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Canadian minor-pro ice hockey league (founded 1996) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey (LNAH, "North American Hockey League")[1][2] is a semi-professional ice hockey league based in the Canadian province of Quebec. Teams in the LNAH compete for the Vertdure Cup.
 | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country | Canada |
| Headquarters | Thetford Mines, Quebec |
| Most recent champion(s) | Thetford Assurancia (4) |
| Most titles | Thetford Assurancia (4) |
| Official website | lnah.com |
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.[3]
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.
| Team | City | Arena | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonquière Marquis | Saguenay, Quebec | Palais des Sports de Saguenay | 1996[lower-alpha 1] |
| Laval Pétroliers | Laval, Quebec | Colisée de Laval | 2018[lower-alpha 1] |
| Rivière-du-Loup 3L | Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec | Centre Premier Tech | 2008 |
| Saint-Georges Cool FM 103.5 | Saint-Georges, Quebec | Centre Sportif Lacroix-Dutil | 1996[lower-alpha 1] |
| Sorel-Tracy Éperviers | Sorel-Tracy, Quebec | Colisée Cardin | 1996[lower-alpha 1] |
| Thetford Assurancia | Thetford Mines, Quebec | Centre Mario Gosselin | 1996 |
| Saint-Hyacinthe Bataillon | Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec | Stade Louis-Philippe-Gaucher | 2024 |
| National de Québec | L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec | Complexe Sportif Bonair | 2024 |
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.
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 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 2012, 2015, 2022, 2024 | 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2017, 2023 | Prolab, Isothermic, Assurancia | 1996–present |
| Saint-Georges | 6 | 2 | 4 | 2010, 2023 | 1999, 2001, 2004, 2011 | Garaga, CRS Express, Cool FM 103.5 | 1998–present |
| Sorel-Tracy | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2018, 2019 | 2013, 2015, 2016 | HC Carvena, Éperviers | 1996–2008, 2010–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 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2016 | 2018, 2024 | 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 |
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