View source for Charlottetown Islanders

{{short description|Junior ice hockey team in Prince Edward Island}}
{{for|the Junior A team known as the Charlottetown Islanders from 1968-1973|Charlottetown Abbies}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=May 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox hockey team
| team        = Charlottetown Islanders<br />''Islanders de Charlottetown''
| colour      = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#000000 5px solid; border-bottom:#D0BD7F 5px solid;
| colour text = #000000
| logo        = CharlottetownIslanders.PNG
| logosize    = 215px
| city        = [[Charlottetown]], Prince Edward Island
| league      = [[Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League]]
| conference  = Eastern
| division    = Maritimes
| founded     = 1999
| arena       = [[Eastlink Centre]]
| colours     = Black, harvest gold and white<br>{{Color box|#000000}} {{Color box|#D0BD7F}} {{Color box|#FFFFFF}}
| coach       = Jim Hulton
| GM          = [[Jim Hulton]]
| website     = [https://charlottetownislanders.com/ charlottetownislanders.com]
<!-- Franchise history below -->
| name1       = [[Montreal Rocket]]
| dates1      = [[1999–2000 QMJHL season|1999]]–[[2002–03 QMJHL season|2003]]
| name2       = P.E.I. Rocket
| dates2      = [[2003–04 QMJHL season|2003]]–[[2012–13 QMJHL season|2013]]
| name3       = Charlottetown Islanders
| dates3      = [[2013–14 QMJHL season|2013]]–present
| uniform_image=QMJHL-Uniform-CHA.png}}

The '''Charlottetown Islanders''' are a Canadian [[junior ice hockey]] team in the [[Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League]] (QMJHL) based in [[Charlottetown]], Prince Edward Island. They are members of the Maritimes Division, and play their home games at the [[Eastlink Centre]].

==History==
Originally located in [[Montreal]], and called the [[Montreal Rocket]], the team relocated to [[Charlottetown]], [[Prince Edward Island]], in 2003. They were named after [[Maurice Richard|Maurice "Rocket" Richard]] of the [[Montreal Canadiens]], and their team crest depicted his number, 9.<ref>{{cite news|title=Prince Edward Island hockey team no longer named after Montreal legend|url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/jrhockey-buzzing-the-net/prince-edward-island-hockey-team-no-longer-named-144642460.html|website=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|last=Charron|first=Cam|date=August 22, 2012|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

In their first season on PEI, the Rocket won 40 regular season games and made it to the second round of the playoffs, where they lost in six games to the [[Moncton Wildcats]] led by future [[National Hockey League|NHL]] star goaltender [[Corey Crawford]].<ref name="ThirdRound">{{cite web| url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-islanders/a-third-round-we-have-been-waiting-for| title=A third round we have been waiting for|publisher=Charlottetown Islanders|website=[[Canadian Hockey League]]|date=April 16, 2015|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

Beginning in the [[2013–14 QMJHL season|2013–14 season]], the Rocket rebranded as the '''Charlottetown Islanders'''.<ref> {{cite web| url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-islanders/new-era-begins-with-charlottetown-islanders| title=New Era Begins with Charlottetown Islanders|website=[[Canadian Hockey League]]|date=May 27, 2013|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

President and governor Serge Savard Jr. confirmed on April 17, 2013, that the QMJHL had contacted the Rocket two days earlier with a proposal to buy the struggling franchise. Savard said he intended to accept the offer, somewhere in the area of $3.5 million, unless he was able to find a local buyer or buyers for the team. Savard said league commissioner Gilles Corteau had given him until April 26 to secure a buyer. One interested group intended to relocate the team to [[Sorel, Quebec]].<ref name=sale>{{cite news| title=Savard family hangs for sale sign on P.E.I. Rocket| url=http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/Hockey/2013-04-17/article-3222318/Savard-family-hangs-for-sale-sign-on-PEI-Rocket/1| last=Reid| first=Charles| work=[[Cape Breton Post]]| date=April 17, 2013| access-date=2014-10-14| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923221506/http://www.capebretonpost.com/Sports/Hockey/2013-04-17/article-3222318/Savard-family-hangs-for-sale-sign-on-PEI-Rocket/1| archive-date=September 23, 2015| url-status=dead}}</ref>

