The Sorel Éperviers (Black Hawks) were a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 1969 to 1981. The team was one of the founding members of the QMJHL. They mostly played at the Colisée Cardin in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, but also spent a few seasons at the Verdun Auditorium in the Montreal suburb of Verdun, Quebec. Rodrigue Lemoyne served as the team's general manager. Ray Bourque is the only former Épervier in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Sorel Éperviers
CitySorel-Tracy &
Verdun, Quebec
LeagueQMJHL
Operated1969 (1969) to 1981
Home arenaColisée Cardin &
Verdun Auditorium
Franchise history
1969–77Sorel Éperviers
1977–79Verdun Éperviers
1979–80Verdun/Sorel Éperviers
1980–81Sorel Éperviers
1981–95Granby Bisons
1995–97Granby Prédateurs
1997–2019Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
2019–presentCape Breton Eagles

The Éperviers originated in the Quebec Junior Hockey League, and were the league's champion in 1969. Sorel were finalists in the eastern Canadian championship for the George Richardson Memorial Trophy, losing 3 games to 1 to the Montreal Junior Canadiens.

The 1973–74 QMJHL season sparked an offensive explosion, unmatched in Canadian Hockey League history. Sorel set a CHL record of 620 goals scored as a team. Three Sorel players, Pierre Larouche, Michel Deziel and Jacques Cossette, had more than 90 goals and 200 points each. Sorel goaltender Claude Legris also posted the highest goals against average of 4.50 goals per game for a Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy winner.

In 1981 the franchise moved to Granby, Quebec where they became the Granby Bisons. They won the Memorial Cup there in 1996. The franchise is today the Cape Breton Eagles.

NHL alumni

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Season-by-season record

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  • Sorel Éperviers (1969–1977)[1]
  • Verdun Éperviers (1977–1979)[2]
  • Verdun/Sorel Éperviers (1979–1980)[3]
  • Sorel Éperviers (1980–1981)[1]

Note :Pct = Winning percentage

Season Games Won Lost Tied Points Pct Goals
for
Goals
against
Standing
1969–70 56 33 23 0 66 0.589 295 220 4th, East
1970–71 62 25 36 1 51 0.411 214 249 6th, QMJHL
1971–72 62 38 24 0 76 0.613 287 224 4th, QMJHL
1972–73 64 38 23 3 79 0.617 398 362 3rd, QMJHL
1973–74 70 58 11 1 117 0.836 620 301 1st, East
1974–75 72 20 43 9 49 0.340 297 388 4th, East
1975–76 72 27 34 11 65 0.451 302 377 4th, East
1976–77 72 19 48 5 43 0.299 319 448 5th, Dilio
1977–78 72 32 31 9 73 0.507 378 332 4th, Lebel
1978–79 72 41 24 7 89 0.618 367 313 1st, Lebel
1979–80 72 20 47 5 45 0.312 321 426 4th, Lebel
1980–81 72 36 30 6 78 0.542 333 303 2nd, Lebel

References

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