The affiliation agreement with the Bruins completes the "trifecta" of Portland-Boston affiliations, with the Portland Sea Dogs and Maine Celtics (formerly Maine Red Claws) having existing agreements with the Boston Red Sox and Boston Celtics, respectively. Boston is less than two hours from Portland, and the Bruins fanbase makes up the majority of the NHL rooting-interest in the state of Maine.
"We are extremely excited to be a part of the Bruins development ladder, and solidifying the Boston-Portland connection with all three of Maine's professional sports franchises" said Mariners President Danny Briere. "Mariners fans should be ecstatic to watch players from the Bruins organization playing in Maine."
The Mariners will be affiliated with the Providence Bruins at the AHL level. Ironically, Providence represents the original Maine Mariners AHL franchise. The AHL's Mariners were Bruins affiliates from 1987 until 1992, when the franchise was relocated to Rhode Island.
The Boston Bruins are the oldest NHL franchise based the United States, founded in 1924. Like the Rangers, they are one of the "original six" NHL teams. They are six-time Stanley Cup Champions, most recently in 2011.
"The Boston Bruins are excited to establish an affiliation agreement with the Maine Mariners of the ECHL," said Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney. "The Bruins and Maine Mariners have a long player development history, as well as having a passionate fan base in Portland and throughout the state of Maine. We are looking forward to building a strong working relationship with Comcast Spectacor, Daniel Briere, and the coaching staff of the Mariners."
The Bruins have had an ECHL affiliate since 1991. They've partnered up 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). The Mariners will represent their geographically closest ECHL affiliate.
The Mariners 2021-22 season, presented by Hannaford To Go, begins on October 22nd, with the home opener against the Worcester Railers, presented by Skowhegan Savings. The full schedule can be found here. Full season, half season, 12-game mini plans, and 10-ticket flex plans, as well as group tickets are available now. Single game tickets will go on sale in September. More information on current ticketing options is available by calling 833-GO-MAINE, emailing
[email protected]
, or by visiting
MarinersOfMaine.com
.
