PORTLAND, Maine — While Mainers are in the middle of a busy fall sports season, hockey is just around the corner.
Ahead of this weekend's preseason games, the Maine Mariners wrapped up training camp Friday at the Troubh Ice Arena in Portland.
The Mariners are the Boston Bruins ECHL affiliate, one level below the Providence Bruins in the American Hockey League.
Former Mariner player and assistant coach Terrance Wallin was tabbed as the third head coach in the franchise's history this summer.
"It’s starting to feel real for sure," Wallen said before Friday's practice. “Just because we have so many returners, the transition has felt seamless.”
Wallen said it's rare to have so many returning players on the roster in this league so it's been a big help for the first-year head coach. His former playing experience is also helping newer skaters on the team.
“We can feel the energy in Maine with hockey now, it feels like it’s getting better each year with our fan base, and it’s exciting," he added.
Like any team in any sport, there are new faces on this year's roster and some of them will be very familiar to Maine hockey fans.
Mich Fossier skated at the University of Maine for four seasons including serving as the team's captain in 2019-20. His final season was cut short before the Hockey East playoffs due to COVID-19.
“It’s fun to be back up here, I haven’t been here since I graduated school," Fossier said after practice.
The forward was a team leader in points during his time in Orono and he said he is hoping to continue that offensive production at the professional level in Portland.
“We had the privilege of playing [at the Cross Insurance Arena] a few times a year when I was in Orono, so I know what the atmosphere is like and I’m really looking forward to it," Fossier said.
The Mariners will skate in two preseason games this weekend against the Worcester Railers. Both teams will meet in Worcester Saturday night and then play again Sunday evening at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn.
Maine drops the puck in the first regular season game on October 21 at Trois-Rivieres and the home opener will be played the following day on October 22 at 6 p.m.
It will be the return of pro hockey for the 2022-23 campaign in Portland, and it will be a homecoming for Falmouth native Alden Weller.
“Yeah, I pinch myself every day when I come to the rink," Weller said.“I’m just really excited for this opportunity, and I can’t wait for this weekend.”
The 26-year-old defenseman will have plenty of friends and family supporting him during his first season in Portland, and Weller said he's excited to represent his home community.
“[The fans] deserve a great hockey team. They’ve had some great traditions here in the past," he added.
The Mariners are looking to get back to the postseason after dropping a first-round playoff series to the Reading Royals last spring.
“This is not last season, and we want to build off what we did last year, but it’s a different group," Wallin added.
The rookie coach said this team will pride itself on its hard work on the ice and the entire organization is committed to creating an entertaining environment for hockey fans of all ages.
As the season begins, you can register your youth sports team, non-profit, or organization to catch a Mariners game in the NEWS CENTER Maine Storm Center Box.