The 1982–83 QMJHL season was the 14th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league undergoes its first expansion since the 1973–74 QMJHL season by adding two new teams in Drummondville and Longueuil. Divisions are restored, and eleven teams played 70 games each in the regular season.
Rookie centreman Pat LaFontaine of the Verdun Juniors posts 234 points in the regular season, the second highest season total in junior ice hockey history at the time, behind only Pierre Larouche's 251 points from the 1973–74 QMJHL season. LaFontaine would go on to win six individual trophies at the season's end.
The Longueuil Chevaliers coached by Jacques Lemaire, set the Canadian Hockey League record for the best first season by an expansion team posting 37 wins and a winning percentage of 0.557 in 70 games, ahead of the 2003–04 Everett Silvertips with 35 wins and a winning percentage of 0.556 in 72 games. The Chevaliers also became the first expansion team to reach the championship series of the playoffs, a feat later equalled by the Silvertips.
The Laval Voisins and Shawinigan Cataractes both set a QMJHL record with 33 wins on home ice during the regular season. The Laval Voisins finished first overall in the regular season, winning the Jean Rougeau Trophy. The Verdun Juniors won the President's Cup, defeating the Longueuil Chevaliers in the finals.
The Sherbrooke Castors relocate to Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, becoming the Saint-Jean Castors.
The Montreal Juniors relocate to Verdun becoming the Verdun Juniors.
The Drummondville Voltigeurs join the league as an expansion franchise.
The Longueuil Chevaliers join the league as an expansion franchise.
Final standings
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; Pts = Points; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against
complete list of standings.
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalties in Minutes
complete scoring statistics
Pat LaFontaine was the leading scorer of the playoffs with 35 points (11 goals, 24 assists).
Quarterfinals
Laval Voisins defeated Hull Olympiques 4 games to 3.
Shawinigan Cataractes defeated Saint-Jean Castors 4 games to 0.
Verdun Juniors defeated Trois-Rivières Draveurs 4 games to 0.
Longueuil Chevaliers defeated Chicoutimi Saguenéens 4 games to 1.
Semifinals
Longueuil Chevaliers defeated Laval Voisins 4 games to 1.
Verdun Juniors defeated Shawinigan Cataractes 4 games to 2.
Finals
Verdun Juniors defeated Longueuil Chevaliers 4 games to 1.
First team
Goaltender - Mario Gosselin, Shawinigan Cataractes
Left defence - J. J. Daigneault, Longueuil Chevaliers
Right defence - Michel Petit, Saint-Jean Castors
Left winger - Sylvain Turgeon, Hull Olympiques
Centreman - Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
Right winger - Bobby Mormina, Longueuil Chevaliers
Coach - Jacques Lemaire, Longueuil Chevaliers
Second team
Goaltender - Luc Guenette, Quebec Remparts
Left defence - Jocelyn Gauvreau, Granby Bisons
Right defence - Bobby Dollas, Laval Voisins
Left winger - Claude Vilgrain, Laval Voisins & Ronald Choules, Trois-Rivières Draveurs
Centreman - Mario Lemieux, Laval Voisins
Right winger - Denis Dore, Chicoutimi Saguenéens
Coach - Ron Lapointe, Shawinigan Cataractes
List of First/Second/Rookie team all-stars.
Trophies and awards
Team
President's Cup - Playoff Champions, Verdun Juniors
Jean Rougeau Trophy - Regular Season Champions, Laval Voisins
Robert Lebel Trophy - Team with best GAA, Shawinigan Cataractes
Player
Michel Brière Memorial Trophy - Most Valuable Player, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
Jean Béliveau Trophy - Top Scorer, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
Guy Lafleur Trophy - Playoff MVP, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy - Best GAA, Tony Haladuick, Laval Voisins
Emile Bouchard Trophy - Defenceman of the Year, J. J. Daigneault, Longueuil Chevaliers
Mike Bossy Trophy - Best Pro Prospect, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors & Sylvain Turgeon, Hull Olympiques
Michel Bergeron Trophy - Offensive Rookie of the Year, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
Raymond Lagacé Trophy - Defensive Rookie of the Year, Bobby Dollas, Laval Voisins
Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy - Most sportsmanlike player, Pat LaFontaine, Verdun Juniors
Marcel Robert Trophy - Best Scholastic Player, Claude Gosselin, Quebec Remparts
