? I don't think the Cataractes can prevent Trois-Rivières from landing a team anymore. If so, Trois-Rivières is definitely inline for a team through expansion or relocation.

The only way they could is convincing other teams to vote against the Titan (We all know its gonna be them) moving to Trois-Rivières.
 

Number 57

Registered User
Dec 21, 2004
11,629
2,255
Montreal
The other thing I'd say is that you can't put another team in Montreal. Montreal has proven twice that it will not support a junior team. Charlettown and B-B were both moved from Montreal, and for good reason.

I'll never forget the night I heard that the Montreal Junior had an attendance of less than 2,000 for a playoff game. Add the fact that the team was second place in the whole QMJHL and had Canadiens first rounder Louis Leblanc in the lineup.

If that mix of circumstances cannot sell out a building, than nothing will. Montreal is not a hockey town, its a Habs town.

The Junior played in Verdun which is far from downtown and not a hip place at all. The building was also old and dirty. Nobody wanted to go see a game there.

BLB has proven that a team can succeed in the Montreal area. There is also an AHL team coming to Laval and I am sure it will do well. The north shore seems to be a good place for hockey. So how about the south shore? Cities like Brossard have a good population base and lots of young families with money. There is also tons of cities around with potential for the people there to come see games.

Terrebonne/Repentigny area also have tons of people willing to go see games, but the AHL Laval team and BLB might be a bit too close to them, which could saturate the north shore market.

A junior team around the hip areas of Montreal (Plateau/Peel) could perhaps work with a good marketing team in place and cheap tickets.
 
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OilerPensfan97

Registered User
Feb 27, 2014
10,569
100
Saint John, NB
expand ?? this league better and quickly cut some teams
fast becoming a tier 2 league in Canada

:help:

The last thing the Q should be doing is cutting teams. Already, there are hardly any teams. If it stays at 18, fine, but no less for sure.

I would move Bathurst to Fredericton if their arena is able to take a Q team.
 

saintflannel

Registered User
Oct 6, 2011
5,198
71
The last thing the Q should be doing is cutting teams. Already, there are hardly any teams. If it stays at 18, fine, but no less for sure.

I would move Bathurst to Fredericton if their arena is able to take a Q team.
I'd be shocked if UNB allowed that.
 

wingman75

Registered User
Dec 3, 2008
5,587
5,519
The QC
St. John's is a possibility. Pretty sure the Ice Caps want to move to Laval.

That is a done deal. Ice Caps are only playing in St. John's until the new rink in Laval is ready. I think that will be in the fall of 2017?

Very limited market to expand for the Q.

Bathurst will move eventually. Only market in Atlantic Canada that could maybe support a team is Fredericton imo. And they have 2 AUS teams there already (UNB, generally one of the best CIS teams each year and STU).

B-B has the north shore, Laval will have the AHL. South shore should be able to support a team but someone will have to build a rink. St-Jean or Granby are good locations. Natural rivalry with Sherbrooke.

I don't think the Q will ever get to 20 teams. They have too many unhealthy teams as it is.

Someone asked if Quebec City get an NHL team where will the Remparts play... remember there used to be a team in Beauport (Harfangs), but that rink is old and small (same as everywhere else).

Quebec for some reason is 10-15 years behind the rest of the country in renewing the arena infrastructure in the province. They will catch up eventually, and those cities that get on board first will be the best chance to host a Q team.
 

ForsbergForever

Registered User
May 19, 2004
3,319
2,023
St. Jean sur Richelieu has a pop. of almost 100,000 but has no organized hockey team to speak of due to having a 35 year old rink that seats about 1500. If they can eventually build a new arena with 5000 seats they would be a lock for either a QMJHL or maybe even ECHL team.
 

cmcneil02

Registered User
Dec 27, 2015
806
622
Q Expansion

The Best Place At The Moment Is The Aiken Centre In Fredricton But Is Next To A University So I Djnt Think That'll Work. Truro, NS Has A Beautiful 2,500 Size Arena That Has Everything An Arena Needs Except Concession And A lot Of Skyboxes And Possibly More Ticket Boxes, But It Does Hold A Junior A Team So Maybe Not And Expansions Into The USA Have Been A Failure Plus Most Places Alrighty Have Professional Leagues Like LNAH, Etc. But Truro Is My Option! Example: Trois Rivieres Has A Pro Team And Is Right Next To Shawinigan ( Prob Not Happening )
 

Rusty Shackleford

Leafs Nation
Jul 14, 2005
2,940
1
Ottawa, Ontario
I grew up about 40 minutes outside of Fredericton, in the Upper Miramichi river valley.

As much as I'd LOVE to see Fredericton land a Q team, it will never happen. I don't know if things have changed much since I left NB after high school, but UNB had a monopoly on the arena and the hockey market in Fredericton back then..

You'd need an owner with money, and a new arena to get the Q into that market.. Shame too, because Fredericton would be such a better market for the Q, than Bathurst... Also, I took the train to NB from Ontario to visit some family during Christmas, it was a nice, relaxing, scenic ride.. And while enjoying the beauty of northern New Brunswick, I still couldn't believe while having a cigarette outside during our extended break in Bathurst, that this place has a ****ing CHL team.. It's nuts.
 

schenneuf

Registered User
Jul 4, 2011
1,334
1
Why doesn't Fredericton have a Q team?

Fredericton used to have an AHL team (Montreal's farm). I have memories of seeing Val Bure, Jose Theodore, and others play when I was young. Saint John used to have the Flames (saw Giguere). The point is it would be nice to see a team in Fredericton again.

If not the AHL, why not the Q?

Fredericton is the capital of a bilingual province, and has a large French population (not that that matters). Should it not have a team in the Q? The University Campus has a brand-new athletics facility, and the Aitken Center is still an option.

I've seen tons of games in Saint John and Moncton and the atmosphere is always great. I've also seen plenty of games in Brandon and the arena size & seating has all been similar.

Seems like it just makes sense, no? New Brunswick has teams in Moncton, Saint John, and Acadie-Bathurst, why not Fredericton?

I'm guessing it's too much of a University town, and they have no interest in allowing a Q team to come in and basically destroy their CIS hockey program.
 

Acesolid

The Illusive Bettman
Sep 21, 2010
2,531
319
Québec
Well, ask the business community of Fredericton.

I mean, if you can get an ownership group together (and an agreement on a lease for an arena to play in), getting an LHJMQ team is easy (as long as you're not in the territory of another team).

But nobody seems interrested in doing so.
 

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