QMJHL president resigns position after 37 years in the role

Gilles Courteau has resigned his position as the president of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, effective immediately.

In his statement addressed to the many people associated with the QMJHL, including the owners, staff, players, and fans of the league he explained his decision.

“When you have dedicated most of your life to an organization, it can be difficult to know when it is time to pass the torch. Yet, it is the only possible decision once you realize it. Although it is not an easy decision to make, it is necessary. Recent events have also been on such a scale that my family members have been affected. Continuing would not be the right thing to do.”

The QMJHL and Courteau in particular are in the midst of a controversy surrounding hazing and bullying in the league, past and present.

The resignation comes just three days after Quebec sport minister Isabelle Charet said the Quebec government would recall Courteau to testify further about allegations of hazing and abusive initiations in the QMJHL, according to Rick Westhead of TSN.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to lead this league,” Courteau’s statement read.

During Courteau’s tenure as president of the league, it has grown from 10 teams to 18, including multiple teams in Atlantic Canada. He advocated for teams to provide assistance and education to their players. He also made English the language of instruction, slowly moving the league away from its French-language past.

The 65-year-old Courteau previously worked for the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs, Quebec Remparts, and the Quebec Nordiques. In 2016, he was inducted into the Quebec Hockey Hall of Fame.

In addition to being the president of the QMJHL, Coutreau was also the commissioner of that league and the Vice President of the Canadian Hockey League. The league’s growth under him made it possible for him to secure a 12-year television rights deal with Sportsnet and TVA Sports.