Official Minor League Hockey Thread

BOUCHERVILLE, Que. -- The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League will have one fewer franchise next season after the league bought out the Lewiston Maineiacs in order to dissolve the team.

League commissioner Gilles Courteau announced the move on Tuesday following a vote from the QMJHL's board of governors. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The existing Lewiston players will be claimed by the league's other 17 teams in a dispersal draft.

"I am truly sad for Maineiacs fans," said majority owner Mark Just in a statement. "For those that supported the team over the past few years, I would like to thank you. Nonetheless, mounting financial losses became too much to bear for our ownership group."

The league also announced that Sherbrooke, Que., has been awarded an expansion team to start play in the 2012-13 season.

The Maineiacs, the QMJHL's only American team, made their debut in 2003 when the Sherbrooke Castors moved to Lewiston, Maine.

They won the league championship, the Presidents' Trophy, in 2007 and advanced to the Memorial Cup, where they finished 1-3 and did not advance to the playoffs.

"I am disappointed for the fans in Lewiston," Courteau said in a statement. "The Maineiacs enjoyed some very good moments, including a President Cup championship in 2007. I know that Mark Just and his ownership group did all that they could to save the franchise, but the situation was no longer viable."

The Sherbrooke group is led by former QMJHL and NHL all-star goaltender Jocelyn Thibault. The team will play its games at the city's Palais des Sports Leopold-Drolet.

"The QMJHL is very excited to welcome Sherbrooke back into its fold," Courteau said. "With strong local ownership, I am convinced that major junior hockey will once again flourish in Sherbrooke."

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VICTORIAVILLE, Que. -- Defenceman Dillon Fournier was taken first overall by the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the Quebec Major Hockey League's special dispersal draft Friday.

The draft was held after the QMJHL bought and dissolved the Lewiston Maineiacs franchise.

The 17-year-old Montreal native had a productive rookie season, scoring three goals and 11 assists with a plus-9 rating in 60 games with Lewiston.

Defenceman Samuel Carrier went second to the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, while forward Michael Chaput was picked third by the Shawinigan Cataractes.

Carrier, a Washington Capitals draft pick, had 11 goals and 39 assists and a plus-40 rating. Chaput, a prospect with the Philadelphia Flyers, scored 25 times and had 34 assists with a plus-23 rating.

A total of 19 players were selected in the dispersal draft.

The Maineiacs, the QMJHL's only American team, made their debut in 2003 when the Sherbrooke Castors moved to Lewiston, Maine.

They won the league championship in 2007 and advanced to the Memorial Cup, where they finished 1-3 and did not advance to the playoffs.

"I am truly sad for Maineiacs fans," said majority owner Mark Just in a statement Tuesday. "For those that supported the team over the past few years, I would like to thank you. Nonetheless, mounting financial losses became too much to bear for our ownership group."

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VICTORIAVILLE, Que. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar turned down trade offers from rival clubs and used the first overall pick in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft Saturday to select forward Nathan MacKinnon.

MacKinnon's hockey path has closely followed that of fellow Cole Harbour, N.S., native Sidney Crosby. MacKinnon grew up playing in the same minor hockey system and then jumped to Shattuck St. Mary's prep school in Faribeault, Minn.

The five-foot-11, 170-pound centre had 45 goals and 93 points in 40 games this season.

The Halifax Mooseheads and Crosby's old team, the Rimouski Oceanic, were reportedly among the clubs that made offers to Baie-Comeau for the first overall pick.

MacKinnon, who has Crosby's agent Pat Brisson as his adviser, has not yet committed to playing for Baie-Comeau and did not attend the draft, but general manager Steve Ahern has said he will do his best to convince the gifted playmaker to report. MacKinnon may opt to play in the USHL and then go on to a U.S. university.

Halifax traded up from the fourth spot to select forward Jonathan Drouin of the Lac St. Louis midget AAA team second overall. Drouin had 35 goals in 60 games this season.

Rimouski then chose forward Guillaume Gauthier from the St. Eustache midget team.

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies took St. Eustache defenceman Justin Guenette fourth overall and the Val d'Or Foreurs selected defenceman Matt Murphy of Fredericton fifth.

Highly regarded forward Anthony Duclair, who is expected to play in the USHL, was chosen in the third round by the Quebec Remparts.

The QMJHL will be down to 17 teams next season after the league announced it will buy out the Lewiston franchise. Sherbrooke is to be added as an expansion team in 2012-13.

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Sarnia Sting forward Alex Galchenyuk, one of the top prospects for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, will have surgery later this week to repair a torn ACL in his knee.

The centre, who was injured on Sept. 16 in an exhibition game against the Windsor Spitfires, was rated fifth on TSN's 2012 pre-season draft prospect list.

"Unfortunately, injuries like this are a part of the game," Sarnia Sting general manager Jacques Beaulieu said in a statement. "Our thoughts are solely with Alex at this time as this was very difficult news to receive.

"We will be providing Alex with the best care possible as he begins his rehab towards getting back on the ice. We are very hopeful Alex will be back in the lineup towards the end of the regular season."

Galchenyuk, who has not appeared in a regular season game this year, scored 31 goals and 83 points in 68 games last season, finishing third in OHL rookie goal scoring and tying teammate and (potential first overall draft pick in 2012) Nail Yakupov in assists.

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.infamous said:

yea we do. i think they are one of the better teams in the ohl if im not mistaken. Might be wrong though. But they use to be.

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