QUEBEC – The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Saint John Sea Dogs have suspended in-person activities after a staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
The Sea Dogs become the fifth team in the major-junior hockey league and the first in the Maritimes Division to announce a positive test.
The league says the Sea Dogs’ next five games will be postponed.
The Cape Breton Eagles, who faced the Sea Dogs on Wednesday night, will not play again until public health officials conclude an investigation.
Five of the six teams in the Maritimes Division have managed to play much of the regular season as scheduled, with some arenas in the Atlantic bubble even allowing fans to attend games.
The Moncton Wildcats saw their season suspended for two weeks due to provincial government restrictions, but the team resumed play on Oct. 23. However, the Moncton region went back into an orange zone on Thursday, which could affect the Wildcats.
The QMJHL is the only one of three Canadian major-junior hockey leagues to start play this season. The Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League have said they plan to begin their seasons in the new year.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2020.