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Twelve- approximately the amount of wins the defending Memorial Cup champions, Shawinigan Cataractes, will end the season with. At the halfway mark of the season, they sit with seven wins

Eleven- amount of goals scored by Kevin Gagne, representing a career high, leading all defensemen in that category

Ten- number of teams with a record above .500. Val-d’Or holds the tenth spot with a .514 winning percentage

Nine- goalies with double digit losses with the 17 by Marvin Cupper of the Cataractes leading the way

Eight- the number of wins by Jacob Gervais-Chouinard, goaltender for the expansion Sherbrooke Phoenix. Considering the two-time, defending QMJHL champions, Saint John Seadogs won 15 games in their inaugural season, Sherbrook fans should look forward to the future

Seven- shorthanded goals scored by Josh Currie of the P.E.I. Rocket, leading the league in that category, two ahead of Taylor Burke from Gatineau

Six- players selected to the under 20 Canadian national junior team including bronze medalist from last year’s team Jonathan Huberdeau. Also making the trip to Ufa, Russia, will be Halifax teammates Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin, the injured Chicoutimi star Charles Hudon, Chicago Blackhawks first round pick from 2011 Phillip Danault (Victoriaville) and defenseman Xavier Ouellet of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada

Five- total number of losses by the number one team in the country, the Halifax Mooseheads, at the halfway point of the season. Sporting a fantastic 29 wins against three losses in regulation, one in overtime and one in a shootout, the Mooseheads are the team to beat heading into the second half of the season

Four- overtime goals scored by the Saint John Seadogs this season, 2 each for Oliver Cooper and the since traded Kevin Gagne

Three- teams from the QMJHL in the top 10 in the country including number one overall, Halifax, number seven, Quebec and number seven, Blainville-Boisbriand with honorable mentions going out to Rimouski and Rouyn-Noranda

Two- teammates leading the league in scoring. Ben Duffy (61) trails Josh Currie (62) by one point. The P.E.I. line mates currently have the Rocket in ninth place overall

One- both team wise and individual, the QMJHL is leading the entire CHL in some major categories. As previously mentioned, the Halifax Mooseheads are ranked as the number one team in the league. Josh Currie is not only tied as the number one point getter in the CHL ( tied with Ryan Strome from the OHL’s Niagara Icedogs and Colin Smith of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers making it a three league race) but is leading the CHL in goals scored with 31, shorthanded goals with seven and shorthanded points with nine. Halifax goaltender Zachary Fucale is leading the CHL in wins with 22 while Jean-Sebastien Dea of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies leads the country with 17 power play goals

So there you have it, Christmas in the “Q”. Let’s hope the second half of the season is as entertaining as the first.

To everyone reading this, here’s wishing you a safe and happy holiday season, Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel and a very happy New Year.