However, an ownership group led by Geoff Boyle agreed to purchase the team, ensuring its future in Charlottetown for 2013–14 and beyond. The new Islanders logo and colour scheme was unveiled on May 27.<ref name="charlottetownislanders">{{cite news| url=http://www.ngnews.ca/Sports/2013-05-27/article-3261268/UPDATED%3A-Charlottetown-Islanders-unveiled-at-news-conference%0D%0A/1| title=Charlottetown Islanders unveiled at news conference| work=Pictou County News| date=May 27, 2013| access-date=2014-10-14| archive-url=https://archive.today/20130628054401/http://www.ngnews.ca/Sports/2013-05-27/article-3261268/UPDATED:-Charlottetown-Islanders-unveiled-at-news-conference%0D%0A/1| archive-date=June 28, 2013| url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[2014–15 QMJHL season|2014–15 season]], for the first time since the franchise's inaugural season as the PEI Rocket, the Charlottetown Islanders advanced to the second round of the QMJHL playoffs, after defeating the [[Sherbrooke Phoenix]] 4–2 in the first round. However, in the second round, they were eliminated by the [[Quebec Remparts]] 4–0.<ref>{{cite web|title=Remparts sweep series|url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-islanders/remparts-sweep-series|publisher=Charlottetown Islanders|website=[[Canadian Hockey League]]|date=April 16, 2015|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

On June 29, 2015, the Islanders hired [[Jim Hulton]] as head coach after [[Gordie Dwyer]] was relieved of his duties as head coach.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hulton named as Head Coach|url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-islanders/hulton-named-as-head-coach|publisher=Charlottetown Islanders|website=[[Canadian Hockey League]]|date=June 29, 2015|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

On March 29, 2016, the Islanders set a new QMJHL record for most shots on goal in one period of a playoff game with 32. The previous record was 30, shared by four teams.<ref>{{cite web|title=Charlottetown Islanders break QMJHL record for shots in a period with 32|url=https://imgur.com/CMLNklz|website=[[Imgur]]|date=March 30, 2016|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

On June 4, 2016, the Charlottetown Islanders hosted the 2016 QMJHL Draft, a first for the franchise since 2006 when they were known as the P.E.I. Rocket.<ref>{{cite news|title=UPDATE: Charlottetown to host 2016 QMJHL Draft|url=https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/sports/update-charlottetown-to-host-2016-qmjhl-draft-105842/|work=Saltwire|last=Malloy|first=Jason|date=June 5, 2015|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

On April 13, 2017, the Islanders advanced to the third round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, eliminating the [[Cape Breton Screaming Eagles]] four games to none in the second round.<ref name="ThirdRound"/>

On May 30, 2022, the Islanders won their third round series to make their first-ever appearance in the [[President's Cup (QMJHL)|President's Cup]] Final. This also marked the fourth time in the previous five playoffs that the team reached the third round.<ref>{{cite web|title= Isles make franchise history as they secure their spot in the President Cup Finals|url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq-islanders/isles-make-franchise-history-as-they-secure-their-spot-in-the-president-cup-finals|publisher=Charlottetown Islanders|website=[[Canadian Hockey League]]|date=May 31, 2022|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

==Players==

===Retired numbers===
*'''9''' [[Maurice Richard]] (Montreal Rocket, DNP)
*'''22''' Pierre-André Bureau (P.E.I. Rocket, 2000–2005)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://chl.ca/lhjmq/en/the-rocket-retire-pierre-andr-bureau-s-22|title=The Rocket retire Pierre-André Bureau's #22|website=CHL.ca|date=2009-02-08|access-date=2024-05-20}}</ref>

