I guess it depends on what one means by "potential". I have been digging up stuff on each conference for pre-season stories but I may as well delve into Quebec now.
Prior to the 1971-72 season there were three conferences operating US-style in Ontario and Quebec. The QOAA was for the big old schools, and the OSLC and OIAA were for newer and smaller ones. Those three conferences were then whittled into two conferences along provincial lines, the OUAA and QUAA.
In the final season of the three conference mode, i.e. 1970-71, the alignment was like this:
OIAA (6)
Laurentian
York
Waterloo Lutheran
(later became Wilfrid Laurier)
Ryerson
Brock
Trent
OSLC (7)
Loyola College (later merged with SGW into Concordia)
UQTR
Bishop's
Sherbrooke
Royal Military College
Sir George Williams (later merged Loyola into Concordia)
MacDonald College (now part of McGill)
(Note: Ottawa, Carleton, and Queen's were previously in this conference as well.)
QOAA (12)
Waterloo
Toronto
Guelph
Western Ontario
McMaster
Windsor
Carleton
Queen's
Montreal
Laval
McGill
Ottawa
At the end of that season, Trent (OIAA), MacDonald College (OSLC), and Laval (QOAA) all ceased to exist, but did make later comebacks. Some teams previously folded were St. Patrick's College (became part of Carleton) and College Militaire Royale (the French equivalent of RMC).
In 1971-72 the QUAA was formed with 8 teams, including RMC from Ontario. The other 14 teams from Ontario formed the OUAA. The 7 teams from Quebec were:
Loyola College
Sir George Williams
Montreal
McGill
Sherbrooke
Bishop's
UQTR
Once the QUAA was established, it was mostly downhill. Montreal left in 1972, never to return. They had operated continuously since 1946, and most seasons from 1908.
MacDonald came back in 1973-74 before leaving for good, along with Sherbrooke.
Laval came back in 1975-76 and stayed for two years. After one season away, they came back for five seasons (1978-79 to 1982-83). Quebec City's only university has not since iced a team.
The merger of Loyola and SGW in 1975-76 also cost the conference a team. In fact, those two were often the Quebec finalists. Concordia has seldom been so successful.
UQ Chicoutimi started a team in 1976-77 and they played until 1985-86. They no longer operate sports programs. They also qualified for the 1979 University Cup. Host Concordia won the QUAA, allowing the Inuks to qualify.
In 1981-82 the long-running program at Bishop's bid adieu to hockey.
The QUAA had some life breathed into it in 1979-80 when Ottawa joined from the OUAA. They were the 7th team in the league and remained until the end. The departures of Bishop's in 1982, Laval in 1983, and Chicoutimi in 1986 had chipped the conference down to 4 teams for its final season in 1986-87.
Currently, there are many big universities in Quebec without hockey teams, including Montreal with 55,000 students, and three more (Shebrooke, UQAM, and Laval) with over 35,000.
Does CIS hockey have a problem in French Quebec? Historically, the English universities have been the foundation. UQTR and Moncton are the only French universities in CIS hockey.
Is hockey on the decline in Quebec? By birth province, the numbers are now:
Ontario 219
Alberta 72
Quebec 59
British Columbia 57
Saskatchewan 44
Manitoba 32
http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/province-totals/nhl-players-2013-14-stats.html
Ten years ago, the numbers were:
Ontario 202
Quebec 94
Alberta 92
British Columbia 54
Saskatchewan 52
Manitoba 25
http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/province-totals/nhl-players-2003-04-stats.html
Twenty years ago:
Ontario 224
Quebec 110
Alberta 86
British Columbia 57
Saskatchewan 45
Manitoba 23
http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/province-totals/nhl-players-1993-94-stats.html
Thirty years ago:
Ontario 261
Quebec 76
Alberta 64
Saskatchewan 49
British Columbia 45
Manitoba 30
http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/province-totals/nhl-players-1983-84-stats.html
Forty years ago:
Ontario 198
Quebec 78
Saskatchewan 41
Manitoba 27
Alberta 28
British Columbia 18
http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/province-totals/nhl-players-1973-74-stats.html
Fifty years ago:
Ontario 64
Quebec 42
Saskatchewan 18
Alberta 15
Manitoba 14
Nova Scotia 4
British Columbia 1
http://www.quanthockey.com/nhl/province-totals/nhl-players-1963-64-stats.html
It seems inevitable that Quebec will fall to 4th place in terms of player development. At one time, this was unthinkable. In fact, falling to 5th is a distinct possibility. Amazingly, it could fall behind Minnesota, currently with 42 players.
Is the lack of university support for hockey in Quebec related to this trend?
Still, there are a load of French players out there. There are a load of big French schools without teams. Montreal has an arena and a women's team, and one would think would be the leading contender to form a new team.
Would Ottawa consider a shift (assuming they come back)? And Carleton, Queen's, and RMC?
Most importantly
, would a Quebec conference entice places like Laval or Sherbrooke to consider a team? Is the prospect of joining a league which stretches all over Ontario something they woud rather avoid?[/QUOTE]
Québec university hockey dropped with introduction in 1969 of the two year CEGEP / 3 year university structure leading to a bachelor's degree. Grade 12 was dropped, creating a situation where highschool ends at grade 11.Coupled with the exodus of quality talent to the NCAA, US prep school, USHL route which yields a bachelors degree within 4 seasons instead of 5.