Sorel Éperviers

Sorel Éperviers
City	Sorel-Tracy & Verdun, Quebec
League	QMJHL
Operated	1969 (1969) to 1981
Home arena	Colisée Cardin & Verdun Auditorium
Franchise history
1969–77	Sorel Éperviers
1977–79	Verdun Éperviers
1979–80	Verdun/Sorel Éperviers
1980–81	Sorel Éperviers
1981–95	Granby Bisons
1995–97	Granby Prédateurs
1997–present	Cape Breton Screaming Eagles

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. The most famous Épervier alumnus would undoubtedly be Ray Bourque, who is also the only former Épervier in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

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 Screaming Eagles.

NHL alumni

Season-by-season record

• 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

References