Trois-Rivières Lions

{{Infobox ice hockey team

| current = 2024–25 ECHL season

| bg_color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#D0D2CE 5px solid; border-bottom:#1E4183 5px solid;

| text_color = #000000

| team = Trois-Rivières Lions
Lions de Trois-Rivières

| logo = Trois-Rivières Lions logo.svg

| logosize = 230px

| city = Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada

| league = ECHL

| conference = Eastern

| division = North

| founded = 2021

| arena = Colisée Vidéotron

| colours = Metal grey, Quebec blue
{{color box|#D0D2CE}} {{color box|#1E4183}}

| owner = Spire Sports + Entertainment

| GM = Ron Choules

| coach = Ron Choules

| media =

| affiliates = Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
Laval Rocket (AHL)

| website = {{Official URL}}

| name1 = Trois-Rivières Lions

| dates1 = 2021–present

| reg_season_titles =

| division_titles = 1 (2024–25)

| conf_titles =

| kelly_cups =

}}

The Trois-Rivières Lions (French: Lions de Trois-Rivières) are a professional minor league ice hockey team in the ECHL based in Trois-Rivières, Quebec. The team began play in the 2021–22 season, with home games held at Colisée Vidéotron. They are affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) and Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL).

History

With construction beginning in early 2020 to replace the aging Colisée de Trois-Rivières, Dean MacDonald, majority owner of the Newfoundland Growlers (through his group Deacon Sports and Entertainment (DSE)), came to an agreement with Trois-Rivières city officials to place an ECHL franchise in Colisée Vidéotron for the 2021–22 season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/sports/hockey/2020-02-04/pour-qui-l-arena-de-60-millions |title=Pour qui l’aréna de 60 millions? |website=La Presse | last=Pratt|first=Alexandre|trans-title=Who is the 60 million arena for?|date=February 4, 2020 |access-date=January 22, 2021|language=fr}}{{cite web |url=https://www.tvasports.ca/2020/07/09/echl-trois-rivieres-aura-son-club-de-hockey-1|title=ECHL: TROIS-RIVIÈRES AURA SON CLUB DE HOCKEY|last1=Rioux|first1= Benoît|trans-title=ECHL: TROIS-RIVIÈRES WILL HAVE ITS OWN HOCKEY CLUB |website=TVA Sports |date=July 9, 2020|language=fr}} On November 30, the team finalized its lease agreement.{{cite web |url=https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/trois-rivieres-one-step-closer-to-hosting-rumoured-canadiens-echl-affiliate-team-1.5211263 |title=Trois-Rivieres one step closer to hosting rumoured Canadiens ECHL affiliate team |website=CTV News | date=November 30, 2020}} Subsequently, the Lions organization was approved by the league's board of governors on January 12, 2021.{{Cite web |date=January 12, 2021 |title=ECHL Approves Two Expansion Memberships |url=https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/1/echl-approves-two-expansion-memberships |publisher=ECHL |access-date=January 12, 2021}} That same month, the Montreal Canadiens announced that the foregoing would serve as their ECHL affiliate.{{Cite web |date=January 19, 2021 |title=The Canadiens announce affiliation with the new ECHL Trois-Rivières club |url=https://www.nhl.com/canadiens/news/the-canadiens-announce-affiliation-with-the-new-echl-trois-rivieres-club/c-320456434 |access-date=January 22, 2021 |publisher=Montreal Canadiens|via=NHL.com}}

On June 10, 2021, the team name was announced as the Trois-Rivières Lions, a homage to the only previous professional team to play in the city, the Trois-Rivières Lions, from 1955 to 1960.{{Cite web |url=https://www.echl.com/en/news/2021/6/introducing-the-trois-rivieres-lions |title=INTRODUCING THE TROIS-RIVIÈRES LIONS |publisher=ECHL | date=June 10, 2021}} Days later, Éric Bélanger was appointed as the team's inaugural head coach.{{Cite web |url=https://www.journaldequebec.com/2021/06/15/echl-eric-belanger-devient-lentraineur-des-lions-de-trois-rivieres |title= ECHL: Éric Bélanger devient l'entraîneur des Lions de Trois-Rivières|trans-title=ECHL: Éric Bélanger becomes coach of the Trois-Rivières Lions |language=fr |date=June 15, 2021 |website=Le Journal de Québec}}

In early 2024, it was reported that DSE had been experiencing financial difficulties, and owed the city of Trois-Rivières nearly {{CAD|1}} million in arena back rent. On April 2, 2024, the Growlers, likewise owned by DSE, ceased operations effective immediately.{{Cite web |title=ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers terminated by league |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/echls-newfoundland-growlers-terminated-by-league/ |access-date=2024-04-02 |website=Sportsnet.ca|date=April 2, 2024|language=en}} Despite this, the ECHL had reached an agreement to take temporary ownership of the Lions pending the sale of the franchise to new ownership, effectively allowing the team to complete play of the 2023–2024 season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.lenouvelliste.ca/sports/sport-local/2024/04/02/vers-un-sursis-accorde-aux-lions-XH2RBCTDRNAWRNUDX2GHLYCSCM|last=Vachon |first=Matthew |title=Un sursis accordé aux Lions|trans-title=A reprieve granted to the Lions|date=2024-04-02|access-date=2024-04-02 |website=Le Nouvelliste|language=fr}} A week later, league officials approved the purchase of the Lions by American businessman Jeff Dickerson via his company Spire Sports + Entertainment (SS+E).{{Cite web |date=2024-04-08 |title=Les Lions de Trois-Rivières vendus officiellement|url=https://www.lapresse.ca/sports/hockey/2024-04-08/echl/les-lions-de-trois-rivieres-vendus-officiellement.php|access-date=2024-04-09 |newspaper=La Presse|language=fr|trans-title=The Trois-Rivières Lions officially sold}}

