Reports: QMJHL sending imports home

HALIFAX - All signs continue to point towards Canadian junior hockey returning to normal later rather than sooner.

In the latest turn of events, it's been reported that the QMJHL has informed teams to make travel arrangements for import players to return home.

The @QMJHL sent out a memo today inviting all its teams to arrange for their European players to make travel plans home to re-join their families.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) March 14, 2020

According to TVA Sports, this includes both American and European players.

La LHJMQ est en train de mettre en œuvre une procédure pour retourner les joueurs européens en Europe et les Américains aux États-Unis. #tvasports

— Mikaël Lalancette (@MLalancetteTVA) March 14, 2020

The Sea Dogs informed players and families on Friday that players would be returning home - including those from outside the country. Players were told to pack their belongings as if the season had concluded.

Tonight's news should come as no surprise with flying internationally becoming more and more of an issue. The way things are going, some players may not be able to return home for some time if they do not travel as soon as they can.

The Canadian government has also informed Canadians traveling abroad to return home - and other countries are no doubt considering similar actions if they are not already in place.

As this whole situation continues to evolve, it seems more and more likely that the rest of the Canadian Hockey League season will be cancelled. Hopefully that is not the case, but things would need to improve drastically in a very quick period of time to squeeze any kind of playoffs in.

Also tonight, the East Coast Hockey League announced it is cancelling the remainder of its season. Several Sea Dogs alumni were playing or played in the league this season.