QMJHL draft to be conducted online amid COVID-19 pandemic

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LONGUEUIL, Que. – The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft will be conducted online amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The QMJHL said in a statement Wednesday the event scheduled for Sherbrooke’s Palais des Sports Leopold-Drolet on June 6 will instead be held remotely due to the novel coronavirus that continues to sweep across the globe.

The league announced Tuesday it was cancelling its remaining regular-season games — the schedule was set to end Saturday — but made no mention of the playoffs.

QMJHL’s draft lottery, which was slated for next Wednesday, has been postponed to a later date.

The Ontario Hockey League already conducts its draft remotely, while the Western Hockey League’s draft is scheduled for May 7 in Red Deer, Alta.

Canada’s top junior circuits all suspended operations last week after the NHL, along with most other North American leagues and sports organizations, paused proceedings amid coronavirus pandemic.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2020.

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