Sports News
A special season awaits NHL players, teams and fans in 2021
The 2020-21 season of the National Hockey League (NHL) got underway on Jan. 13 with five games, including the first of 10 meetings between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The late start was due to the completion of the Stanley Cup playoffs last fall and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Remparts return to action on Jan. 23 in Rimouski
After a month-and-a-half layoff, the Quebec Remparts will get back in action along with the other 17 teams of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) starting on Jan. 21.
The league’s Quebec teams will be in four different protected playing environments, similar to the one put in place at the Videotron Centre in late November.
2021 should see its share of sporting events, including Olympics
The year 2020 is now behind us, and in 2021, fans will get to see their share of sporting events. This will hopefully include the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League modifies playoff format
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) assembly of members voted unanimously on Dec. 22 to modify the format of the standings and the playoffs for this season, due to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sports books that you must read, COVID-19 or not
With the local sports scene pretty quiet, now is the time to check local bookstores, libraries and websites for a good sports book that will keep you busy for a while.
Sports traditions remain on television during the holidays
The holidays are here and with them come the usual Christmas and New Year’s Day traditions.
Although traditional holiday gatherings and visits are restricted during this holiday season, there are some TV traditions that remain and will hopefully bring cheer during these hard times.
Pee-Wee Tournament to build back bigger
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament may be cancelled for 2021, but it will be back bigger and stronger in 2022.
That was the promise made by the tournament’s president, Michel Plante, and general manager, Patrick Dom, during a press conference at the Videotron Centre on Dec. 15.
In 2022, the tournament will grow by 24 teams, for a total of 144.
Year-end honours for COVID fighters
THE LUC-KY AWARDS
It has become a tradition, here at the QCT, that in the last issue of the year, we present the annual “LUC-ky” Awards, handed to the female and male athletes of the year, along with the best team.
Pelletier makes Team Canada for World Juniors
Quebec City native Jakob Pelletier has been selected as a member of the team that will represent Canada at the upcoming 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship in Edmonton, from Dec. 25-Jan. 5, 2021.
CITY SPORTS NEWS: golf, baseball and freestyle skiing
Quebec City golfer Anne-Catherine Tanguay is heading back out on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour.
The former CEGEP Champlain–St. Lawrence Lion had been taking some time off from the LPGA circuit since October 2019 to start a family with her husband and caddie, Jean-Hubert Trahan. The two now have a six-month-old daughter, Livia.
Capitales start their Christmas shopping early
The Québec Capitales of the Frontier Baseball League (FBL) started their Christmas shopping early this offseason, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of their main recruits is catcher Ruben Castro, 24, from Puerto Rico.
Junior hockey teams have an early holiday break
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) has advised its 18 teams, including the Quebec Remparts, that all activities have been put on hold until Jan. 3, 2021.
Peley, Gélinas to manage Alouettes, Diamants in 2021
Quebec City’s two junior baseball teams will have new managers in 2021, and both of them once played for the Québec Capitales.
The Charlesbourg Alouettes have all but completed the contract details and are ready to hire Josué Peley as their new field boss.
Sigouin’s solid performance nets another Remparts win
Goaltender Thomas Sigouin blocked 19 of 20 shots from the Gatineau Olympiques, including 12 in the third period, to lead the Quebec Remparts to a 2-1 victory on Nov. 26.
It was the team’s last game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) bubble. Sigouin’s solid performance earned him the first star of the game.
Diamants manager Dominik Walsh leaves team
The Diamants de Québec announced on Nov. 26 that manager and general director Dominik Walsh is leaving the organization after eight seasons at the helm.
Walsh, who played for the Diamants from 2002 to 2007, guided the team to four championships in the Ligue de Baseball Junior Élite du Québec (LBJEQ).
St-Germain reaches for the top; Pelletier on Team Canada
Laurence St-Germain, 26, from Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, started her 2020-2021 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season in Levi, Finland, with two top-10 finishes.
On Nov. 21, St-Germain, who was seventh in the first run of the slalom event, excelled in her second run and finished sixth overall, just 1.42 seconds behind the winner, Petra Vlhova of Slovakia.
