The Concordia Stingers men's hockey program is set to enter a new chapter.
The RSEQ announced Tuesday the return of a Division 1 men's university hockey league in Quebec, beginning with the 2027-28 season. The new league will feature Concordia, McGill, UQTR, UQAC, ÉTS and the Université de Sherbrooke.
For the Stingers, the announcement marks the end of a nearly four-decade run in Ontario University Athletics (OUA). Concordia has competed in the OUA since the 1987-88 season, with the upcoming 2026-27 campaign set to be the program's final season in the league.
The Stingers will leave the OUA having established themselves as a consistent contender in recent years, highlighted by a historic 2024-25 season.
In 2025, Concordia captured the Queen's Cup as OUA champions for the first time in program history, earning a spot in the U SPORTS Men's Hockey Championship. The Stingers went on to claim silver at the national championship, marking one of the most successful seasons in program history.
The Stingers also reached the OUA podium in 2022-23, earning a bronze medal.
Now, Concordia will have one final opportunity to compete for OUA hardware in 2026-27 before returning to a Quebec-based university hockey league for the first time in decades.
The new RSEQ league will bring together six Quebec universities, with Concordia, McGill and UQTR transitioning from the OUA, while UQAC, ÉTS and Sherbrooke join the university men's hockey ranks.
The league is designed to strengthen the hockey development pathway in Quebec, connecting secondary school, CEGEP and university hockey while allowing student-athletes to pursue their academic and athletic goals in the province.
“At the RSEQ, we firmly believe that sport is a powerful driver of educational perseverance and academic success,” said RSEQ CEO Gustave Roel. “The return of this league will allow student-athletes to pursue a university education while continuing their athletic development.”
For Concordia, the move will also renew longstanding provincial rivalries and create new opportunities for the Stingers to compete against Quebec universities on a regular basis.
Christian Blanchette, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire, highlighted the importance of bringing the universities together.
“By working together to build this league, our institutions offer their athletes the chance to aim high — both on the ice and in their studies — without leaving Québec,” said Blanchette. “This is the university network at its best.”
Hockey Québec also welcomed the return of a provincial university league.
“We are very pleased with the creation of this league, which represents an important step forward for hockey in Quebec,” said Jocelyn Thibault, Excellence Programs Development Consultant at Hockey Québec. “It will strengthen our development structure and allow more players to compete at a high level while continuing their studies here in Quebec.”
Before the new league begins in 2027-28, the Stingers will turn their attention to one final OUA season. After nearly 40 years competing in Ontario, Concordia will look to add another chapter to its OUA history before beginning a new era of university hockey in Quebec.
Additional details regarding the new league's format, schedule, operations and student-athlete recruitment will be announced by the RSEQ and participating universities in the coming months.