===NHL alumni===
[[File:Lukas Cormier with the Charlottetown Islanders in 2022.jpg|thumb|[[Lukas Cormier]] with the Islanders in 2022]]
The following players have played in at least one [[National Hockey League]] (NHL) game as of the conclusion of the [[2024–25 NHL season]]:<ref>{{cite web|title=Montreal Rocket (QMJHL) Alumni|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/amateurs/team.cgi?t=mrt01|website=[[Hockey-Reference]]|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Prince Edward Island Rocket (QMJHL) Alumni|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/amateurs/team.cgi?t=pei02|website=[[Hockey-Reference]]|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL) Alumni|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/amateurs/team.cgi?t=cha01|website=[[Hockey-Reference]]|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

{{Div col|colwidth=12em}}
* [[Nikita Alexandrov]]
* [[Antoine Bibeau]]
* [[Samuel Blais]]
* [[Guillaume Brisebois]]
* [[Filip Chlapík|Filip Chlapik]]
* [[Ryane Clowe]]
* [[Lukas Cormier]]
* [[Josh Currie]]
* [[Hunter Drew]]
* [[Marc-André Gragnani]]
* [[Ryan Graves (ice hockey)|Ryan Graves]]
* [[Ross Johnston]]
* [[Pierre-Olivier Joseph]]
* [[Maxime Lagace]]
* [[David Laliberté]]
* [[Maxim Lapierre]]
* [[Pascal Leclaire]]
* [[Nicolas Meloche]]
* [[Andrej Nestrašil|Andrej Nestrasil]]
* [[Louis Robitaille (ice hockey)|Louis Robitaille]]
* [[Daniel Sprong]]
{{Div col end}}

===NHL first round draft picks===
List of first round selections in the [[NHL Entry Draft]]:<ref>{{cite web|title=Charlottetown Islanders Drafted Player History|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/draft/display_drafted_from_team.php?tmi=11381|website=[[Hockey-Reference]]|access-date=May 20, 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width:3.25%;"| Year
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width:2.50%;"| #
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width:18.0%;"| Player
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width:18.0%;"| Nationality
! bgcolor="#DDDDFF" width:18.0%;"| NHL team
|-
! [[2017 NHL Entry Draft|2017]]
| 23
| [[Pierre-Olivier Joseph]] (D)
| {{flagicon|Canada}} Canada
| [[Arizona Coyotes]]
|}

==Season-by-season results==
*1999–2003 Montreal Rocket<ref>{{cite web|title=Montreal Rocket Statistics and History [QMJHL]|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/montreal-rocket-6938.html|website=[[HockeyDB]]|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>
*2003–2013 P.E.I. Rocket<ref>{{cite web|title=Prince Edward Island Rocket Statistics and History [QMJHL]|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/prince-edward-island-rocket-7551.html|website=[[HockeyDB]]|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>
*2013–present Charlottetown Islanders<ref>{{cite web|title=Charlottetown Islanders Statistics and History [QMJHL]|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/stte/charlottetown-islanders-11381.html|website=[[HockeyDB]]|access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>

