The GMHL will be profiling one team per month for the duration of the season to highlight a team that has combined on ice success with strong fan support, community involvement, a winning culture, and player development. The fourth team featured this season is the Ville-Marie Pirates.

The Pirates joined the GMHL in the 2017-2018 season and had a very successful inaugural season placing 4^th in the North division and showing they had what it took to compete. The Pirates would capitalize on their ability to compete the very next season winning the Russell Cup championship in only their second season. Since then the Pirates have been a staple at or near the top of the North division standings and have finished with a winning record every season of existence.

2022-2023 Record (As Of February 7^th, 2023): 29-8-1 (Clinched 2^nd in the North Division)

All Time Record: 140-54-9 (.690 Winning Percentage)

Leading scorer this season: F Jordan Riviere, 90 Points (7^th in League)

All Time Leading Scorer: F Nicholas Bellerose, 174 Points (53^rd All-time in League History)

Russell Cup Finals Appearances: 1

Russell Cup Championships: 1

League Award Winners: 3 (2x Heart Award, 1x Top Goaltender)

General Manager: Marc-Andre Caron

Head Coach: Marc-Andre Caron (4^th Season)

Staff: President and Owner Michel Roy, Vice President and Owner Francoise Ethier, Assistant Coach Nicolas Antonoff, Assistant Coach and Goalie Coach Antoine Pomerleau Assistant Coach Antoine Guimond, Trainer Dr. Vicky Caron, Assistant Trainer Marc Bellehumeur, Equipment Manager Jean Martineau

Captain: Xavier Gagnon

Alternate Captains: Olivier Lamothe, Etienne Borque, Jordan Rochon

Top Performers: The Pirates are working their way towards a second GMHL Championship on the lead of Top league performers at every level of the team. At Forward a deep group is led by former QMJHL veteran Jordan Briere, Top 10 goal and point scorer Jordan Riviere, and elite setup man Olivier Lamothe. On the back end the team boasts one of the best defensemen in the league in the form of recently named defenseman of the month Etienne Borque who has been a force both as a shutdown d man and a point producing blue liner. In net the Pirates rely heavily on an elite tandem of Emile Beausoleil and Maxim Audet who have accounted for 24 of the Pirates 29 wins this season

Fan Support and Community Involvement: The Pirates have had a strong fan base since their joining into the league in 2017 and the community was rewarded with a championship in season 2. The fans pour in by the hundreds on the weekends to the Ville-Marie arena to enjoy the feature of the week put on by their very own Pirates and the Pirates return the favor staying involved in many community events.

Arena and Facilities: The Pirates call the Ville-Marie Arena home also known as the Frere Arthur Bergeron arena and formerly the Olympia de Ville-Marie. The Arena is fully licensed serving food and drinks to the fans that show up in large numbers and has a VIP viewing are above the ice surface as well as seating next to the ice and behind the home side net.

Notable Active Alumni:

Josh Labelle: During the Pirates GMHL Championship season they made the splash of the deadline acquiring Defenseman Josh Labelle from the Bradford Bulls. The move paid dividends as Labelle helped lead the second year franchise to a championship that year with steady defensive play and 8 points in their 15 game run to the title. Following his GMHL career Labelle found a home as one of the top defenseman in the FPHL where he was named to the Young Stars squad and won the FPHL championship in his first season and this season is 14^th league wide in defenseman scoring.

Julien Vogt: Forward Julien Vogt played his third GMHL season in 2019-2020 for the Pirates after having spent the previous two with the rival Titans. He had a career year as a goal scorer scoring 17 that season for the Pirates to go along with 14 helpers for 31 points. Following the season Vogt would sign with the Amneville Red Dogs where he has played professionally for 3 seasons in the France3 League.

Mikael Lachapelle: Lachapelle played 1 full season with the Pirates and another partial one in 2018-2019 before he would switch his focus to his studies. The talented blue liner finished his Pirates career with 7 Points and 21 PIM in 36 games adding another 2 points in the Pirates 7 playoff games that season. Lachapelle took the college route and is currently at Air Force Academy where he has played the past 2 seasons in their ACHA program recording 5 points in 34 games for the Falcons.