Gatineau Olympiques

The Gatineau Olympiques are a major junior ice hockey team based in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, that plays in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Starting with the 2021–22 season, the Olympiques play home games at Centre Slush Puppie,[1] having previously played at the Robert Guertin Centre dating back to its beginnings in the Central Junior A Hockey League. The club, then known as the Hull Festivals, was granted membership in the QMJHL in 1973. The Olympiques have appeared in the Memorial Cup seven times, winning once in 1997. Over eighty former players and coaches have gone on to play or coach in the National Hockey League (NHL), including Martin Biron, Aleš Hemský, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Luc Robitaille, Jeremy Roenick, Michael Ryder, Maxime Talbot, José Théodore, Colin White, Claude Giroux, David Krejčí, Jack Adams-winning head coaches Alain Vigneault and Pat Burns, and 2011 Stanley Cup-winning coach Claude Julien.

Gatineau Olympiques
Olympiques de Gatineau
CityGatineau, Quebec
LeagueQuebec Major Junior Hockey League
DivisionTelus West
Founded1969 (1969)
Home arenaCentre Slush Puppie
ColoursBlack, white and silver
     
General managerSerge Beausoleil
Head coachBenoit Desrosiers
Websiteolympiquesdegatineau.ca
Franchise history
1969–1970Hull Hawks
1970–1976Hull Festivals
1976–2003Hull Olympiques
2003–presentGatineau Olympiques
Championships
Playoff championships1997 Memorial Cup Champions
1986, 1988, 1995, 2003, 2004, 2008 QMJHL Champions

History
Hull Olympiques logo
Hull Olympiques logo
Original Gatineau Olympiques logo
Original Gatineau Olympiques logo

Before joining the QMJHL, the team was a member of the Central Junior A Hockey League, known originally as the Hull Blackhawks (Les Éperviers de Hull) but later as the Hull Beavers (Les Castors de Hull) and Hull-Volant Junior A. Originally Hull and the CJHL were eligible to compete for the Memorial Cup, the Major Junior crown, but were relegated to Tier II Junior "A" in 1970. The season before joining the QMJHL in 1973 they became the Hull Festivals, and in 1976, they became the Hull Olympiques; the team name was changed to the Gatineau Olympiques one year after the city of Hull was amalgamated into Gatineau in 2002.

The Olympiques share a junior hockey market with the Ottawa 67's, across the Ottawa River. Pre-season games between the two teams were a regular occurrence from 1975 to 1986.[2] The teams have played interleague regular-season home and home games in the 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2009–10 seasons since.[3]

The Olympiques have won the President's Cup seven times, most recently in 2007–08. The team has been to four Memorial Cup finals, losing three (1986, 2003 and 2004) and winning the 1997 Memorial Cup, which they also hosted.

From 1985 until 1992, the Olympiques were owned by Wayne Gretzky; it was under his ownership that the team first adopted black, silver and white as their team colours, similar to those of the Los Angeles Kings, whom Gretzky played for in 1988.

On May 31, 2010, it was announced that former Olympiques coach Benoit Groulx, who had left the organization to coach the Rochester Americans would be returning to be the general manager and head coach.[4]

For the 2011–12 season, the Olympiques returned to the colours of black, silver and white following an eight-year absence. [5]

In 2016, coach Groulx left the Olympiques again to become the head coach of the Syracuse Crunch. He was replaced by Mario Duhamel who would only coach 47 games with a 19–24–4 record. Duhamel was replaced by assistant coach Éric Landry.[6]

Championships

Memorial Cup
Canadian Hockey League champions

President's Cup – League playoff champions

Jean Rougeau Trophy – Regular season champions

  • 1985–86, 1987–88, 1996–97, 2003–04

Division titles – Regular season champions

  • 1985–86, 1987–88, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2008–09, 2021–22, 2022–23

Coaches

Notable coaches for the Olympiques include, Jean Bégin, Pat Burns, John Chabot, Benoit Groulx, Claude Julien, Bob Mongrain, Marcel Pronovost, Guy Trottier, and Alain Vigneault.

Season-by-season record
  • Hull Hawks (1969–1970)
  • Hull Festivals (1970–1976)[7]
  • Hull Olympiques (1976–2003)[8]
  • Gatineau Olympiques (2003–present)[9]

Regular season

Complete results before 1969 unavailable.

