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 continued to expand to new eastern markets, with teams relocating to Maine and Prince Edward Island. Conferences were abandoned and teams were 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 led the league in scoring as a 16-year-old, and won 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

Final standings

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

Western Division GP W L T OL Pts GF GA
y-Gatineau Olympiques 70 50 13 7 0 107 306 179
x-Shawinigan Cataractes 70 39 21 4 6 88 259 215
x-Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 70 30 27 9 4 73 260 265
x-Val-d'Or Foreurs 70 29 29 10 2 70 213 222
x-Drummondville Voltigeurs 70 27 30 10 3 67 210 224
Victoriaville Tigres 70 20 43 5 2 47 204 295
Eastern Division GP W L T OL Pts GF GA
y-Rimouski Océanic 70 34 28 5 3 76 284 252
x-Chicoutimi Saguenéens 70 32 27 7 4 75 218 220
x-Lewiston Maineiacs 70 33 31 5 1 72 233 215
x-Quebec Remparts 70 28 32 7 3 66 210 245
x-Baie-Comeau Drakkar 70 21 42 5 2 49 195 285
Atlantic Division GP W L T OL Pts GF GA
y-Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 70 49 16 2 3 103 273 164
x-Moncton Wildcats 70 46 19 3 2 97 270 206
x-P.E.I. Rocket 70 40 19 5 6 91 251 189
Halifax Mooseheads 70 17 43 7 3 44 194 274
Acadie-Bathurst Titan 70 18 49 3 0 39 184 314
y-received first-round bye
x-made playoffs

Scoring leaders

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

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
Sidney Crosby Rimouski Océanic 59 54 81 135 74
Dany Roussin Rimouski Océanic 66 59 58 117 70
Maxime Talbot Gatineau Olympiques 51 25 73 98 41
Jean-Michel Daoust Gatineau Olympiques 60 31 65 96 82
Benoît Mondou Shawinigan Cataractes 68 34 61 95 32
Pascal Pelletier Shawinigan Cataractes 64 39 52 91 85
Yannick Tifu Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 70 42 48 90 39
Guillaume Fournier Victoriaville / Gatineau 65 40 48 88 28
François-Pierre Guenette Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 69 34 51 85 26
Karl Gagné Moncton Wildcats 68 24 60 84 20
Michael Lambert P.E.I. Rocket 67 42 42 84 53

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).

First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
            
1 Gatineau 4
8 Rouyn-Noranda 0
8 Rouyn-Noranda 4
9 Lewiston 3
1 Gatineau 4
7 Chicoutimi 2
2 Cape Breton 1
7 Chicoutimi 4
7 Chicoutimi 4
10 Val-d'Or 3
1 Gatineau 4
4 Moncton 1
3 Rimouski 4
6 Shawinigan 0
6 Shawinigan 4
11 Drummondville 3
3 Rimouski 1
4 Moncton 4
5 P. E. I. 4
12 Quebec 1
4 Moncton 4
5 P. E. I. 2
4 Moncton 4
13 Baie-Comeau 0

All-star teams

First team
Second team
Rookie team

Trophies and awards

Team
Player
Executive

See also

References

Preceded by QMJHL seasons Succeeded by