Maine Mariners (ECHL)

Maine Mariners
2018–19 ECHL season
City Portland, Maine
League ECHL
Conference Eastern
Division North
Founded 1989 (in the PSHL)
Home arena Cross Insurance Arena
Colors Blue, green, silver, white
                   
Owner(s) Comcast Spectacor
General manager Daniel Briere
Head coach Riley Armstrong
Affiliates New York Rangers (NHL)
Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL)
Franchise history
1989–2003 Anchorage Aces
2003–2017 Alaska Aces
2018–present Maine Mariners

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 the Cross Insurance Arena. The team participate in the North Division of the Eastern Conference.

The team replaces the American Hockey League's Portland Pirates after the franchise became the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2016.

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. On April 9, 2018, the Mariners announced they would be affiliated with the NHL's New York Rangers.[13]

Current roster

Updated August 12, 2018.[14][15]
# Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
– Canada Alex Adams D R 25 2018 Orangeville, Ontario Mariners
– United States Riley Bourbonnais C L 25 2018 Rochester, New York Mariners
– United States Garrett Cecere D L 23 2018 West Des Moines, Iowa Mariners
– United States Matias Cleland D L 24 2018 Longmont, Colorado Mariners
– United States Ryan Ferrill F R 25 2018 Havertown, Pennsylvania Mariners
– United States Trevor Fleurent F L 26 2018 Biddeford, Maine Mariners
– United States John Furgele D R 25 2018 Glen Mills, Pennsylvania Mariners
– United States Mitch Jones D L 23 2018 Rochester, Michigan Mariners
– United States Alex Kile LW L 24 2018 Troy, Michigan Mariners
– Canada Connor LaCouvee G L 24 2018 Qualicum Beach, British Columbia Mariners
– Canada Tyler Maltby RW R 22 2018 Sherwood Park, Alberta Mariners
– United States Mike Marnell RW R 23 2018 South Huntington, New York Mariners
– Canada Ken Neil LW L 26 2018 Clarenville, Newfoundland and Labrador Mariners
– United States Derek Pratt D L 24 2018 Mount Hermon, Massachusetts Mariners
– Canada Jesse Schwartz RW R 24 2018 Toronto, Ontario Mariners
– United States Zach Tolkinen D R 28 2018 Lino Lakes, Minnesota Mariners
– United States Dwyer Tschantz RW R 23 2018 Wilmington, Delaware Mariners
– United States Brady Vail C L 24 2018 Hendersonville, North Carolina Mariners

References

  1. ↑ Springfield investors step up to save hockey for city
  2. ↑ Portland blindsided by Pirates’ plan to leave for Springfield after 23 seasons in Maine
  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. ↑ "Maine Mariners roster". Maine Mariners. 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2018-07-07.
  15. ↑ "Maine Mariners playing roster". eliteprospects.com. 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2018-07-07.
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