The QMJHL regular season came to a close on Saturday, with several key spots in the standings still up for grabs.
The Moncton Wildcats ultimately secured first place overall for the second consecutive year, winning both of their final games of the weekend. They finished with 104 points, edging the Chicoutimi Saguenéens by a single point. Had the two teams finished tied, Chicoutimi would have held the tiebreaker.
In the Western Conference, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies claimed the top spot, narrowly finishing ahead of both the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and the Drummondville Voltigeurs — also by just one point. It’s a reminder that games aren’t won on paper, as few would have predicted this scenario before the season began.
With that, the stage is set.
Here’s a look at the first-round matchups for the 2026 QMJHL playoffs. Action gets underway on Thursday, March 26, with one series, while the remaining matchups will begin Friday night as teams begin their quest for the Gilles-Courteau Trophy — and a spot at the Memorial Cup in Kelowna.
Western Conference
(1) Rouyn-Noranda Huskies vs (8) Gatineau Olympiques
This series has all the makings of a one-sided matchup, much like their regular-season meetings. The Huskies were perfect against the Olympiques, going 8-0. Rouyn-Noranda is also peaking at the right time, having won 10 of its last 11 games.
The first two games will be played in Rouyn-Noranda on Friday and Saturday before the series shifts to Gatineau for Games 3 and 4.
My pick: Huskies in 4
(2) Blainville-Boisbriand Armada vs (7) Victoriaville Tigres
Blainville-Boisbriand controlled the season series, outscoring Victoriaville 21-7 across four wins. This matchup should provide the Armada with an opportunity to build momentum before potentially facing stiffer competition in the second round.
The Armada will host Games 1 and 2 on Friday and Saturday before the series moves to Victoriaville.
My pick: Blainville in 4
(3) Drummondville Voltigeurs vs (6) Val d’Or Foreurs
While the two teams split their four regular-season meetings, Val-d’Or enters the playoffs struggling, with just two wins in its last 15 games (2-11-2).
Drummondville, meanwhile, has been steady all season under head coach Sylvain Favreau, despite icing one of the youngest rosters in the league. The Voltigeurs will host the first two games before the series shifts to Abitibi for the next three games.
My pick: Drummondville in 5
(4) Shawinigan Cataractes vs (5) Sherbrooke Phoenix
This shapes up as the most compelling first-round matchup in the Western Conference. Despite both teams selling at the trade deadline, Shawinigan and Sherbrooke have closed out the season on strong notes.
The Phoenix, in particular, surged late with an eight-game winning streak before dropping their final two contests. However, their struggles against Shawinigan this season are impossible to ignore. Sherbrooke went 0-8 in the season series and has not defeated the Cataractes in 13 straight regular-season meetings, with their last win dating back to January of last year.
Even so, this projects to be a tightly contested series. Shawinigan gets a slight edge, bolstered by last year’s deep playoff run and a more experienced core compared to a young but surging Sherbrooke lineup.
My pick: Shawinigan in 7
Eastern Conference
(1) Moncton Wildcats vs (8) Saint John Sea Dogs
After a slightly slower start, the Wildcats took control of the season and never looked back, finishing as the only team to reach the 50-win mark. Defending champions, Moncton once again enters the playoffs as the team to beat.
They open against a familiar opponent in the Saint John Sea Dogs, with the entire series set within New Brunswick. The Wildcats dominated the season series, and there’s little to suggest that trend will shift in the postseason.
Moncton will host the first two games on Friday and Saturday before making the short trip to Saint John for Games 3 and 4.
My pick: Moncton in 4
(2) Chicoutimi Saguenéens vs (7) Halifax Mooseheads
Despite falling just short of first overall, the Chicoutimi Saguenéens enter the playoffs every bit as dangerous as Moncton. With the 2026 season long viewed as their window to end a decades-long drought, the organization pushed all its chips in at the trade deadline, strengthening the lineup across the board.
The new pieces have quickly fallen into place, and Chicoutimi now looks like one of the most complete teams in the league. On paper, Halifax shouldn’t pose a major obstacle in the opening round.
The Saguenéens will host Games 1 and 2 next Friday and Saturday before making the trip to the Maritimes for Games 3 and 4. Should a game 5 be necessary, it would also be played in Halifax due to long travel reasons.
My pick: Chicoutimi in 4
(3) Newfoundland Regiment vs (6) Cape Breton Eagles
The first-year Regiment will already get a taste of playoff hockey at the Mary Brown’s Centre — an impressive milestone for an expansion franchise.
In their inaugural postseason series, they’ll face a familiar Maritime opponent in the Cape Breton Eagles, who held the edge during the regular season, winning five of eight matchups. That said, Newfoundland closed the gap late, taking the final three meetings as the team found its stride heading into the playoffs.
The series opens Thursday, March 26, in Newfoundland, with Game 2 set for Friday night. The action then shifts to Cape Breton for Games 3, 4 and, if necessary, Game 5, before returning to Newfoundland for Games 6 and 7, if needed.
My pick: Newfoundland in 6
(4) Charlottetown Islanders vs (5) Quebec Remparts
Charlottetown finished just three points ahead of Quebec in the standings, but enters the playoffs with far more momentum, having won 11 of its last 14 games.
Quebec, on the other hand, closed out the season with a 6-6-3 record over its final 15 contests — a stretch that perfectly reflects a campaign marked by inconsistency. The Remparts did get the better of the Islanders early in the season in Charlottetown, but the Islanders returned the favor with a win in their lone visit to the Videotron Centre just two weeks ago.
Travel will play a factor in this series, but Quebec can lean on its passionate home crowd, with Games 3, 4 and, if necessary, Game 5 set to be played in Quebec City. If the series goes the distance, the final two games would shift back to the Maritimes — a scenario that could give Charlottetown a boost, much like it did throughout the regular season.
My pick: Charlottetown in 6
How ever it unfolds, the opening round should give us a clearer picture of who’s truly built for a long playoff run — and who may have benefited from a strong regular season. With tight races, streaking teams, and a few intriguing matchups, the margin for error will be razor thin from the outset.
Now, it’s no longer about projections or regular-season trends — it’s about execution. The road to the Gilles-Courteau Trophy begins now.
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