Since the CHL ruling last November, which allows prospects to play in the CHL and still be eligible for Division 1 NCAA hockey, the QMJHL has become a legitimate option for New Englanders.
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has regional rights to New Englanders, as well as kids from Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
Various locals were at QMJHL training camps over the last two weeks, and 37 locals were snagged in the QMJHL's Draft in June.
So...what if a team (or multiple teams) came to New England?
Currently, all QMJHL teams are in Canada. But from 2003-11, Maine had a team called the Lewiston Maineiacs.
QMJHL commissioner Mario Cecchini mentioned that the league would look at expanding into the United States within "three to five years," according to Le Journal de Québec.
The Le Journal de Québec story from May mentioned, "serious groups have expressed interest in securing teams, notably in Manchester, N.H., and Portland, Maine."
"I can't guarantee anything," Cecchini told Le Journal de Québec (as translated from French to English through Google Translate), "but what we're aiming for is the 2026-27 season."
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High-end rising seniors were already often looking to go to the USHL. Since the CHL ruling, even more players are likely to opt for the QMJHL, as it's better than prep but not quite as difficult as the USHL.
What if players could play high-end junior hockey in Manchester, N.H., or Portland, Maine, or even Burlington, Vt.?
In our postseason New England boys prep coaches survey, we asked if adding QMJHL teams to New England would hurt prep hockey. All coaches were granted anonymity.
We picked the best answers.
Coach 1:Â "Yes. That would hurt because kids can live in the region and play in a higher league than prep. The problem is, who wants to lose hundreds of thousands a year? [QMJHL teams] will not be profitable in the region, but you'll get good, Division 1 players."
Coach 2:Â "Yes, adding Q teams would open more spots for naive kids and parents."
Coach 3:Â "It depends. The challenge with the Q is where they add the teams. Some teams (big cities, Maritimes) are very appealing to New England kids. Others (small or remote towns) are not. If the Q added teams in the right places to draw American players, it may hurt us."
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Coach 4:Â "They won't play by the same rules, and hockey will be at the forefront, not education."
Coach 5:Â "To be determined. It could hurt prep as players who didn't want to leave early and go to Quebec now could play in New England, closer to home. It could help prep because players would be seen by Q teams and can matriculate to a great league, whether they leave early or not. Q teams in New England would water down or remove teams in the NAHL (North American Hockey League)."
Coach 6:Â "Yes. It would be harder to keep strong upperclassmen in prep."
Coach 7:Â "Absolutely. Advisers will tell kids to leave."
Coach 8:Â "Yes. Kids go to academies now over prep. This will be another option for those who want the all-hockey model."
Coach 9:Â "There are only so many good players in our region, and by adding more options, it will dilute the prep game."
Coach 10:Â "Prep hockey will become younger with the best older players leaving for different opportunities."
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Coach 11:Â "Probably. English-speaking organizations with American school systems to support younger players."
Coach 12:Â "Potentially. But I think players are just as likely to travel to join a junior team in a different geographic location than one within New England."