OL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss, Pct = Winning percentage
SeasonGamesWonLostTiedOLSLPointsPctGoals
for		Goals
against		Standing
1969–70408248--240.3001491995th, CJAHL
1970–714821207--490.5102552383rd, CJAHL
1971–724816311--330.3441782695th, CJAHL
1972–73557453--170.1551923386th, CJAHL
1973–747014551--290.2072264056th, West
1974–757234326--740.5143863694th, West
1975–767230357--670.4653123184th, West
1976–777226379--610.4242833335th, Lebel
1977–787234344--720.5003573975th, Lebel
1978–797210557--270.1882624915th, Lebel
1979–8072253512--620.4313363783rd, Lebel
1980–817223463--490.3402623534th, Lebel
1981–826441212--840.6563432602nd, QMJHL
1982–837030400--600.4293934065th, Lebel
1983–847025450--500.3573014116th, Lebel
1984–856833341--710.4933473522nd, Lebel
1985–867254180--1080.7504232621st, Lebel
1986–877026395--570.4072863234th, Lebel
1987–887043234--900.6433803941st, Lebel
1988–897040255--850.6073292643rd, QMJHL
1989–907036295--770.5503062826th, QMJHL
1990–917036277--790.5642632352nd, Lebel
1991–927041245--870.6213312592nd, Lebel
1992–937040282--820.5862962682nd, Lebel
1993–947238313--790.5493103043rd, Lebel
1994–957242282--860.5973402742nd, Lebel
1995–967052162--1060.7573472462nd, Lebel
1996–977048193--990.7073462051st, Lebel
1997–987032371--650.4642702686th, Lebel
1998–997023389--550.3932762986th, Lebel
1999–200072422460-900.6253392561st, West
2000–0172342873-780.5422882843rd, West
2001–0272333036-750.5212302531st, West
2002–0372392742-840.5832662222nd, West
2003–0470501370-1070.7643061791st, Western
2004–0570332854-750.5362162373rd, Western
2005–06704023-43870.6212612154th, Western
2006–07703927-22820.5863032743rd, Telus
2007–08704319-62940.6642722093rd, Telus
2008–09683825-23810.5592322321st, Western
2009–10683033-14650.4412132173rd, Telus West
2010–11684317-35940.6912431933rd, Telus West
2011–12682632-55620.4562232744th, Telus West
2012–13682934-14630.4632202655th, Telus West
2013–14684123-13860.6322542184th, Telus West
2014–15683131-06680.5002342425th, West
2015–16684619-21950.6992501733rd, West
2016–17683331-40700.5152342533rd, West
2017–18683227-54730.5372132155th, West
2018–19682339-42520.3821942484th, West
2019–20642237-50490.3832042474th, West
2020–21311611-22360.58195874th, West
2021–22683915-113920.6762481932nd, West
2022–23684912-521050.7723041972nd, West

NHL alumni

Lists of National Hockey League alumni. No player from the "Hull Hawks" went on the play in the NHL.

Hull Castors (1968–1969)
Hull Festivals (1970–1976)[10]
Hull Olympiques (1976–2003)[11]
Gatineau Olympiques (since 2003)[12][13]

Retired numbers
Five banners in white whith black and silver trim hanging vertically from the celing of the arena
Banners of honoured alumni at the Robert Guertin Centre

Ten Olympiques players have had their numbers retired by the team. Former coach Pat Burns has also been honoured.[14]

References
  1. "Inauguration vendredi du Centre Slush Puppie : la fin d'une longue saga" [Friday inauguration of the Slush Puppie Center: the end of a long saga]. Radio-Canada (in French). 2021-08-20. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  2. Yzerman, Chris (January 24, 2000), "67's outwork Olympiques", Ottawa Citizen, pp. C3
  3. "Sidelines", Ottawa Citizen, pp. B8, June 20, 2003
  4. "Confirmé...Benoît Groulx de retour à Gatineau... Par Stéphane Leroux - LE GRAND CLUB". Archived from the original on 2010-06-04. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
  5. "LaPresse.ca - Actualités, Arts, International, Débats, Sports, Vivre, Voyage". La Presse. Archived from the original on 2011-08-26.
  6. "Olympiques fire head coach Duhamel". Ottawa Sun. January 23, 2017. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017.
  7. "Hull Festivals season-by-season on hockeydb.com". hockeydb.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21.
  8. "Hull Olympiques season-by-season on hockeydb.com". hockeydb.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21.
  9. "Gatineau Olympiques season-by-season on hockeydb.com". hockeydb.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21.
  10. "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Players by Team -- Hull Festivals". Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  11. "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Players by Team -- Hull Olympiques". Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  12. "Legends of Hockey -- NHL Player Search -- Players by Team -- Gatineau Olympiques". Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-02-07.
  13. "NHL – Les Olympiques de Gatineau". en.olympiquesdegatineau.ca. Archived from the original on 2011-05-06.
  14. "In Honour of Pat Burns!". Retrieved 2020-09-09.
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