New managers in Chicoutimi and owners in Val-d’Or

Press Release

The commissioner and QMJHL are proud to welcome the new group of managers of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens and owners of the Val-d’Or Foreurs. The Members accepted and welcomed the two groups this morning during a meeting held at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Montreal.

The Chicoutimi Saguenéens
The group led by Laval Menard, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Alain Deschênes and Martin Lavoie was chosen among five candidates for the Saguenéens’ team. “I really liked the way the City of Chicoutimi held the bidding process which wasn’t contested. It’s even a model that we would like to recommend to other teams. The city of Chicoutimi was able to get its team of managers to reach their objectives,” declared the commissioner.

The radio host, former referee and inductee into QMJHL’s Hockey Hall of Fame presented by RDS, Phil Desgagné is the new member and governor of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens. He was an on-ice official for sixteen seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He worked as a linesman in his first year of duty and then worked as a referee for the remainder of his career. As early as his first season in 1969-70, he traveled throughout the province of Quebec to take part in nearly 45 games. In 1982, he was assigned to work the Memorial Cup, where he was the referee for the final game won by the Kitchener Rangers over the Sherbrooke Castors at the Robert-Guertin arena in Hull. The Chicoutimi native was also assigned to three QMJHL All-Star contests.

“I’m not completely new to this. One of my main contacts in the board is Gilles Courteau. I refereed for twenty years and he was already in post. I also know the majority of the governors. I have the chance to cross paths with them yearly at the Golden Puck Gala” said Phil Desgagné who was thrilled with the nomination. “It’s like coming full circle for me in the QMJHL.”

It’s important to note that the QMJHL’s 2013 Annual session will be held in Chicoutimi. The Montagnais hotel will be the headquarters of the event, the golf tournament will be held at the Chicoutimi Golf Club, the Draft will be in the Georges-Vézina centre and the teams will have their kiosks setup in the Agricultural Pavilion.

The Val-d’Or Foreurs
Furthermore, the group of owners of the Val-d’Or Foreurs, led by Daniel Massé, was also welcomed this morning during the Member’s meeting. “Our objective is to assure that the Foreurs stay in Val-d’Or for the longest possible time, and bring back the pride of the team. There was a time where there were logos everywhere. We want to bring this back and we want it to last,” stated Daniel Massé.

The former defenseman of the team, Alexandre Rouleau, is the new General Manager and Director of Administrative Affairs and Marketing. He played with the Foreurs from 1999-2000 to mid-season 2002-2003 before being traded to the Quebec Remparts. In 274 games in the QMJHL, he scored 44 goals and added 80 assists for a total of 124 points.

“The Board of Directors were looking for a person that knew hockey very well, that lived in Val-d’Or and had expertise in administration. Alexandre communicated with us to become an investor and we realized that he was the ideal candidate for the job,” declared Massé.


(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)