At a press conference Monday, Quebec premier Francois Legault announced that the province's red zone restrictions will remain in place for another four weeks, stretching them to Nov. 23. The current restrictions were set to expire on Oct. 28 but with new COVID-19 infections nowhere close to being under control yet - the province has been averaging between 800 to 1,000 new cases daily, the Montreal Gazette notes - it comes as no surprise to see an extension.
This likely means bad news for the QMJHL's 12 Quebec-based teams - but we will see. Only the six Maritimes Division clubs have been in action since Thanksgiving weekend.
Even if the league finds a way to get clearance to play, it sounds like some teams are hesitant to return. The Sherbrooke Phoenix, for example, are still getting their playing legs back under them after several players tested positive a few weeks ago, reports La Tribune. Over the weekend, the QMJHL announced that seven members of the Drummondville Voltigeurs had confirmed cases.
The OHL, meanwhile, has not pushed its early December start date - but you have to think that announcement is coming. The WHL recently pushed its start to early January.
UP NEXT
The Saint John Sea Dogs are one of the lucky few teams that get to play right now - but it has been a rocky start.
The Sea Dogs are 1-3-1-1 with their lone win coming in a shootout. The team lost both of its games this past weekend and have now dropped three straight.
Saint John will face the Cape Breton Eagles on Friday and Saturday at TD Station, a team they have yet to face in the regular season. The two met twice in the pre-season with the team's splitting the series - both of which ended in shootouts.
The Eagles are 3-5-0-0 and are coming off a brutal 10-2 home loss to the Halifax Mooseheads on Saturday.
LAROSE LEADING YOUNG D
Speaking of the Eagles, former Sea Dog Nathan Larose is an overager with the club this season. Larose is a veteran on a defense core that features four players that are 17-years-old or younger, the Cape Breton Post writes.
Larose currently leads all QMJHL defensemen in goals with five and is third in scoring with nine points.
EYES ON 2021
The Hockey News released its list of players to keep an eye this season as we head towards the 2021 NHL Draft - which is on pace to be even stranger than the 2020 edition.
Sea Dogs forwards Joshua Roy and Peter Reynolds both made the list as did defenseman Guillaume Richard, a draft pick of Saint John in this year's QMJHL Entry Draft who is currently playing with the USHL's Tri-City Storm.
The USHL regular season is scheduled to begin on Nov. 5 but teams have been playing exhibition games. Richard scored in overtime the other night to clinch the Corn Cup, presumably the most coveted hockey championship in the US midwest.
ROY'S STARTRecap: Storm defeat rival Lancers in Overtime, Clinch Corn Cup https://t.co/5OAvv4tn1V pic.twitter.com/iybom9uy2o
— Tri-City Storm (@TriCityStorm) October 26, 2020
And speaking of Roy, he continued his strong start this past weekend, scoring his fourth goal of the season on Saturday. He now has six points in six games.
If you had any doubts that Joshua Roy can shoot the puck, look this one. 4th goal of the season. I'm still not sure it was a scoring chance (outside the dots). Clearly one of his best assets: his shot.#2021NHLDraft @SJSeaDogs #LHJMQ #QMJHL #CHL pic.twitter.com/FMM5xCz7fk
— Benoit Belanger (@BenoitGBelanger) October 25, 2020
The Sea Dogs offense has looked a bit off all season. They've scored 18 goals in six games (only the Wildcats have scored fewer in the Maritimes) yet are averaging a league high 36.98 shots per game. You have to think the goal output will improve over time (let's hope) especially once guys like Brady Burns (no goals in five games) and Nicholas Girouard (one goal in five games) start to heat up.
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