Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey – Wikipedia

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Low-level professional league

The Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (LNAH, “North American Hockey League”)[1][2] is a low-level professional ice hockey league based in the Canadian province of Quebec. Teams in the LNAH compete for the Vertdure Cup.

History[edit]

The league was founded as the Quebec Semi-Pro Hockey League (QSPHL; French: Ligue de hockey semi-professionnelle du Québec (LHSPQ)) in 1996, and became fully professional and assumed its current name in 2004. It reached its peak in terms of number of teams that season, with ten.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2019-20 playoffs were suspended and never concluded; Thetford Assurancia was the regular season champion. The league had hoped to start the 2021 season in January, but announced in November 2020 that it would not be going forward with one, although it floated the possibility of a spring tournament should the situation improve.[3]

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League play[edit]

Unlike higher-level minor professional leagues, such as the American Hockey League or the ECHL, the LNAH is not known for its skill level. Its teams employ many enforcers and has a rather infamous reputation for on-ice antics, primarily fisticuffs. The LNAH has a reputation as the world’s toughest hockey league; a New York Times article stated that the league averaged 3.2 fights a game during the 2010–11 season, compared with 0.6 fights in the National Hockey League.[4]

Despite this reputation, many of the players have been ex-National Hockey League or ex-American Hockey League players, including Patrick Côté, Michel Picard, Stéphane Richer, Bobby Dollas, Guillaume Lefebvre, Garrett Burnett, Daniel Shank, François Leroux, Jeremy Stevenson, Éric Fichaud, Mario Roberge, David Gosselin, Michel Ouellet, Jesse Bélanger, Donald Brashear, Yves Racine, Anthony Stewart and Juraj Kolník. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, some NHL players — such as Sylvain Blouin, Donald Brashear, Sébastien Caron, Mathieu Biron, Marc-André Bergeron and Sébastien Charpentier — played the entire season in the LNAH. This is abetted by the absence of a veteran limit rule (common to other minor pro leagues in North America) which allows teams to stock up on experienced players.

The 15-round LNAH Draft is held during the summer. Players too old for junior ice hockey may be drafted even if they were already drafted by an NHL team. The league has had a rule that stipulates that all players must either have come from or played junior hockey in Quebec,[4] though it has not been strictly used for LNAH teams based outside Quebec.

Current[edit]

Quebec teams currently in the LNAH.
Notes
  1. An asterisk (*) denotes a franchise move. See the respective team articles for more information.

Timeline[edit]

Bâtisseurs de Montcalm Berlin Blackjacks Laval Predators Valleyfield Braves Ste-Marie Poutrelles Delta Rivière-du-Loup 3L Rivière-du-Loup Promutuel Saguenay Fjord (hockey) Jonquière Condors Asbestos Aztèques Cornwall River Kings Windsor Wild Sherbrooke Saint-François Sherbrooke Saint-François Granby Prédateurs (LNAH) Waterloo 94 Pont-Rouge Lois Jeans Pont Rouge Lois Jeans Pont Rouge Lois Jeans Pont Rouge Lois Jeans Pont Rouge Lois Jeans Thetford Assurancia Sorel Royaux Sorel-Tracy Hawks Sorel-Tracy Hawks Sorel-Tracy Hawks Sorel-Tracy Hawks Sorel-Tracy Hawks Saint-Georges Cool FM 103.5 Rive-Sud Chacals Trois-Rivières Draveurs (LNAH) Trois-Rivières Blizzard Louiseville Jets Saguenay Marquis St-Jean Chiefs Laval Chiefs Sainte-Thérèse Chiefs Laurentides Gladiateurs LaSalle Rapides Lachute Rapides Verdun Dragons Saint-Laurent Dragons Iberville Dragons Haut-Richelieu Dragons Saint-Hyacinthe Chiefs Saint-Hyacinthe Chiefs

Defunct[edit]

Champions[edit]

The Vertdure Cup is the trophy awarded annually to champions of the LNAH. It was first awarded after the 1996–97 season, and was originally called the Futura Cup. In 2011, it was renamed the Canam Cup, and in 2014 as the Vertdure Cup.

LNAH Finals appearances by city[edit]

Note: Cities listed in yellow are currently home to an LNAH franchise.

City Finals Won Lost Years won Years lost Team(s) in Finals Years in LNAH
Thetford Mines 11 3 8 2012, 2015, 2022 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2017 Prolab, Isothermic, Assurancia 1996–present
Sorel-Tracy 5 2 3 2018, 2019 2013, 2015, 2016 HC Carvena, Éperviers 1996–2008, 2010–present
Saint-Georges 5 1 4 2010 1999, 2001, 2004, 2011 Garaga, CRS Express, Cool FM 103.5 1998–present
Sherbrooke 4 2 2 2006, 2011 2007, 2010 Saint-Francois 2003–2011
Jonquière 4 3 1 2013, 2014, 2017 2019 Marquis 1997–2004, 2008–present
Laval 3 2 1 2002, 2003 2022 Chiefs, Pétroliers 1998–2006, 2013–17, 2019–present
Joliette 2 2 0 1999, 2001 Blizzard, Mission 1998–2002
Rivière-du-Loup 2 1 1 2016 2018 3L 2008–present
Pont-Rouge 2 1 1 2009 2000 Grand Portneuf, Lois Jeans 1996–2004, 2008–2010
Acton Vale 2 0 2 1997, 1998 Nova 1996–2001
Trois-Rivières 1 1 0 2008 Caron & Guay 2003–2018
Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu 1 1 0 2007 Summum Chiefs 2002–2004, 2006–2008
Québec 1 1 0 2005 Radio X 1997–1998, 2001–2008
Verdun 1 1 0 2004 Dragons 2001–2006
LaSalle 1 1 0 2000 Rapides 1999–2003
Lachute 1 1 0 1998 Rapides 1996–1999
Saint-Gabriel 1 1 0 1997 Blizzard 1996–1998
Windsor 1 0 1 2012 Wild 2011–2012

References[edit]

External links[edit]


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