QMJHL aims to return to multiple bubbles

In a videoconferencing held on Tuesday morning, Commissioner Giles Courto spoke of the re-launch of the season under conditions for the first time Simple Where, in agreement with the public health of the four provinces where its 18 teams are located, they can play the game while traveling from one city to another.

At this point it seems clear that the project is unlikely to have health conditions in both Quebec and Maritime.

This is why discussions are already underway between the QMJHL and public health officials in Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Alternative scheme.

If it finds support as expected, it will descend from January 22 to 24 with a group of three teams in six different bubbles, where each team will play two games in a space of three days.

Subsequently, if all goes well, other bubbles will be created to hold six additional meetings for each team from 30 January to 7 February. Quebec will host three bubbles of four teams, while Maritime will put together a group of six teams.

This will all depend on a prior agreement from the public health of all provinces according to the health protocol filed by LHJMQ.

Gilles is pleased with what has been done at the heart of the Courteau epidemic.

I am glad that we were considering playing 111 games with positive results (outbreaks) at the start of the season, which we had with Armada (Blainville-Boisbriand) and Phoenix. From Sherbrooke.

The experience of the protected environment in Quebec City inspires us to prepare, he continued. My wish is that when the holidays return, we can allow our teams to travel regularly and play games. If it does not, we will be ready and we will present the public health plan that we informed you about this morning.

Optimism all the way

While stating that he was optimistic about receiving positive feedback from public health due to the recent bubble experience at the Vidotron Center in Quebec, Gilles Courteau said the host cities had not yet been selected.

Interested teams will have to come forward in the next few days and be able to meet the specifications sent to them by the league.

In particular, it is necessary that the amphitheaters have at least six changing rooms to accommodate each of the three incoming teams in the bubble, in addition to the local team. In addition, the arena must remain exclusive of QMJHL for all games in the bubble.

The league expects each team to participate in at least 30 games to establish the final rankings for the current season.

Since not everyone would have played the same number of games, a committee would have to determine how many teams would advance to the playoffs, as well as the scales that would be used to decide between them.

What will happen if the public health of the four provinces provides its agreement neither for the calendar nor for the bubble cities?

If we come to a situation where we do not have a public health agreement from the four provinces, then at that point, we will sit down and consider what options we will have. We already have conversations – perhaps not on protected environments – but we have negotiated with the provinces because we had to make some adjustments to the program. We were to speak with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, among others. They are well aware of our intention to continue playing, Corte said.

It has already been reduced that players will have to report to their respective team no later than 3 January to require public health officials before resuming activities that take place between 17 and 20 January.

It has not been said whether the players will participate in the camps during this possible period of compulsory separation.

Finally, questioned about the possibility of a second cancellation of the Memorial Cup tournament, Gilles Courteau preferred to preserve his optimistic vision by placing bets on a planned restoration in the Ontario League (OHL) and activities. West (WHL).

It would be something extremely bad and unfortunate if our partners in the West and in Ontario were not able to resume their activities, in January for the Western League and in February for Ontario. [ce qui est prévu en ce moment, NDLR]. But with regular interaction with my colleagues, they aim to do everything possible so that they can resume activities.

There is a lot of information that we share with them, following our experiences since August that they will certainly use wisely to resume their activities., He concludes.