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.