It was announced Tuesday that Victoriaville will be the latest QMJHL market to be placed into the red zone by the Quebec government, putting on a pause on the team's games until further notice.
According to the Victoriaville newspaper La Nouvelle Union, the region won't be turned red until Monday, meaning the Tigres could technically play their weekend games. We'll see what happens.
Victoriaville joins the Quebec Remparts as teams in the East Division that are in red regions while it's believed the Shawinigan Cataractes could soon be in the same boat. In the West, the Drummondville Voltigeurs, Gatineau Olympiques and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada are all in the red. The Armada and Sherbrooke Phoenix, meanwhile, are dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks amongst themselves.
In the Maritimes, Moncton has been placed into the orange phase by the New Brunswick government, which puts a pause on all sporting events and closes entertainment venues. Last Saturday's Wildcats game in Saint John was postponed and the team will presumably be out of action for at least a couple weeks. No official announcement has been made yet.
So less than three weeks into the regular season, six teams are impacted by government regulations and two by COVID outbreaks (the Armada fall into both categories). This is a rough scene for the QMJHL, and we're reaching the point where you have to wonder if hitting the brakes for a few weeks is the simplest - and safest - option. This past week showed all of us just how quickly things can take a turn.
The Sea Dogs are scheduled to play in Moncton on Friday night, but that game is unlikely to happen. On Saturday, assuming the Atlantic bubble is still a thing, Saint John will visit the Halifax Mooseheads
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