===Regular season===
'''OTL''' = Overtime loss<br>
'''SL''' = Shootout loss

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! [[Season (sports)|Season]] || Games || Won || Lost || Tied || OTL || SL || Points || Pct % || Goals<br>for || Goals<br>{{small|against}} || Standing
|-
|[[1999–00 QMJHL season|1999–00]]||72||29||32||6||5||-||69||0.479||276||313|| 3rd West
|-
|[[2000–01 QMJHL season|2000–01]]||72||24||35||7||6||-||61||0.424||249||310|| 4th West
|-
|[[2001–02 QMJHL season|2001–02]]||72||23||39||8||2||-||56||0.389||198||243|| 4th West
|-
|[[2002–03 QMJHL season|2002–03]]||72||32||27||5||8||-||77||0.535||256||261|| 3rd West
|-
|[[2003–04 QMJHL season|2003–04]]||70||40||19||5||6||-||91||0.607||251||189|| 3rd Atlantic
|-
|[[2004–05 QMJHL season|2004–05]]||70||24||39||7||0||-||55||0.393||198||260|| 4th Atlantic
|-
|[[2005–06 QMJHL season|2005–06]]||70||25||38||-||4||3||57||0.373||221||304|| 7th East
|-
|[[2006–07 QMJHL season|2006–07]]||70||36||28||-||2||6||80||0.514||278||250|| 4th East
|-
|[[2007–08 QMJHL season|2007–08]]||70||30||36||-||2||2||64||0.425||243||287|| 7th East
|-
|[[2008–09 QMJHL season|2008–09]]||68||26||32||-||5||5||62||0.382||229||243|| 6th Atlantic
|-
|[[2009–10 QMJHL season|2009–10]]||68||35||25||-||2||6||78||0.515||215||224|| 4th Atlantic
|-
|[[2010–11 QMJHL season|2010–11]]||68||33||26||-||3||6||75||0.551||217||220|| 4th Maritimes
|-
|[[2011–12 QMJHL season|2011–12]]||68||19||43||-||2||4||44||0.324||205||320|| 6th Maritimes
|-
|[[2012–13 QMJHL season|2012–13]]||68||41||23||-||3||1||86||0.632||262||229|| 3rd<br>Telus Maritimes
|-
|[[2013–14 QMJHL season|2013–14]]||68||21||39||-||3||5||50||0.368||186||256|| Tied 4th<br>Telus Maritimes
|-
|[[2014–15 QMJHL season|2014–15]]||68||35||28||-||1||4||75||0.551||226||243|| 2nd Maritimes
|-
|[[2015–16 QMJHL season|2015–16]]||68||35||26||-||5||2||77||0.566||227||232|| 4th Maritimes
|-
|[[2016–17 QMJHL season|2016–17]]||68||46||18||-||4||0||96||0.706||303||214|| 2nd Maritimes
|-
|[[2017–18 QMJHL season|2017–18]]||68||37||24||-||7||0||81||0.596||209||219|| 3rd Maritimes
|-
|[[2018–19 QMJHL season|2018–19]]||68||40||21||-||4||3||87||0.640||233||211|| 2nd Maritimes
|-
|[[2019–20 QMJHL season|2019–20]]||64||33||26||-||5||0||71||0.555||197||205|| 3rd Maritimes
|-
|[[2020–21 QMJHL season|2020–21]]||40||35||5||-||0||0||70||0.875||197||89|| '''1st Maritimes'''
|-
|[[2021–22 QMJHL season|2021–22]]||68||48||13||-||7||0||103||0.757||283||179|| '''1st Maritimes'''
|-
|[[2022–23 QMJHL season|2022–23]]||68||26||33||-||6||3||61||0.449||189||267|| 4th Maritimes
|-
|[[2023–24 QMJHL season|2023–24]]||68||26||34||-||6||2||60||0.441||208||267|| 5th Maritimes
|-
|[[2024–25 QMJHL season|2024–25]]||64||30||29||-||4||1||65||0.508||194||203|| 4th Maritimes
|}

