Maine Mariners
| 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–present | |
| Second Franchise | |
| 1987–1992 | Maine Mariners |
| 1992–present | Providence Bruins |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | three (1977–78, 1978–79), 1983–84 |
| Division Championships |
five (1977–78, 1978–79, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1987–88) |
| Calder Cups |
three (1977–78, 1978–79, 1983–84) |
The Maine Mariners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Portland, Maine, at the Cumberland County Civic Center.
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 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 teams sole 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.
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