Maine Mariners (ECHL)

The Maine Mariners are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL that began play in the 2018–19 season. Based in Portland, Maine, the team plays their home games at Cross Insurance Arena. The team participate in the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The team replaced the American Hockey League's Portland Pirates after the franchise became the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2016.

Maine Mariners
CityPortland, Maine
LeagueECHL
ConferenceEastern
DivisionNorth
Founded1989
Home arenaCross Insurance Arena
ColorsBlue, green, silver
     
MascotBeacon the Puffin
Owner(s)Comcast Spectacor
General managerDaniel Briere
Head coachTerrence Wallin
CaptainConnor Doherty
AffiliatesBoston Bruins (NHL)
Providence Bruins (AHL)
Websitemarinersofmaine.com
Franchise history
1989–2003Anchorage Aces
2003–2017Alaska Aces
2018–presentMaine Mariners
Championships
Regular season titles0
Division titles0
Conference titles0
Kelly Cups0
Current uniform
Current season

History

On May 23, 2016, the Portland Pirates' franchise was sold and relocated to Springfield, Massachusetts,[1][2] and became the Springfield Thunderbirds.[3] A team of investors headed by former Pirates executives W. Godfrey Wood and Brad Church—the latter a former Portland player as well—announced their intentions to put an ECHL team in Portland to fill the void, joining as early as 2017.[4] However, progress to attain a franchise by the Portland group stalled[5] until four groups, none of which involved Wood, submitted their own proposals at the end of February 2017.[6] By March 8, the arena owners had narrowed their choices to the proposals submitted by Spectra and National Sports Services, with both groups having been involved with managing ECHL teams in their past.[7]

In June 2017, Comcast Spectacor, Spectra's parent company and the operators of the Cross Insurance Arena and the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers – the founders and NHL affiliate for years of the original Maine Mariners AHL franchise in Portland – purchased the franchise rights of the recently dormant Alaska Aces of the ECHL. The league approved of the sale and relocation of the franchise to Portland on June 15.[8] Philadelphia Flyers president Paul Holmgren will serve as the team's governor with former player Danny Briere overseeing the day-to-day operations.[9] In August 2017, the team announced their five finalists for a team name: the Mariners, Watchmen, Lumberjacks, Puffins, and Wild Blueberries.[10] The name was announced as the Mariners on September 29.[11] On November 29, the Mariners' logo and color scheme were revealed.[12] On February 17, 2018, the Mariners hired Riley Armstrong as head coach and Keith Rosenberg as on-ice assistant coach. On April 9, 2018, the Mariners announced they would be affiliated with the NHL's New York Rangers.[13]

The new Mariners played their first game on October 13, 2018, a 6–3 loss to the Adirondack Thunder. Their inaugural game was at home with a reported attendance of 5,291.[14]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mariners voluntarily suspended operations for the 2020–21 ECHL season.[15] On June 30, 2021, the Mariners entered an affiliation agreement with the NHL's Boston Bruins and their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, beginning with the 2021–22 season. The Bruins were the affiliate of the original AHL Mariners from 1987 to 1992 when they relocated the Mariners' franchise to Providence.[16] In August 2021, head coach Armstrong was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers as an assistant coach with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL[17][18] and was replaced by the University of Maine men's hockey assistant coach and former NHL player Ben Guite.[19]

On April 16, 2022, the Mariners clinched their first-ever playoff berth thanks to the Worcester Railers dropping their game to the Trois-Rivières Lions in OT and the Mariners beating the Newfoundland Growlers after Can Askew and Matthew Santos scored in the shootout and Stefanos Lekkas stopped both Newfoundland shots. Santos scored the OT winner the night before to set up the control of their own destiny in terms of clinching the final playoff spot in the North Division. [20]

In their first-ever playoff game in team history, the Mariners lost to the Reading Royals with a final score of 3-2, being down 3-0 heading into the final period. The second game of the playoff series against Reading was the same as the first, Reading jumping out to a 3-0 lead before the end of the second period, this time holding on to shut out the Mariners 3-0. With the Mariners finding themselves down 2 games to coming back to the Cross Insurance, the Mariners knew what they were up against. The Mariners came back to win Game 3, 5-4, and Game 4, 4-0, and Matthew Santos got the winning goal in game 3 with 2:26 remaining in the 3rd. The royals would then come back to win the series, winning game 5 in the Cross Insurance by a final score of 3-2 and game 6 at Santander by a final score of 2-1. The 2021-22 season was the best that the Mariners had in franchise history.

