History & Records section - Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League

By plane, on the island of Newfoundland

It was with Réal Paiement, a head coach with over 800 games of experience in the QMJHL, that the St. John's Fog Devils entered the QMJHL at the start of the 2005-06 season. But one of the conditions of their arrival was to ensure that they paid for the airfare of all the teams that went to St. John's! A very large annual expense.

Intimidating at home in their early days, they won 25 games in 35 attempts at Mile One Stadium, a superb 6,247-seat arena.

But during the team's 3rd campaign, the Dobbin family, owner of the franchise, sold the team to Mr. Farrel Miller. The latter moved the franchise to Montreal for the start of the 2008-09 season. The Montreal Junior will play at the Auditorium de Verdun, a renovated arena for the return of junior hockey to Montreal.

Réal Paiement, general manager and head coach of the Fog Devils, welcomes Scott Brophy, St. John's first overall pick in the 2005 expansion draft.

TJ Brennan - in 2006-07 and 2007-08 he would have two identical 41-point seasons.

After only 3 seasons in St. John's, we would move to Montreal in 2008-09 for 3 more seasons, playing local games at the Auditorium de Verdun. Pascal Vincent became the head coach, while the star players of the "Junior" would become Angelo Esposito and Guillaume Asselin.

All players board the Armada!

The work ethic instilled by Joël Bouchard will pay off

At the dawn of the 2011-12 season, an turnaround occurred when the team was sold to the group composed of Quebecor Media and former QMJHL players. In this group of new shareholders, the dynamic leader was Joël Bouchard. He would assume the presidency as well as the leadership of the entire hockey department. This is how the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada was born.

The work ethic that was established would pay off, as the team would sign 4 consecutive seasons of 40 wins from 2011-12 to 2014-15, reaching the semi-final round in the playoffs on 2 occasions (2013 and 2014).

Samuel Montembeault (2013=>2017) - at the end of his junior major term, his lifetime goals-against average in the regular season (2.52) was the 2nd best of all time in the QMJHL, just behind that of Ondrej Pavelec (CAP | 2.54).

Xavier Ouellet (2011-12) - He had an exceptional season. He realized a new franchise record, with 60 points for a defenseman.

Etienne Marcoux (2009=>2014) - he also holds several franchise records, including "the most lifetime wins" in the regular season (97).

The Armada's tight team play allowed the team the Robert-Lebel Trophy twice, awarded to the QMJHL team with the lowest goals-against average. It was in 2014-15 and 2016-17, with respective averages of 2.58 and 2.47.

Then in the spring of 2017, the Armada reached the QMJHL Grand Final for the first time in its history. TJ Melancon, Alex Barré-Boulet, Pierre-Luc Dubois and 20-year old veteran goaltender Samuel Montembeault were the big leaders of this 2016-17 edition. The club led by Joël Bouchard would ultimately lose in 4 consecutive games in the President Cup Grand Final, against the powerful Saint John Sea Dogs.

In the QMJHL at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, it was Alex-Barré-Boulet who left with the most important trophies at the annual Golden Puck Gala: the Michel-Brière Trophy, as well as the League's scoring champion trophy with his 116 points.

2017-18: Alex Barré-Boulet’s records

In 2017-18, after a record regular season in terms of wins (50) and points (107 | 1st overall QMJHL ranking), the Armada will participate for a 2nd year in a row in the President Cup Final, but will lose again, this time in 6 games against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.

Alex Barré-Boulet will be the MVP from the beginning to the end of the season with the Armada. His offensive performances will earn him three prestigious franchise records, namely for goals (53), assists (63) and points (116).

Joël Bouchard

326 wins in 581 games

The Joël Bouchard era: he wore a thousand and one hats in the organization...

From 2011-12 to 2017-18, during the "reign" of Joël Bouchard as president, general manager and 4 seasons as head coach, this franchise shone: 326 victories in 581 games, regular seasons and playoffs combined, an exceptional winning percentage of .581!

Jonathan Fauchon

Just before being traded to Rimouski...

In 2023-24, Jonathan Fauchon, in his 2nd season as captain, became the new franchise record holder with his 220 points amassed from 2020 to 2024.

. . .

In the last days of the 2024-25 regular season, Xavier Villeneuve (only 17 year-old) established a NEW TEAM RECORD FOR A DEFENSEMAN, by beating the mark of 60 points, generated by Xavier Ouellet 13 years earlier.