Maine Mariners (AHL)

For the ECHL team that began play in 2018–19, see Maine Mariners (ECHL).

The Maine Mariners were two separate professional ice hockey teams in the American Hockey League. They both played in Portland, Maine, at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

Maine Mariners
City	Portland, Maine
League	American Hockey League
Founded	1977 (First franchise) 1987 (Second franchise)
Operated	1977–1987 (First franchise) 1987–1992 (Second franchise)
Home arena	Cumberland County Civic Center
Colors	orange and black; black and gold (when Boston Bruins affiliate)
Affiliates	Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins
Franchise history
First Franchise
1977–1987	Maine Mariners
1987–1993	Utica Devils
1993–2003	Saint John Flames
2005–2007	Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights
2007–2009	Quad City Flames
2009–2014	Abbotsford Heat
2014–2015	Adirondack Flames
2015–2022	Stockton Heat
2022–Present	Calgary Wranglers
Second Franchise
1987–1992	Maine Mariners
1992–present	Providence Bruins
Championships
Regular season titles	three (1977–78, 1978–79), 1983–84
Division titles	five (1977–78, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1987–88)
Calder Cups	three (1977–78, 1978–79, 1983–84)

History

First franchise

Once the Cumberland County Civic Center began construction in 1976, there was discussion of the building hosting a minor league hockey franchise. Three franchises eventually made bids to play hockey in Portland: the WHA's Quebec Nordiques, the American Hockey League's Providence Reds, and the Philadelphia Flyers from the National Hockey League. Quebec, who had already a farm team in nearby Lewiston (the Maine Nordiques of the North American Hockey League), was considering supporting affiliates in Portland as well. Rhode Island, who were an established AHL franchise, didn't want to relocate to Portland, but instead proposed scheduling a dozen regular season games there. Philadelphia was the only franchise that wanted to utilize Portland as their team's sole top-level farm club, and in 1977, the agreement to create the Maine Mariners was struck. It proved to be bad news for the Maine Nordiques, who ceased operations after the 1977 season.

Bob McCammon was the team's first head coach. The first regular season game in franchise history was played in Portland in front of 6,566 spectators on October 15, 1977, against the Binghamton Dusters.

The Mariners are the only franchise in league history to win the Calder Cup title 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. Later, the feat was matched by the team that brought AHL hockey back to Portland, the Portland Pirates.

Maine returned to the Calder Cup final in 1980–81 and first-year goaltender Pelle Lindbergh became the only goaltender in AHL history, and just the third player ever, to win the AHL regular season MVP and AHL outstanding rookie award in the same season. Bob McCammon won his second AHL coach of the year award.

In 1983–1984, the Flyers sold the Mariners to the New Jersey Devils of the NHL. However, it kept the Flyers' colors of orange, black and white rather than switch to the Devils' red, green and white. The same season Maine became only the fourth team in AHL history to win a Calder Cup title with a losing regular season record. The Mariners defeated the Rochester Americans in a rematch of the previous year's finals four games to one. It was the local's third Calder Cup crown and their fifth finals appearance in seven years. Maine's championship year was truly a team effort as no members of the club made the all-star team, won a league award during the regular season, or placed in the regular season top ten in scoring. Bud Stefanski was the first recipient of the new AHL playoff MVP award.

Second franchise

Following the 1986–87 season, the original Mariners franchise was moved to Utica, New York, as the Utica Devils. However, Portland was not without hockey, as the league approved an expansion team supplied by players from the Boston Bruins. The expansion team assumed the Mariners name and history and took on the Bruins' black-gold-white scheme. After five seasons in Portland, the Mariners franchise was moved to Providence, Rhode Island, following the 1991–92 season and renamed the Providence Bruins. The final Mariners home game took place on April 4, 1992, against the Fredericton Canadiens.

Portland was not without AHL hockey for long; a season later, the Portland Pirates arrived and played in Portland until 2016 when the franchise was relocated to become the Springfield Thunderbirds.

This market has also been served by:

• Maine Nordiques (NAHL) (1973–1977)
• Portland Pirates (1993–2016)
• Maine Mariners (ECHL) (2018–present)

Season-by-season results

Regular season

Season	Games	Won	Lost	Tied	OTL	Points	Goals for	Goals against	Standing
1977–78	80	43	28	9	—	95	305	256	1st, North
1978–79	80	45	22	13	—	103	350	252	1st, North
1979–80	80	41	28	11	—	93	307	266	3rd, North
1980–81	80	45	28	7	—	97	319	292	1st, North
1981–82	80	47	26	7	—	101	325	272	2nd, North
1982–83	80	39	33	8	—	86	342	309	3rd, North
1983–84	80	33	36	11	—	77	310	312	3rd, North
1984–85	80	38	32	10	—	86	296	266	1st, North
1985–86	80	40	31	9	—	89	274	285	2nd, North
1986–87	80	35	40	—	5	75	272	298	5th, North
1987–88	80	44	25	7	4	99	308	284	1st, North
1988–89	80	32	40	8	—	72	262	317	5th, North
1989–90	80	31	38	11	—	73	294	317	5th, North
1990–91	80	34	34	12	—	80	269	284	5th, North
1991–92	80	23	47	10	—	56	296	352	5th, North

Playoffs

Season	Prelim	1st round	2nd round	Finals
1977–78	—	bye	W, 4–3, NS	W, 4–1, NH
1978–79	—	bye	W, 4–2, NS	W, 4–0, NH
1979–80	—	W, 4–2, NS	L, 2–4, NB	—
1980–81	—	W, 4–3, SPR	W, 4–3, NB	L, 2–4, ADIR
1981–82	—	L, 1–3, NS	—	—
1982–83	—	W, 4–3, NS	W, 4–2, FRED	L, 0–4, ROCH
1983–84	—	W, 4–3, ADIR	W, 4–1, NS	W, 4–1, ROCH
1984–85	—	W, 4–2, NS	L, 1–4, SHER	—
1985–86	—	L, 1–4, MONC	—	—
1986–87	Out of playoffs.
1987–88	—	W, 4–1, NS	L, 1–4, FRED	—
1988–89	Out of playoffs.
1989–90	Out of playoffs.
1990–91	L, 7–12, FRED †	—	—	—
1991–92	Out of playoffs.

^† Two game combined total goals series.

Notable players

• Brian Burke - 2006–07 Stanley Cup Champion while General Manager of the Anaheim Ducks.
• Pete Peeters - Went on to play 491 NHL games and won the Vezina Trophy for the 1982–83 season.
• Ken Linseman - Went on to play 860 NHL games, 1983–84 Stanley Cup Winner with the Edmonton Oilers.
• Alain Vigneault - Longtime NHL head coach. Won the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year with the Vancouver Canucks in 2006–07.
• Ken Daneyko - Three-time Stanley Cup champion, 2000 Bill Masterton Trophy winner, 1,283 NHL games played with the New Jersey Devils

External links

• The Internet Hockey Database - Maine Mariners