Over the course of the ensuing 2024–2025 season, the team would proceed to set a new single-season high in wins (45) and also clinch their first divisional title in franchise history.{{cite web|url=https://lions3r.com/en/news/2025/02/lions-record-35th-win-of-the-season-setting-a-team-record|title=Lions record 35th win of the season, setting a team record|date=February 23, 2025|access-date=April 15, 2025|publisher=Trois-Rivières Lions}}{{cite web|url=https://lions3r.com/en/news/2025/04/lions-are-north-division-champions|title=Lions are North Division champions!|date=April 4, 2025|access-date=April 15, 2025|publisher=Trois-Rivières Lions}}

Season-by-season records

colspan=10\|Regular season !colspan=5\|Playoffs
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Season ! {{abbr\|GP\|Games Played}} ! {{abbr\|W\|Wins}} ! {{abbr\|L\|Losses}} ! {{abbr\|OTL\|Overtime Losses}} ! {{abbr\|SOL\|Shootout Losses}} ! {{abbr\|Pts\|Points}} ! {{abbr\|GF\|Goals For}} ! {{abbr\|GA\|Goals Against}} ! Standing ! 1st round ! 2nd round ! 3rd round ! Kelly Cup
2021–22	69	34	29	5	1	74	230	233	3rd, North	L, 3–4, NFL	—	—	—
2022–23	72	29	40	3	0	61	216	273	6th, North	colspan=4\| Did not qualify
2023–24	69	31	30	5	3	70	204	229	3rd, North	L, 2–4, NOR	—	—	—
2024–25	72	45	19	6	2	98	251	186	1st, North	W, 4–0, REA	0–0, NOR	TBD	TBD

Players and personnel

=Team captains=

Cédric Montminy, 2021–2024{{cite web|url=https://lions3r.com/en/news/2021/10/cedric-montminy-named-captain-of-the-lions|title=Cédric Montminy named captain of the Lions|publisher=Trois-Rivières Lions|date=October 18, 2021|access-date=July 24, 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://lions3r.com/en/news/2024/07/cedric-montminy-to-retire-from-professional-hockey|title=Cedric Montminy to retire from professional hockey|date=July 23, 2024|access-date=July 24, 2024|publisher=Trois-Rivières Lions}}
Morgan Adams-Moisan, 2024–present{{cite web|url=https://lions3r.com/en/news/2024/10/lions-reveal-2024-25-season-opening-roster|title=Lions reveal 2024-25 Season-Opening roster|date=October 17, 2024|access-date=October 24, 2024|publisher=Trois-Rivières Lions}}

=Head coaches=

Éric Bélanger, Jun. 2021–Nov. 2022{{Cite web |url=https://www.lapresse.ca/sports/hockey/2022-11-22/eric-belanger-quitte-les-lions-de-trois-rivieres.php |title= Éric Bélanger quitte les Lions de Trois-Rivières|trans-title=Éric Bélanger leaves the Trois-Rivières Lions|language=fr|last1=Richard|first1=Nicholas |date=November 22, 2022 |newspaper=La Presse|access-date=July 23, 2024}}
Marc-André Bergeron (interim), Nov. 2022–Jun. 2023{{Cite web |url=https://awinninghabit.com/2023/08/22/montreal-canadiens-surprising-coaching-shakeup-trois-rivieres-lions/|title= Montreal Canadiens: Surprising Coaching Shakeup With Trois-Rivieres Lions|last1=MacMillan|first1=Ken |date=August 22, 2023 |website=FanSided|access-date=July 23, 2024}}
Pascal Rhéaume (resigned prior to season), Jun. 2023–Aug. 2023{{Cite web |url=https://www.journaldemontreal.com/2023/09/01/hockey--pascal-rheaume-a-choisi-cette-equipe-au-lieu-des-lions |title= Pascal Rhéaume a choisi cette équipe au lieu des Lions|trans-title=Pascal Rhéaume chose this team instead of the Lions|language=fr|date=September 1, 2023 |newspaper=Le Journal de Montréal|access-date=July 23, 2024}}
Ron Choules, Aug. 2023–present{{Cite web |url=https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/players/significant-changes-in-store-for-montreal-canadiens-echl-affiliate |title= Significant Changes in Play for Montreal Canadiens ECHL Affiliate|last1=Galanopoulos|first1=Chris |date=August 23, 2023 |work=The Hockey News|access-date=July 23, 2024}}

=Notable players=

The following alumni have advanced to play in the National Hockey League (NHL) after playing for the Lions as of the conclusion of the 2023–24 season:{{cite web|url=https://lions3r.com/en/news/2024/03/a-third-former-lion-makes-it-to-the-nhl|title=A third former Lion makes it to the NHL|publisher=Trois-Rivières Lions|date=March 2, 2024|access-date=July 24, 2024}}