===Playoffs===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!Season!!1st round!!2nd round!!3rd round!!Finals
|-
|[[1999–00 QMJHL season|1999–00]] ||L, 1–4, [[Drummondville Voltigeurs|Drummondville]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2000–01 QMJHL season|2000–01]] ||colspan="4"|''Did not qualify''
|-
|[[2001–02 QMJHL season|2001–02]] ||L, 3–4, [[Hull Olympiques|Hull]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2002–03 QMJHL season|2002–03]] ||L, 3–4, [[Sherbrooke Castors|Sherbrooke]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2003–04 QMJHL season|2003–04]] ||W, 4–1, [[Quebec Remparts|Quebec]] ||L, 2–4, [[Moncton Wildcats|Moncton]] ||-||-
|-
|[[2004–05 QMJHL season|2004–05]] ||colspan="4"|''Did not qualify''
|-
|[[2005–06 QMJHL season|2005–06]] ||L, 2–4, [[Acadie–Bathurst Titan|Acadie–Bathurst]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2006–07 QMJHL season|2006–07]] ||L, 3–4, [[Acadie–Bathurst Titan|Acadie–Bathurst]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2007–08 QMJHL season|2007–08]] ||L, 0–4, [[Saint John Sea Dogs|Saint John]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2008–09 QMJHL season|2008–09]] ||L, 1–4, [[Moncton Wildcats|Moncton]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2009–10 QMJHL season|2009–10]] ||L, 1–4, [[Saint John Sea Dogs|Saint John]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2010–11 QMJHL season|2010–11]] ||L, 1–4, [[Shawinigan Cataractes|Shawinigan]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2011–12 QMJHL season|2011–12]] ||colspan="4"|''Did not qualify''
|-
|[[2012–13 QMJHL season|2012–13]] ||L, 2–4, [[Val-d'Or Foreurs|Val-d'Or]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2013–14 QMJHL season|2013–14]] ||L, 0–4, [[Halifax Mooseheads|Halifax]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2014–15 QMJHL season|2014–15]] ||W, 4–2, [[Sherbrooke Phoenix|Sherbrooke]] ||L, 0–4, [[Quebec Remparts|Quebec]] ||-||-
|-
|[[2015–16 QMJHL season|2015–16]] ||W, 4–2, [[Rimouski Océanic|Rimouski]] ||L, 2–4, [[Shawinigan Cataractes|Shawinigan]] ||-||-
|-
|[[2016–17 QMJHL season|2016–17]] ||W, 4–0, [[Baie-Comeau Drakkar|Baie-Comeau]]|||W, 4–0, [[Cape Breton Screaming Eagles|Cape Breton]]||L, 1–4, [[Blainville-Boisbriand Armada|Blainville-Boisbriand]]||-
|-
|[[2017–18 QMJHL season|2017–18]] ||W, 4–3, [[Quebec Remparts|Quebec]] ||W, 4–0, [[Halifax Mooseheads|Halifax]] ||L, 3–4, [[Blainville-Boisbriand Armada|Blainville-Boisbriand]] ||-
|-
|[[2018–19 QMJHL season|2018–19]] ||L, 2–4, [[Cape Breton Screaming Eagles|Cape Breton]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2019–20 QMJHL season|2019–20]] ||colspan="4"|QMJHL playoffs cancelled due to ongoing [[COVID-19 pandemic]]
|-
|[[2020–21 QMJHL season|2020–21]] || [[Bye (sports)|Bye]] ||W, 3–0, [[Acadie–Bathurst Titan|Acadie–Bathurst]] ||L, 2–3, [[Victoriaville Tigres|Victoriaville]] ||-
|-
|[[2021–22 QMJHL season|2021–22]] ||W, 3–0, [[Moncton Wildcats|Moncton]] ||W, 3–0, [[Acadie–Bathurst Titan|Acadie–Bathurst]] ||W, 3–1, [[Sherbrooke Phoenix|Sherbrooke]] ||L, 1–4, [[Shawinigan Cataractes|Shawinigan]]
|-
|[[2022–23 QMJHL season|2022–23]] ||L, 0–4, [[Quebec Remparts|Quebec]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2023–24 QMJHL season|2023–24]] ||L, 0–4, [[Baie-Comeau Drakkar|Baie-Comeau]] ||-||-||-
|-
|[[2024–25 QMJHL season|2024–25]] ||L, 0–4, [[Rimouski Océanic|Rimouski]] ||-||-||-
|}

==See also==
*[[List of ice hockey teams in Prince Edward Island]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://charlottetownislanders.com/}}
* [http://www.ohlarenaguide.com/rocket.htm QMJHL Arena Guide profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060720200913/http://www.ohlarenaguide.com/rocket.htm |date=2006-07-20 }}

{{P.E.I. Rocket}}
{{QMJHL}}
{{Prince Edward Island Sports}}
{{Charlottetown}}

[[Category:2003 establishments in Prince Edward Island]]
[[Category:Ice hockey teams in Prince Edward Island]]
[[Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2003]]
[[Category:Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League teams]]
[[Category:Sports in Charlottetown]]