Notebook: Plenty of questions ahead

Following this week's positive news that the QMJHL is moving forward with its Oct. 1 start, here is some more good news: it sounds TD Station will indeed be installing ice.

This would hardly be noteworthy in normal times, but these are far from normal times. The Gatineau Olympiques, for example, may not have a home for several months. The Charlottetown Islanders will be holding their training camp at UPEI and starting the regular season on the road while Eastlink Centre gets converted from a coronavirus testing site back to an arena.

TD Station, meanwhile, has released public ice rental information, which includes a number of COVID related rules. The rules include the mandatory wearing of face masks inside the building; maintaining a 2m social distance; and different doors for entering and exiting. While some of the rules listed will likely be different for Saint John Sea Dogs home games, this, at least, gives us a bit of an idea of what we may see.

Quebec media has reported that the New Brunswick government has given the province's three QMJHL teams the green light to have fans in the stands. How many fans and how that will all work is the big question.

Sea Dogs president and general manager Trevor Georgie told CBC last week that capacity may be even less than the current season ticket base, which is roughly 1,500 (sponsors included).

Public health guidelines are always changing as well - but hopefully guidelines aren't forced to take a step back come Oct. 1. 

Starting Monday, August 17, physical distancing of 1 metre with the continuous use of a mask in public venues with seating (such as theatres or arenas) will be permitted. No food or drink allowed. ⁰https://t.co/PxSdWB7dz3 pic.twitter.com/zdvgOQobHW

— Government of NB (@Gov_NB) August 14, 2020

WEBCAST UPDATE
No matter how many fans will be allowed inside rinks this season, there's likely going to be more people than ever streaming games.

The QMJHL, along with the OHL and WHL, will have a new webcast provider this season. That new provider will be Verizon - but that's just about all the info known at this time.

As previously reported, it's expected there will be a new minimum standard in place, which includes multiple cameras in each arena and replays.

The QMJHL typically waits until the last minute to release webcast pricing details - often just a day or two before the start of the regular season - but hopefully that improves this year.

PRE-SEASON INFO

What will the QMJHL's pre-season look like this year? The Cape Breton Post reported the below on Aug. 5 - which was well before Friday's confirmation of training camps kicking off Aug. 30, meaning these dates may be pushed back a bit.

Maxime Blouin, director of communications of the QMJHL, told the Cape Breton Post on Wednesday the first “scrimmage game” organized by the league is set for Aug. 30.

Teams will play between three and four games from Aug. 30 to Sept. 13. Teams will also have the possibility to play another game on the weekend of Sept. 18-20 as well as the last weekend of September.

The Sea Dogs played seven pre-season games over a one-month period last year.

HUGHES SIGNS

One of the Sea Dogs' top prospects is reportedly heading to Mount St. Charles Academy, a US prep school based in Rhode Island. This according to Rhode Island based hockey writer Mark Divver.

LW Simon Hughes, a top '04 prospect from Maritimes, headed to Mount St. Charles 16s, per source. 2nd round draft pick of St. John Sea Dogs of Q. Invited to Hockey Canada U-17 development camp

— Mark Divver (@MarkDivver) August 13, 2020

Hughes, a second-round pick of the Sea Dogs in June's QMJHL Entry Draft, recorded 17 goals and 25 assists in 38 games with midget AAA Charlottetown last season.

The 16-year-old may be in tough to crack this year's Sea Dogs team due to its depth, but Trevor Georgie said he would be given the opportunity in an interview last month.

"He's got good size; he's got good skill; he's a very driven and very confident young man... he'll have every opportunity to make the lineup this season and we think he'll be a real good player for us," Georgie said. "We were actually a bit surprised that he was still there where we selected."

TREMAINE SIGNS ECHL DEAL

Former Sea Dogs captain Mark Tremaine has signed with the ECHL's Newfoundland Growlers for the 2020-21 season.

Tremaine recorded an assist in five games with the Growlers following the end of StFX's U Sports season. The 26-year-old has spent the past five seasons with the X-Men.

The Dartmouth native spent his overage season with Saint John in 2014-15, recording 14 goals and 25 assists in 57 games. He captained the team in the second half following the Olivier Leblanc trade.

NEWCOMB GOING PRO
Mathieu Newcomb, a 12th-round pick of the Sea Dogs in the 2012 QMJHL Entry Draft, has signed with the Southern Professional Hockey League's Huntsville Havoc for next season. He joins the Havoc after playing the past four seasons with the University of Ottawa.

Newcomb never appeared in a regular season game for the Sea Dogs. He spent his junior career with the Dieppe Commandos.