Gilles Courteau

Gilles Courteau (born October 7, 1957) is a Canadian former ice hockey administrator. He served as president of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) from 1986 to 2023, and was a vice-president of the Canadian Hockey League. During his tenure as president, the QMJHL expanded from 10 teams in Quebec only, to 18 teams including Atlantic Canada. He implemented English as the language of instruction, and sought for the league to provide education and player assistance. He previously worked for the Trois-Rivières Draveurs, the Quebec Remparts, the Quebec Nordiques, and was inducted into the Hockey Québec Hall of Fame in 2016.

Early hockey career Courteau was born on October 7, 1957, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. He began his career in hockey as a statistician for the Trois-Rivières Draveurs from 1975 to 1977. He worked with head coach Michel Bergeron for two seasons. Team owner Sylvain Cinq-Mars recommended Courteau apply for a similar position with the league after league president Paul Dumont opened an administration office in the Colisée de Québec. Courteau worked as a general administrator for the QMJHL from 1977 to 1980. is also a vice-president of the Canadian Hockey League (CHL), and represents the CHL on the junior council of Hockey Canada. The decision was successful in allowing new owners and respected businessmen to join the league, raise expectations and the league profile, and increase the average worth of each franchise to $4.5 million in 2015. He was criticized in Quebec's French language media, but defended his decision as it prepared athletes for professional leagues that only use English. He successfully lobbied for amendments to labour standards in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, and as of June 2018 is negotiating with the Quebec government. Courteau said that if players were paid a weekly salary, they would be less likely to continue schooling.

Courteau has maintained the status quo on not releasing numbers of concussions in the QMJHL, due to confidentiality of medical records, but has stated that the CHL may adopt a policy on the disclosure of statistics in the future. He also stated that the CHL has considered a possible renaming of the QMJHL, but that there are issues regarding branding and broadcasting.

In December 2022, Courteau, announced that he will retire from the QMJHL in May 2024. He instead resigned sooner, effective March 5, 2023. His resignation came during the Government of Quebec inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct committed during hazing rituals dating back to 1975 in the QMJHL. He was succeeded as QMJHL commissioner by Mario Cecchini.

Honours and awards Courteau received a commendation from Minister of Veterans Affairs of Canada for his role in establishing a veterans' week throughout the QMJHL in 2010. Courteau was inducted into the Hockey Québec Hall of Fame on June 11, 2016.

After retiring as commissioner in 2023, the QMJHL renamed its trophy for the playoffs championship to be the Gilles-Courteau Trophy.

Personal life Courteau coached baseball in Trois-Rivières in 1975. He worked at the CIP pulp and paper mill in Trois-Rivières, before relocating to Quebec City to follow a hockey career. After the QMJHL relocated to Boucherville, Courteau became a resident of Varennes, Quebec.