Saguenéens win Gilles-Courteau Trophy

Vincent Éthier/QMJHL

For the first time since 1994, the Chicoutimi Saguenéens are Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League champions.

The Saguenéens defeated the Moncton Wildcats 5-1 inside an electric Georges-Vezina Centre on Sunday to take the championship series in six games, ending the longest Gilles-Courteau Trophy drought in the QMJHL (32 years).

Chicoutimi controlled the first period and grabbed a 2-0 lead at 4:26 of the second when Liam Lefebvre scored. The Wildcats, who had struggled to get much of anything going offensively, were finally able to gain some momentum as the period moved along. Captain Caleb Desnoyers scored at 14:28 to get the Wildcats within one and it felt like the tides may be turning in Moncton's favour.

But all of Moncton's momentum was lost when Chicoutimi captain Emmanuel Vermette made it 3-1 Sags with 50 seconds remanning in the period.

Chicoutimi didn't let Moncton get back into the game at all in the third, winning puck battles and holding the Wildcats to very few scoring opportunities. The Sags added two empty net goals to make it a 5-1 final and get the party going in Chicoutimi.

Despite losing the series, Wildcats forward Gabe Smith was named QMJHL playoff MVP. The St. Andrews native posted 19 goals and 33 points in the playoffs.

This is the third QMJHL championship for the Saguenéens franchise. They were playing in their first QMJHL final since 1997.

Chicoutimi will now represent the QMJHL at the 2026 Memorial Cup in Kelowna. Their first game will be Saturday against the WHL champion Everett Silvertips.

This was a heartbreaking series loss for the Wildcats who were aiming to become the first back-to-back QMJHL champion since the Saint John Sea Dogs in 2011 and 2012. That Game 5 loss on home ice – which saw them blow a 4-0 lead – is going to haunt a lot of people.

Moncton had one of the most entertaining playoff runs in recent history, featuring all kinds of dramatics. They now face an interesting off-season with the major question being: who is coming back?

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen was a -1 with three shots in Sunday's loss. He finishes the playoffs with three goals and nine assists in 21 games.

Capitals advance to Centennial Cup final

Mike Bernard/Hockey Canada

The Summerside Western Capitals will play for a national championship on home ice Sunday evening.

Former Saint John Sea Dogs defenseman Matthew MacLean scored and had an assist in the Capitals' 5-2 win over Collège Français de Longueuil on Saturday to earn a spot in the Centennial Cup championship game.

The Capitals will face Manitoba's Niverville Nighthawks for the national title. Game time is 7 p.m. at Summerside's Credit Union Place.

Summerside, who were eliminated in the semifinals of the Maritime Junior Hockey League playoffs, are 4-1-1 at the tournament. The Nighthawks, meanwhile, are 5-0-0.

#CentennialCup SF2 | And they’re from Prince Edward Island! Matthew MacLean puts the @SsideCapitals ahead 2-1 late in the 2nd! pic.twitter.com/9JVyffeQeP

— CJHL (@cjhlhockey) May 16, 2026

Niverville beat Summerside 5-4 in overtime in the preliminary round.

MacLean has a goal and three assists in the tournament. Former Sea Dogs goaltender Justin Robinson has appeared in two games, posting a 3.56 goals against average and a .879 save percentage.

The Capitals won the Centennial Cup in 1997 – a team that was coached by Gerard Gallant. They appeared in the championship game in 2013 – which was also hosted in Summerside – but fell 3-1 to the Brooks Bandits.

An Atlantic Canadian team has not won the Centennial Cup since the Halifax Oland Exports in 2002.

Saguenéens stun Wildcats in Game 6

Embed from Getty Images

MONCTON - The unpredictability of high stakes junior hockey was on full display Friday.

The Chicoutimi Saguenéens scored six times in the third period to stun the Moncton Wildcats, winning 7-6 to take a 3-2 lead in the Gilles-Courteau Trophy final. The Sags can win their first Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League championship since 1994 with a victory on home ice Sunday.

The only way to describe the final result on Friday night? Stunning. Moncton led 4-0 in the second period and were up 4-1 entering the third. Chicoutimi completely turned the tides in the final frame, scoring three times in the first 5:56 and adding two more on a four-minute power play to take a 6-4 advantage.

A deflated Wildcats team couldn't get much of anything going in the third until Gavin Cornforth got Moncton within one at 17:14. It looked as though Peteris Bulans iced the game with an empty net goal at 18:40 only for Kuzma Voronin to drag Moncton within one again with 37 seconds remaining.

The Wildcats would generate one final dangerous opportunity but couldn't convert.

The Wildcats were outshot 13-5 in the third period and 35-25 overall.

Bulans led the way for Chicoutimi with a hat trick while Nathan Lecompte, Liam Lefebvre, Mavrick Lachance and Maxim Schäfer added singles. Lucas Beckman made 19 saves in the win.

Teddy Mutryn, Rian Chudzinski, Gabe Smith and Niko Tournas also scored for Moncton. Rudy Guimond made 28 saves in the loss.

The Wildcats have rebounded from tough losses in these playoffs – and they'll need to do so again if they want to keep their season alive on Sunday.

Archambault joins Phoenix staff

Michael Hawkins/Saint John Sea Dogs

MONCTON - The Saint John Sea Dogs will have an entirely different coaching staff behind the bench for the 2026-27 season.

