MONTREAL -- It was the official launch of the 2020-21 season of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last night.

However, the festivities surrounding the first night of the regular season, which will feature 16 teams, were clouded even before the first puck hit the ice.

Rumours began to circulate after Premier François Legault's press conference yesterday that the Quebec government will ban team sports in the red zone as of Monday.

If these rumours materialize, clubs like the Remparts de Québec and the Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand, which are already in the red zone, could suffer.