The QMJHL has extended their pause on all league activities for another week, with the planned return date for players now being Jan. 14.
It's been a rough week for junior hockey's fight against the COVID-19 virus.
Roughly 24 hours after the IIHF announced the cancelation of the 2022 World Junior Championship due to multiple positive tests among the attending teams, the QMJHL revealed that they will be extending their current pause of all league activities for at least another week, with the planned return date now being penciled in as Jan. 14 before games begin again on Jan. 17.
The QMJHL had been on pause since Dec. 21 in an effort to contain the rapidly growing positive test rates sweeping throughout the league, and professional sports on the whole, with the plan at that time being to have players return to their team facilities on Jan. 3 to undergo testing before regular-season games were expected to resume on Jan. 7.
That, obviously, is no longer the case, as the league has now instituted this delay in order to help usher in a safe return of its players to their schools, and create a safe environment for staff and players to practice and workout in their respective facilities.
No update has been given on when the games that will be postponed as a result of this delay will be played.