It was announced Friday that assistant coach Tim Archambault has joined the Sherbrooke Phoenix staff for the upcoming season. He'll be an assistant coach with the Phoenix.

"Sea Dogs assistant coach Tim Archambault has accepted an opportunity to move closer to home and join the Sherbrooke Phoenix coaching staff," the Sea Dogs posted on social media. 

"Congratulations Tim, and best of luck in Sherbrooke!"

Archambault leaves the Sea Dogs after one season behind the bench. He was a Quebec regional scout with the Sea Dogs the season prior.

J'aimerais remercier Gilles Bouchard, ainsi que tous les membres de l'organisation du Phoenix de Sherbrooke pour cette opportunité. Je suis très enthousiaste de commencer ce nouveau défi! https://t.co/iIl6WxeE0d

— Tim Archambault (@TArchambaultPSL) May 15, 2026

Archambault stayed with the Sea Dogs following the departure of head coach Travis Crickard late in the season. Mark Lee, the team's other assistant, departed at the same time as Crickard.

Archambault remained an assistant with the team under interim head coach Brian Casey to finish out the 2025-26 season.

The only coach currently listed on Saint John's staff is director of hockey operations and assistant coach Kyle MacDonald, who completed his first season with the club. MacDonald was on the bench for a few games after Crickard's departure.

QMJHL final tied at 2-2

Bruno Girard/Chicoutimi Saguenéens

MONCTON - The Gilles-Courteau Trophy final is now a best-of-three.

The Moncton Wildcats overcame 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to defeat the Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4-3 on Wednesday night at Georges Vezina Centre, evening the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League championship series at 2-2.

Game 5 will take place Friday at Avenir Centre. Game 6 will be Sunday night back in Chicoutimi while a Game 7, if needed, would be Tuesday in Moncton.

The Wildcats scored three unanswered goals in Wednesday's win, which included two in the third period. Rian Chudzinski scored the winner at 14:15 of the third.

St. Andrews native Gabe Smith scored twice for Moncton. He continues to lead the QMJHL in playoff goals (18) and points (30).

Former Sea Dogs defenseman Max Vilen was an impressive +3 in the victory. He had one assist and three shots.

A few other news and notes...

• Chicoutimi forward Maxim Massé, the QMJHL's MVP who recorded 51 goals in the regular season, has yet to score in this series against Moncton. He has six goals in 18 playoff games this year.
• This Chicoutimi/Moncton series has been living up to the hype with each of the past three games being decided by a goal.
• It's looking like Avenir Centre will be sold out for Friday's Game 5. The first two games of the series in Moncton had large crowds but were not at capacity.
• In the WHL final, the top-seeded Everett Silvertips have taken a 3-1 series lead over the Prince Albert Raiders. Game 5 is Friday night in Prince Albert.
• At the Centennial Cup, the Summerside Western Capitals will face the Truro Bearcats in quarterfinal play on Friday. Matthew MacLean, Justin Robinson and the Capitals were eliminated in Game 7 of the Maritime Junior Hockey League semifinals by the Bearcats.
• In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Joe Veleno and the Montreal Canadiens have taken a 3-2 series lead over the Buffalo Sabres thanks to a 6-3 win on Wednesday. Veleno had one shot and was a -1 in 9:56 of ice time. Game 6 is Saturday in Montreal.

Boutilier passes away at 63

Paul Boutilier, a former assistant coach and consultant with the Saint John Sea Dogs, has died. He was 63.

Boutilier, a Sydney, NS native, played in the QMJHL, worlds juniors and NHL before a lengthy coaching career.

From the NHL Alumni Association:

The NHL Alumni Association is deeply saddened to learn that Paul Boutilier has passed away at the age of 63.

A defenseman, Paul played major junior hockey with the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Castors beginning in 1980, and was selected by the New York Islanders in the first round of the 1981 NHL Entry Draft. Paul made his NHL debut later that year, skating in his first career game on October 31, 1981, with the Islanders at the Montreal Forum, later returning to Sherbrooke for the remainder of the season.

Paul split time between the NHL and the QMJHL during the 1982-83 season, appearing in 29 games for the Islanders, and scored his first NHL goal on November 18, 1982, at home at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Playing in his final season of major junior hockey, Paul served as team captain for the newly relocated Saint-Jean Castors. Paul joined the Islanders for the 1983 Stanley Cup Playoffs, appearing in two games as the Islanders captured the final of their four consecutive Stanley Cups. 

After 213 regular-season games with the Islanders from 1981 to 1986, Paul would go on to play for the Boston Bruins and Minnesota North Stars the following season, and later for the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets, respectively.

From Sydney, Nova Scotia, Paul returned to his home province after the conclusion of his playing career, accepting a position as an assistant coach for Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, serving in the role from 1991 to 1993 before being promoted to head coach, a position he held until 1997.

With a wealth of knowledge and experience, Paul later served in a multitude of coaching and front office positions across the collegiate, junior, and professional levels of hockey.

Internationally, Paul proudly represented Canada on multiple occasions and at both the junior and senior levels, highlighted by a gold medal at the 1982 World Junior Hockey Championships.

We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family, friends, and former teammates during this incredibly difficult time.

Boutilier spent a couple seasons behind the Sea Dogs bench as an assistant, helping the team win a QMJHL championship in 2017. He was hired again by Saint John as a defense consultant during the 2021-22 season, helping the club win the Memorial Cup on home ice.