The opening month-and-a-half of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season is always an interesting time as teams go without some of their best players to start the year.
With top draft picks and over-agers often missing at least part of September and into October at NHL training camps, it theoretically gives other teams a brief chance to compete on a more level playing field.
In practice, however, the dominant teams are dominant for a reason, and they have shown that thus far.
The Shawinigan Cataractes have been the class of the league throughout October, posting a record of 12-2-0 through their first 14 contests and ranking as the top team in the entire CHL to close out the month.