QMJHL Power Rankings Heat Up as 2026 Begins
As the calendar flips to 2026, the QMJHL is wasting no time reminding everyone how sharply divided this league has become. The first game of the new year is set to drop the puck on Friday night, and heading into it, the power rankings paint a very clear picture of who’s in control, who’s chasing, and who’s already thinking about the future.
Right at the top, it’s a familiar sight. Chicoutimi Saguenéens are once again sitting in first place, and at this point, it almost feels routine. Their record speaks for itself, and another perfect week has only strengthened their grip on the league’s top spot. Everything has been clicking, and with major trade additions already settled in, Chicoutimi looks more and more like the benchmark everyone else is being measured against. Close behind, Moncton Wildcats continue to mirror that consistency. They’ve kept pace all season, and the gap between these two Eastern Conference heavyweights and the rest of the pack remains significant. Blainville-Boisbriand still rounds out the contender tier, though their hold is starting to slip. Injuries and lost ground in the standings have made the chase tougher, even if the talent on paper still demands respect.
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Just below them sits a crowded and volatile group of pretenders. Rouyn-Noranda and Drummondville have been red hot through the holiday stretch, pushing themselves right back into the conversation out west. Shawinigan and Cape Breton have both made the bold decision to trade their captains, yet wins have continued to come, proving that structure and depth still matter. Newfoundland has been one of the biggest movers lately, climbing after key trade acquisitions, while Charlottetown and Halifax are starting to wobble. If those recent struggles continue, a slide down the rankings could be hard to avoid.
Further down, the hopefuls tier feels stuck in neutral. Quebec, Sherbrooke, Rimouski, Victoriaville, Val-d’Or, and Gatineau are largely holding their positions, and that’s mostly because expectations have shifted. For many of these teams, assets have been sold, games have been lost, and the focus has clearly turned toward development rather than immediate results. Rimouski and Val-d’Or, in particular, have found wins hard to come by, and any serious playoff ambitions are fading fast.
At the bottom, the rebuilders remain unchanged. Saint John and Baie-Comeau are deep into long-term plans, with youth and draft picks taking priority over the standings. Baie-Comeau continues to get younger by the week, while Saint John at least has something to rally around in rookie standout Alexis Joseph, who keeps delivering moments of excitement in an otherwise difficult season.
With trade season reshaping rosters and the stretch run approaching, the hierarchy feels clearer than ever. The contenders are separating, the middle is unstable, and the rebuilds are firmly underway. As 2026 gets rolling, the real question is whether anyone can truly close the gap at the top.
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