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Maine Mariners (ECHL)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the former American Hockey League team that played from 1977 to 1992, see Maine Mariners (AHL).

Maine Mariners
CityPortland, Maine
LeagueECHL
ConferenceEastern
DivisionNorth
Founded1989
Home arenaCross Insurance Arena
ColorsBlue, green, silver
     
MascotBeacon the Puffin
Owner(s)Dexter Paine
General managerTerrence Wallin
Head coachTerrence Wallin
AffiliatesBoston Bruins (NHL)
Providence Bruins (AHL)
Websitewww.marinersofmaine.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

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 participates 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.

History

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Efforts to bring hockey back to Portland

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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 would serve as the team's governor with former player Daniel Brière overseeing the day-to-day operations.[9][10] In August 2017, the team announced their five finalists for a team name: the Mariners, Watchmen, Lumberjacks, Puffins, and Wild Blueberries.[11] The name was announced as the Mariners on September 29.[12] On November 29, the Mariners' logo and color scheme were revealed.[13] 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.[14]

Early seasons

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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.[15]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ECHL cancelled the Mariners' final ten games of the 2019–20 season and the playoffs. Due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, the Mariners voluntarily suspended operations for the 2020–21 ECHL season.[16] The team would return for the 2021–22 season, and 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, until the Bruins relocated the Mariners' franchise to Providence.[17] In August 2021, head coach Armstrong was hired by the Philadelphia Flyers as an assistant coach with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL[18][19] and was replaced by the University of Maine men's hockey assistant coach and former NHL player Ben Guité.[20]

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, clinching the final (4th) playoff spot in the North Division.[21] In their first playoff series in team history, the Mariners lost to the Reading Royals, losing the series 4–2.[22] Guité departed the Mariners after the season to become the head hockey coach of Bowdoin College, and he was replaced as head coach by Terrence Wallin on July 27, 2022.[23]

The Mariners were able to clinch a playoff spot again in the 2022–23 ECHL season, getting the third seed in the division.[24] They again played the Reading Royals in the first round and lost the series 4–2.[25] In the 23–24 season, because of the termination of the Newfoundland Growlers's franchise rights with a couple of games to go, ruining the scheduling, the ECHL announced that they would base the divisional standings (for the North only) on point percentage, keeping the top four teams into the playoffs. Thanks to this, and the tiebreaker over the Worcester Railers, the Mariners made the playoffs again, this time losing in seven games to the Adirondack Thunder.[26][27]

Paine ownership

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On July 23, 2024, businessman Dexter Paine of nearby North Conway, New Hampshire, announced that he had reached an agreement to purchase the Mariners from Comcast Spectacor.[28] The deal was finalized on September 30, 2024.[29] The team finished with 70 points, their worst points total in franchise history excluding the pandemic-shortened 2019–20 season, and failed to make the playoffs in Paine's first year of ownership. It was the first time the team missed the playoffs since their inaugural season.[30]

Season-by-season records

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Regular season Playoffs
Season GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA Standing Year 1st round 2nd round 3rd round Kelly Cup
2018–19 72 37 32 2 1 77 221 247 6th, North 2019 did not qualify
2019–20 62 32 26 3 1 68 182 186 4th, North 2020 Season cancelled
2020–21 Opted out of participating due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 did not participate
2021–22 72 33 31 5 3 74 230 236 4th, North 2022 L, 2–4, REA[31] — — —
2022–23 72 42 27 2 1 87 267 210 3rd, North 2023 L, 2–4, REA[32] — — —
2023–24 72 32 32 8 0 87 250 260 4th, North 2024 L, 3–4, ADR[27] — — —
2024–25 72 33 35 4 0 70 196 237 6th, North 2025 did not qualify