Season-by-season records

Regular season Playoffs
SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPtsGFGAStandingYear1st round2nd round3rd roundKelly Cup
2018–1972373221772212476th, North2019did not qualify
2019–2062322631681821864th, North2020Season cancelled
2020–21Opted out of participating due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021did not participate
2021–2272333153742302364th, North2022 L, 2–4, REA[21]
2022–2372422721872672103rd, North2023 L, 2–4, REA

Players

Current roster

Updated April 6, 2023.[22][23]
Team roster
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
4 United States Austin Albrecht F L 26 2022 Flemington, New Jersey Mariners
19 United States Cameron Askew RW R 25 2021 Boston, Massachusetts Mariners
21 Canada Conner Bleackley C R 27 2021 High River, Alberta Mariners
35 Canada Josh Boyko G L 26 2022 Mississauga, Ontario Mariners
33 Canada Francois Brassard G L 29 2022 Gatineau, Quebec Providence
3 Canada Gabriel Chicoine D L 26 2022 Saint-Dominique, Quebec Mariners
28 United States Connor Doherty (C) D L 30 2021 Holden, Massachusetts Mariners
17 United States Tim Doherty C L 27 2022 Portsmouth, Rhode Island Mariners
64 Canada Michael DiPietro G L 23 2022 Windsor, Ontario Boston
24 Canada Marc-Olivier Duquette D L 25 2021 Chateauguay, Quebec Mariners
11 United States Mitchell Fossier LW L 26 2022 Alpharetta, Georgia Mariners
12 United States Grant Gabriele D R 26 2022 Brighton, Michigan Providence
41 Canada Fedor Gordeev D L 24 2022 Toronto, Ontario Providence
20 United States Curtis Hall C R 23 2022 Chagrin Falls, Ohio Boston
20 Canada Tyler Hinam F R 23 2022 Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia Mariners
18 Canada Carter Johnson F L 27 2022 Gimli, Manitoba Mariners
10 United States Nick Master C L 28 2021 Broomall, Pennsylvania Mariners
2 Canada Andrew Peski D R 26 2021 Orleans, Ontario Mariners
6 United States Ryan Nadeau (A) C R 23 2021 Middlebury, Vermont Mariners
16 Canada Mathew Santos RW R 28 2021 Etobicoke, Ontario Mariners
27 United States Patrick Shea C R 26 2021 Marshfield, Massachusetts Mariners
14 Canada Reid Stefanson LW L 26 2022 Winnipeg, Manitoba Mariners
40 United States Peter Thome G L 25 2022 Minneapolis, Minnesota Mariners
18 Canada Alex-Olivier Voyer RW R 24 2022 Sherbrooke, Quebec Providence
22 United States Alden Weller D R 27 2022 Falmouth, Maine Mariners
25 United States Jacob Wilson D R 26 2022 Ballwin, Missouri Providence

References

  1. "Springfield investors step up to save hockey for city". MassLive.com. May 4, 2016.
  2. "Portland blindsided by Pirates' plan to leave for Springfield after 23 seasons in Maine". Portland Press Herald. May 4, 2016.
  3. Pignatiello, Jim (June 15, 2016). "Springfield Thunderbirds announced as name, mascot of city's AHL franchise". MassLive.com. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  4. "Effort underway to bring pro hockey back to Portland". Portland Press Herald. May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  5. "Group pulls plug on effort to return pro hockey to Portland later this year". Portland Press Herald. January 11, 2017.
  6. "Four groups submit proposals to return pro hockey to Portland". Portland Press Herald. March 1, 2017.
  7. "Negotiations to begin with two groups to bring ECHL team to Portland". Portland Press Herald. March 8, 2017.
  8. "Portland lands a pro hockey team for the fall of 2018". Portland Press Herald. June 15, 2017.
  9. "Comcast Spectacor buys another hockey team; ex-Flyer Danny Briere to run show". Philadelphia Daily News. June 15, 2017.
  10. "Wild Blueberries now finalist for name of Portland's ECHL team". Yahoo Sports. August 17, 2017.
  11. "Maine Mariners making a return to Portland". WCSH. September 29, 2017.
  12. "Maine Mariners Reveal Logo". ECHL.com. November 29, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  13. "Maine Mariners announce affiliation with New York Rangers". marinersofmaine.com. April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  14. "Portland welcomes back pro hockey, ECHL style". The Portland Herald. October 13, 2018.
  15. "NORTH DIVISION ELECTS SUSPENSION OF PLAY FOR 2020-21 SEASON". ECHL. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  16. "MARINERS ANNOUNCE AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH BOSTON BRUINS". Maine Mariners. June 30, 2021.
  17. "RILEY ARMSTRONG LANDS AHL COACHING JOB". Maine Mariners. August 2, 2021.
  18. "Flyers announce additions & promotions to hockey operations staff". Philadelphia Flyers. August 2, 2021.
  19. "BEN GUITE NAMED MARINERS HEAD COACH". Maine Mariners. August 3, 2021.
  20. "MAINE MARINERS CLINCH FIRST EVER PLAYOFF BERTH - Maine Mariners". Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  21. "ECHL playoffs: Royals win Game 6, 2-1, to eliminate Mariners". portlandherald.com. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  22. "Maine Mariners roster". Maine Mariners. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
  23. "Maine Mariners playing roster". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
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