Gatineau Olympiques

Hockey team | CAN_eng = 1
team = Gatineau Olympiques

city = Gatineau, Quebec
league = Q.M.J.H.L.
division = Telus
founded = 1960s
arena = Robert Guertin Centre
colours = Black, Purple, Yellow & Orange
coach = Mario Richer
GM = André Chaput
name1 = Hull Hawks
dates1 = 1960s-1970
name2 = Hull Festivals
dates2 = 1970-1976
name3 = Hull Olympiques
dates3 = 1976-2003
name4 = Gatineau Olympiques
dates4 = 2003-present The Gatineau Olympiques are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League out of Gatineau, Quebec. The Olympiques play out of the Robert Guertin Centre. The franchise was granted membership in the QMJHL during 1973, then known as the Hull Festivals. The Olympiques have appeared in the Memorial Cup seven times, winning once in 1997.

History

Before joining the "Q", the team was a member of the Central Junior A Hockey League, known originally as the Hull Castors but later as the Hull Hawks. 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. Three seasons 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. [Citation |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |title=67's outwork Olympiques |date=January 24, 2000|pages=p. C3 |last=Yzerman |first=Chris] The teams have played interleague regular-season home and home games in the 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001-02 and 2002–03 seasons since. [Citation |newspaper=Ottawa Citizen |date=June 20, 2003 |title=Sidelines |pages= p. B8]

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.

Championships

Memorial Cup Canadian Hockey League champions * 1986 - Finalist vs. Guelph Platers * 1988 - 3rd place in tournament * 1995 - 4th place in tournament * 1997 - Champions vs. Lethbridge Hurricanes * 2003 - Finalist vs. Kelowna Rockets * 2004 - Finalist vs. Kitchener Rangers * 2008 - 4th place in tournament

President's Cup - League playoff champions * 1985-86 - Champions vs. Drummondville Voltigeurs * 1987-88 - Champions vs. Drummondville Voltigeurs * 1994-95 - Champions vs. Laval Titan Collège Français * 1996-97 - Champions vs. Chicoutimi Saguenéens * 1998-99 - Finalist vs. Acadie-Bathurst Titan * 1999-00 - Finalist vs. Rimouski Océanic * 2002-03 - Champions vs. Halifax Mooseheads * 2003-04 - Champions vs. Moncton Wildcats * 2007-08 - Champions vs. Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular season champions
* 1985-86 (108 pts), 1987-88 (90 pts), 1996-97 (99 pts), 2003-04 (107 pts)

Division titles - Regular season champions
* 1985-86 (108 pts), 1987-88 (90 pts), 1996-97 (99 pts), 1999-00 (90 pts), 2001-02 (75 pts), 2003-04 (107 pts)

eason-by-season record

* Hull Hawks (1969–1970)
* Hull Festivals (1970–1976) [ [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=1393 Hull Festivals season-by-season on hockeydb.com] ]
* Hull Olympiques (1976–2003) [ [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=1025 Hull Olympiques season-by-season on hockeydb.com] ]
* Gatineau Olympiques (2003–present) [ [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=3245 Gatineau Olympiques season-by-season on hockeydb.com] ]

Regular season

"Complete results before 1969 unavailable.":OL = Overtime loss, SL = Shootout loss, Pct = Winning percentage

NHL alumni

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

:Hull Festivals (1970-1976) [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Hull+Festivals source]

* Ted Bulley * Nelson Burton

* Richard David * Andre Dore

* Pierre Giroux * Glen Sharpley

* Brent Tremblay

:Hull Olympiques (1976-2003) [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Hull+Olympiques source]

*Jeff Allan *Joel Baillargeon *Yves Beaudoin *Francis Belanger *Martin Biron *Michel Bolduc *Sébastien Bordeleau *Martin Brochu *Paul Brousseau *Benoît Brunet *Jim Campbell *John Chabot *Stephane Charbonneau *Sylvain Côté *Jonathan Delisle *Matthieu Descoteaux *André Doré

*Christian Dube *Gordie Dwyer *Karl Dykhuis *Jiri Fischer *Steven Fletcher *Michel Galarneau *Jean-Marc Gaulin *Jocelyn Gauvreau *Martin Gélinas *Martin Gendron *Rick Hayward *Aleš Hemský *Jean-François Labbé *Marc Labelle *Mario Larocque *Eric Lavigne *John LeBlanc

*Shane McEachern *Don MacLean *Paul MacLean *Craig Martin *Stephane Matteau *Andrew McKim *Jan Nemecek *Lee Norwood *Stephane Quintal *Andre Racicot *Peter Ratchuk *Alain Raymond *Stephane Richer *Serge Roberge *Luc Robitaille *Jeremy Roenick *Roberto Romano

*Pavel Rosa *Jean-Marc Routhier *Cam Russell *Michael Ryder *Philippe Sauvé *Daniel Shank *Martin Simard *Maxime Talbot *José Theodore *Pascal Trepanier *Jean-Guy Trudel *Sylvain Turgeon *Alain Vigneault *Radim Vrbata *Colin White *Peter Worrell

:Gatineau Olympiques (Since 2003) [http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayersByTeam.jsp?team=Gatineau+Olympiques source]

* Claude Giroux

* David Krejci

* Doug O'Brien

* Maxime Talbot

Retired numbers

Four Olympiques players have had their numbers retired by the team. Former coach, Pat Burns, has also been honoured.
* # 15 Luc Robitaille
* # 16 Sam Lang
* # 33 José Theodore
* # 77 Guy Rouleau

Current squad

(as of September 25, 2008)

References

External links

* [http://www.lesolympiques.net/home.php Official web site (english version)]