References

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  1. ^ Chimelis, Ron (May 4, 2016). "Springfield investors step up to save hockey for city". MassLive.com.
  2. ^ Jordan, Glenn (May 4, 2016). "Portland blindsided by Pirates' plan to leave for Springfield after 23 seasons in Maine". Portland Press Herald.
  3. ^ Pignatiello, Jim (June 15, 2016). "Springfield Thunderbirds announced as name, mascot of city's AHL franchise". MassLive.com. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
  4. ^ Jordan, Glenn (May 11, 2016). "Pair with ties to Pirates looking to land new team from ECHL". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  5. ^ Jordan, Glenn (January 11, 2017). "Group pulls plug on effort to return pro hockey to Portland later this year". Portland Press Herald.
  6. ^ Jordan, Glenn (March 1, 2017). "Four groups submit proposals to return pro hockey to Portland". Portland Press Herald.
  7. ^ Rose, Chris (March 8, 2017). "Negotiations to begin with two groups to bring ECHL team to Portland". WCSH-TV.
  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. ^ "Comcast Spectacor Acquires ECHL Franchise". Comcast. June 15, 2017.
  11. ^ Wyshynski, Greg (August 17, 2017). "Wild Blueberries now finalist for name of Portland's ECHL team". Yahoo Sports.
  12. ^ Goldberg, Lee (September 29, 2017). "Maine Mariners making a return to Portland". WCSH.
  13. ^ "Maine Mariners Reveal Logo". ECHL.com. November 29, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  14. ^ "Maine Mariners announce affiliation with New York Rangers". marinersofmaine.com. April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
  15. ^ "Portland welcomes back pro hockey, ECHL style". The Portland Herald. October 13, 2018.
  16. ^ "NORTH DIVISION ELECTS SUSPENSION OF PLAY FOR 2020-21 SEASON". ECHL. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  17. ^ "MARINERS ANNOUNCE AFFILIATION AGREEMENT WITH BOSTON BRUINS". Maine Mariners. June 30, 2021.
  18. ^ "RILEY ARMSTRONG LANDS AHL COACHING JOB". Maine Mariners. August 2, 2021.
  19. ^ "Flyers announce additions & promotions to hockey operations staff". Philadelphia Flyers. August 2, 2021.
  20. ^ "BEN GUITE NAMED MARINERS HEAD COACH". Maine Mariners. August 3, 2021.
  21. ^ "MAINE MARINERS CLINCH FIRST EVER PLAYOFF BERTH - Maine Mariners". Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  22. ^ "MARINERS SEASON COMES TO AN END IN SIX GAMES". marinersofmaine.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  23. ^ Bellavance, Meaghan (July 27, 2022). "Terrence Wallin promoted to Mariners head coach". newscentermaine.com. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  24. ^ "MARINERS CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH WITH HUGE THIRD PERIOD". marinersofmaine.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  25. ^ "HISTORIC MARINERS SEASON ENDS IN READING". marinersofmaine.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  26. ^ echl.com (April 2, 2024). "ECHL Terminates Newfoundland Membership". St. Johns, Newfoundland. Retrieved January 17, 2025. The ECHL announced on Tuesday that the League's Board of Governors has voted to terminate the Membership of the Newfoundland Growlers, effective immediately, for failure to fulfill its obligations under the ECHL Bylaws. The playoff seeding for the remaining six teams in the North Division will be determined by points percentage, as will home-ice advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Kelly Cup Finals, in the event a North Division team advances to that round.
  27. ^ a b "MARINERS FALL TO THUNDER IN SEVEN GAMES". marinersofmaine.com. Glens Falls, NY. May 1, 2024. Retrieved January 16, 2025. Isaac Poulter registered his third shutout of the Kelly Cup Playoffs, making 21 saves in a 2-0 Adirondack Thunder victory over the Maine Mariners on Wednesday night. Adirondack won the series in seven games, advancing to the North Division Finals and eliminating the Mariners.
  28. ^ "Maine Mariners | MAINE MARINERS TO BE ACQURED BY DEXTER PAINE". Maine Mariners. July 23, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  29. ^ "Maine Mariners | DEXTER PAINE COMPLETES ACQUISITION OF MAINE MARINERS". Maine Mariners. September 30, 2024. Retrieved April 9, 2025.
  30. ^ Lessner, Chris (April 8, 2025). "Maine Mariners will miss the Kelly Cup Playoffs for a second time". Eastern Maine Sports. Retrieved May 12, 2025.
  31. ^ "ECHL playoffs: Royals win Game 6, 2-1, to eliminate Mariners". portlandherald.com. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  32. ^ "HISTORIC MARINERS SEASON ENDS IN READING". marinersofmaine.com. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
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