The Maine Mariners will begin play in the ECHL this fall as an affilate of the National Hockey League’s New York Rangers.
Portland’s new minor league professional hockey team made the announcement Monday afternoon.
“It’s a classy organization,” said Danny Briere, vice president of hockey operations for the Mariners, who are scheduled to take the ice at Cross Insurance Arena in October. “We’re excited to be a part of the Rangers, a team that’s also in the northeast.”
The Rangers’ top affiliate is the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League. The ECHL is considered a rung below the AHL on the minor-league ladder.
The Rangers will supply some, but not all, of the players on the Mariners roster. In February, the Mariners announced Riley Armstrong as their first head coach.
“It should be a competitive team,” Briere said, “now that we have a good coach and a good organization.”
Briere declined to reveal the length of the affiliation agreement, saying, “we’re hoping it’s going to work for both (sides) and it’s going to be for many years to come.”
New York’s previous ECHL affiliate was the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of South Carolina. The Swamp Rabbits finished last of 13 teams in the Eastern Conference this winter with a 24-48 record and did not advance to the playoffs.
The Mariners also announced a second Town Hall-style meeting with fans scheduled for May 9 at Cross Insurance Arena.
This story will be updated.
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