Boston Bruins Maine Mariners will become Bruins ECHL affiliate

[Fenway]

On Tuesday, the Portland Press Herald reported that it had confirmed the affiliation between the Maine Mariners of Portland and the National Hockey League franchise. The Portland team had been affiliated with the New York Rangers.

The Mariners are expected to make the new affiliation official with an announcement on Wednesday at the team’s home arena, the Press Herald reported.

The New York Rangers announced Tuesday that they had entered into an agreement with the Jacksonville Icemen to be their ECHL affiliate starting in the 2021-22 season.

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[PlayMakers]

Cool!

 

[member 96824]

yayyyy

 

[Flannelman]

Dig it. love Portland

 

[Saxon Eric]

Huzzah!

 

[bruinmann77]

Nice this is good news keep all close and can fill two roster with prospects

 

[PepeBostones]

Love this move to Portland. Went to see the Maine Mariners in 1988 when the Bruins had their AHL affiliate there. It will be interesting to see how many Bruins prospects they will send to ECHL. They have to sign some players. As of now, they can barely fill the Providence roster. Really excited about this.

 

[PB37]

Love it!!! I'm only a half hour away!!

 

[08SeaBass08]

But what about Spectacor and the Flyers and all the bad blood...

 

[Mainehockey33]

Can’t wait to see some games.

 

[BruinDust]

Better than Atlanta!

 

[Fenway]

The B's were courted by Worcester but the Providence owner thought a Worcester Bruins might hurt the Baby B's in RI. Portland is a win win.

 

[Saxon Eric]

The B's were courted by Worcester but the Providence owner thought a Worcester Bruins might hurt the Baby B's in RI. Portland is a win win.

Shocker...

 

[DaStinger]

Gives me an excuse to get my passport and cross the border once things get back to full normal.

 

[pgm16]

Will be able to see them when they play the Growlers....good stuff !

 

[BMC]

Cross Arena is good place to watch a game, I went to a game 2 years ago when I was visiting friends. Had a blast.

 

[incidental otter]

I had a chance to go to some public practices during the M's inaugural season, and spoke to both Coach Armstrong and Danny Briere. They'd both just attended the Rangers training camp, so I asked about adjusting to that organization's style and systems.

Armstrong said "hockey is hockey", and that - for him - systems differ mostly in their terminology. He said that most players unable to matriculate from the ECHL failed at either playing with enough pace, or lacked adequate passing skills. Accordingly, he put a great deal of emphasis on pace in practices, and was an active teacher during drills (as was his asst. coach). Intense, plainspoken, and very funny, was my impression.

Briere spent a good deal of time on the ice, and was a semi-regular presence in the stands at home games. He also seemed to enjoy teaching on-ice, and my impression is that he's just as driven to succeed in the FO as he was when playing. The respect and attention given him by the M's players was obvious. Meeting him, it's easy to understand why the Flyers gave him the job, and I found him easy to root for despite his infuriating success against the B's.

Finally, the arena was built with AHL teams in mind, so the facilities are a step above what ECHL vets expect.

I think B's prospects are in good hands.

 

[KrugAvoy]

This is great news that the ECHL affiliate is local. Atlanta was a long ways away in case someone was called up to Providence .

Seems like this is the deathblow to any hope of Manchester or Worcester getting another team though. Likely was Bruins or bust for those two cities.

 

[GabeTravels]

Growing up in southern Maine meant a LOT of Portland Pirates games growing up. Always enjoyed them and was so sad when they lost the AHL team.

So glad the Mariners have been successful and even more excited now that they're an affiliate.

Fun fact... Doc Emerick used to do the PBP for the original Mariners way back in the late 70s.

 

[Centrum Hockey]

Shocker...

Back in Worcester’s AHL days Providence claimed Millbury as their territory and Millbury directly borders Worcester.

This is great news that the ECHL affiliate is local. Atlanta was a long ways away in case someone was called up to Providence .

Seems like this is the deathblow to any hope of Manchester or Worcester getting another team though. Likely was Bruins or bust for those two cities.

Worcester still has a team with a local owner that is very committed to the city. Manchester has a completely different set of issues.

 

[GarbageGoal]

This is great news that the ECHL affiliate is local. Atlanta was a long ways away in case someone was called up to Providence .

Seems like this is the deathblow to any hope of Manchester or Worcester getting another team though. Likely was Bruins or bust for those two cities.

It will mean a New England footprint for the ECHL defrays travel costs for Worcester (who exists currently) and any potential return to Manchester.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I had a chance to go to some public practices during the M's inaugural season, and spoke to both Coach Armstrong and Danny Briere. They'd both just attended the Rangers training camp, so I asked about adjusting to that organization's style and systems.

Armstrong said "hockey is hockey", and that - for him - systems differ mostly in their terminology. He said that most players unable to matriculate from the ECHL failed at either playing with enough pace, or lacked adequate passing skills. Accordingly, he put a great deal of emphasis on pace in practices, and was an active teacher during drills (as was his asst. coach). Intense, plainspoken, and very funny, was my impression.

Briere spent a good deal of time on the ice, and was a semi-regular presence in the stands at home games. He also seemed to enjoy teaching on-ice, and my impression is that he's just as driven to succeed in the FO as he was when playing. The respect and attention given him by the M's players was obvious. Meeting him, it's easy to understand why the Flyers gave him the job, and I found him easy to root for despite his infuriating success against the B's.

Finally, the arena was built with AHL teams in mind, so the facilities are a step above what ECHL vets expect.

I think B's prospects are in good hands.

except Armstrong is now with Lehigh Valley...... There's a new sheriff running the franchise and Providence fans know him from his playing days..... Ben Guite

 

[incidental otter]

except Armstrong is now with Lehigh Valley...... There's a new sheriff running the franchise and Providence fans know him from his playing days..... Ben Guite

Thanks. I think Riley's promotion is well-earned, and remember Ben playing and coaching for UMaine. I hoped they'd officially give Guite the Black Bears' job after Red died, so am happy he's getting an opportunity in Portland. His career path as a player should give him credibility with the team, and he's certainly had good experience coaching this age group.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

View attachment 450419
Love this move to Portland. Went to see the Maine Mariners in 1988 when the Bruins had their AHL affiliate there. It will be interesting to see how many Bruins prospects they will send to ECHL. They have to sign some players. As of now, they can barely fill the Providence roster. Really excited about this.

ECHL Rules dictate only three from the affiliation.... whomever doesn't make BOS/PRO.... IE the Goalie like Keyser has been the last several years, possibly a D/F..... no ECHL Team can have 1 G on an active roster whether it's solely theirs or assigned via the affiliate

MAJORITY of them are solely the ECHL rights, it has nothing directly to do with Providence or Boston except off ice.....

the way the Rangers handled that is weekly meetings with Briere and until recently Armstrong.... doubtful to say whether Guite was given an additional title of AGM, THE way Riley was....

 

[Alicat]

Booth and Brodeur will be good up in Maine. Gets them the seasoning they need