Portland’s future ECHL franchise has narrowed its potential nickname list down to five.
Portland Hockey LLC announced the final five Thursday, following voting that started July 20 and ended Aug. 14.
The five finalists are Mariners, Watchmen, Wild Blueberries, Lumberjacks and Puffins. Fans can vote for their favorite online at www.portlandmainehockey.com.
“We got just what I was hoping for, and that’s a lot of interest in the new team, and suggestions circling around Maine,” Adam Goldberg, VP of Business Operations for Portland Hockey LLC, said. “We are looking forward to hearing the fans’ thoughts on the top five names as we work towards naming the team next month.”
The Maine Mariners were an AHL in Portland from 1977-92. The Mariners are the only franchise in league history to win the Calder Cup in their first two seasons (1977-78, 1978-79), and at the time were the only team to ever capture the Calder Cup during their inaugural season.
Watchmen pays tribute to 65 lighthouses still standing along the 5,000 miles of Maine coastline, inlets and islands. Maine is often referred to as The Lighthouse State. The Watchmen keep an eye on the coast.
The Wild Blueberries is a nod to the official berry of Maine, which accounts for 10 percent of all blueberries grown in North America.
Lumberjacks was selected as a Final Five name because 90 percent of Maine is covered by forest, the most of any state.
Puffins is an option because Maine’s ocean islands provide the only nesting sites for Atlantic Puffins.
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