Remparts earn five points in first week in QMJHL ‘bubble’
Quebec Remparts goaltender Thomas Sigouin blocked all 26 shots from the Victoriaville Tigres and led his team to a 1-0 victory during the team’s third game in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s protected environment “bubble” series at the Videotron Centre on Nov. 21. Sigouin was named the game’s first star.
Quebec City would be a perfect fit for CPL, CFL, and women’s hockey
SPORTS SPECULATIONS
The COVID-19 pandemic that has touched people around the world will certainly have effects on global sports franchises.
Hockey fans in Quebec City are still hoping for the return of a National Hockey League team to the Videotron Centre. I believe there may be a 2.0 version of the Quebec Nordiques, but “when” is the million-dollar question.
Remparts face QMJHL teams in the Videotron Centre ‘bubble’
After a hiatus of almost six weeks, the Quebec Remparts are back on the ice against six other teams of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), in a compressed schedule that will see each team play six games.
The league’s protected environment or “bubble” schedule started on Nov. 17 and will end on Nov. 27.
Auger-Aliassime wins his first ATP doubles title in Paris
Canada’s Félix Auger-Aliassime captured his first-ever professional tennis title when he and partner Hubert Hurkacz of Poland won the doubles final in three sets over Mate Pavic of Croatia and Bruno Soares of Brazil at the Rolex Paris Masters, on Nov. 8.
Videotron Centre will become the QMJHL ‘bubble’ for 10 days
Great news for the Québec Remparts and junior hockey fans – the Videotron Centre has been designated the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s “bubble” for a seven-team tournament from Nov. 17 to 27. The announcement was made on Nov. 8.
Number 19 has more ties to Quebec City than COVID
The number 19 has been associated with the novel coronavirus since the start of the pandemic that will change the rest of our lives.
On the local sports scene, the number 19 is also associated with many great athletes who have represented Quebec City. From the Nordiques to the Capitales and the Rouge et Or, here are some athletes who proudly wore the number 19 for local sports teams.
Remparts still inactive; no European waltz for FAA
Even though practices on home ice are ongoing, the Québec Remparts and other Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) teams located in Quebec public health red zones will remain inactive until further notice. The Remparts played only two games this season before play in red zones was suspended.
Edmonton hosts World Junior Championships
Canada will host the 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Under-20 World Junior Championships from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5.
Outdoor rinks to be built; hockey on hold for now
The city will put up its many outdoor rinks as usual this season, but, due to the pandemic, how people use the rinks may be unusual.
City officials have not yet confirmed what regulations will apply for the number of skaters on the ice at one time, and what access there will be to changing rooms and rinkside shacks.
Silver for Valois-Fortier; FAA reaches semis in Cologne
Quebec City native Antoine Valois-Fortier won the silver medal in the men’s under-81-kilogram category at the Budapest Grand Slam judo event on Oct. 24.
Ranked fifth in the world, Valois-Fortier qualified for the semifinal when he defeated Hungary’s Ivaylo Ivanov in his third match of the day.
CCAA cancels 2020-21 winter sports championships
One week after U Sports announced the cancellation of its national winter sports championships, the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) cancelled its own national winter sports championships.
Sports to get $70 million in provincial aid
The Quebec government recently announced it will inject $70 million into sports associations, federations and leagues after public health authorities paused most sports activities to slow the spread of COVID-19.
U Sports cancels national championships for winter sports
After the cancellation of national championships for fall sports, U Sports, the national university sports organization that oversees the four regional associations, decided on Oct. 15 to also cancel the national championships for winter sports, due to COVID-19 restrictions in place across the country.
Auger-Aliassime drops final in Cologne; university football in the spring?
Félix Auger-Aliassime of L’Ancienne-Lorette reached the final of the Bett1 Hulks Cologne Indoors tennis tournament in Cologne, Germany on Oct. 18, but came out (almost) empty-handed.
Seeded third, Auger-Aliassime lost 6-3, 6-3 to top seed Alexander Zverev of Germany. Auger-Aliassime is still looking for his first career title. The Cologne tournament was his sixth career final.
