Boston Bruins extend affiliation with Maine Mariners

Photo / Jim Neuger Tim Doherty scores last Sunday to seal a 5-2 victory for the Maine Mariners over the Tulsa Oilers at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. The victory sent the Mariners to the playoffs for the second straight year.

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By Renee Cordes

The playoff-bound Maine Mariners hockey team will remain affiliated with the National Hockey League's Boston Bruins for another two years under an extension agreement valid through the 2024-25 season.

"The Mariners are ecstatic to extend our affiliation with the Boston Bruins," said Adam Goldberg, vice president of business operations for the Maine Mariners, in Monday's announcement.

“Beyond the obvious geographical connection between Maine and Boston, both of our organizations take great pride in professionalism and performance," Goldberg added. "It is an agreement for our players’ development, our staff’s relationships, and most importantly, for our fans. Maine is Bruins Country.”

The Boston Bruins' extension with the Mariners continues the “trifecta” of Portland-Boston affiliations, alongside baseball's Portland Sea Dogs with the Boston Red Sox and basketball's Maine Celtics with the Boston Celtics. Prior to a 2021 rebrand, the Maine Celtics were known as the Maine Red Claws.

The Bruins have had an East Coast Hockey League affiliate since 1991. Over the years the team has partnered with the Johnstown Chiefs (1991-93, 2007-08), Charlotte Checkers (1993-94, 1995-98), Greenville Grrrowl (2001-02), Reading Royals (2009-12), South Carolina Stingrays (2012-15), and, most recently, the Gwinnett/Atlanta Gladiators (2015-20).

At the American Hockey League level, the Mariners will remain affiliated with the Providence (R.I.) Bruins.

Headed to playoffs

Professional hockey returned to Maine in 2017 with the Maine Mariners, a new team at that time, with a new logo and mascot, Beacon the Puffin. After two years as the ECHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, the Mariners announced in June 2021 that they would become an affiliate of the Boston Bruins.

After sitting out 2020-21 due to the pandemic, the Mariners returned in 2021-22 under first-year head coach Ben Guite. The Mariners went on to make their first playoff appearance in team history but lost in the North Division Semifinals to the Reading (Penn.) Royals in six games.

Now, with former player Terrence Wallin as head coach, the Mariners are headed to the playoffs again after Sunday's 5-2 victory against the Tulsa Oilers, with hopes of bringing a Kelly Cup, the ECHL's equivalent of the NHL's Stanley Cup, to Portland.