By: Ryan Finch | Follow me on Twitter/X @RyanFinch0815
Last season changed everything for the Maine Mariners. For the first time in franchise history, the Mariners weren’t simply hoping to make the Kelly Cup Playoffs—they entered the postseason believing they had a legitimate chance to make a deep run. Under first-year head coach and general manager Rick Kowalsky, Maine finished 42-21-6-3, collected a franchise-record 93 points, finished second in the North Division and captured the first playoff series victory in franchise history. The run ultimately ended in seven games against the Wheeling Nailers, leaving Maine one victory away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals.
Now comes the hardest part. Doing it again.
The 2026-27 Mariners enter the season with expectations that simply didn’t exist a year ago. Last season was about discovering what this organization could become. This season is about proving that success can be sustained—and potentially taking the final step toward a Kelly Cup championship. And while there are plenty of familiar faces returning to Portland, there is no denying that this team will look considerably different.
Perhaps the biggest offseason move wasn’t a player at all. On August 11, the Mariners announced that Kowalsky had agreed to a three-year extension that will keep him in Maine through the 2028-29 season. His first season couldn’t have provided a better argument for a long-term commitment.
Kowalsky immediately established an identity built around work ethic, structure and accountability. The Mariners’ 42-21-6-3 record was the best in franchise history, while their 93 points set a new team record. Maine also put together an 11-game winning streak and finished the season among the ECHL’s strongest teams.
More importantly, the organization believes last season was the beginning rather than the peak. Kowalsky himself said his goal is to continue growing the organization and ultimately win a Kelly Cup in Portland. That extension provides something particularly important in the ECHL, continuity.
Player turnover is part of life in minor-league hockey. Coaches and organizations don’t always get the luxury of developing a team over multiple seasons. By locking up Kowalsky through 2028-29, Maine has ensured that the person responsible for establishing last year’s culture will be around to continue building it.
The Mariners’ most important returning player may be their captain. Wyllum Deveaux is back after an injury-marred regular season limited him to just six games before the playoffs. Despite missing virtually the entire regular season, Deveaux returned for all 14 playoff games and immediately reminded everyone why he wears the “C.”
His return provides Maine with something no statistic can measure, leadership. Deveaux has become one of the players responsible for setting the standard inside the Mariners’ locker room. With several important veterans leaving, his presence becomes even more valuable.
This time around, however, Maine is hoping to have him for an entire season. A healthy Deveaux could give Kowalsky another physical, dependable forward who isn’t afraid to do the difficult work. More importantly, he gives a younger roster a player who understands exactly what the Mariners expect from their players.
This is where the biggest question marks begin. Maine lost an enormous amount of offensive talent from last season.
Max Andreev moved on to the Providence Bruins after producing 19 goals and 43 assists for 62 points during the regular season and another 14 points in the playoffs. Jacob Hudson signed overseas after becoming one of the organization’s biggest offensive weapons. Brooklyn Kalmikov also departed for HKM Zvolen, while fan favorite Xander Lamppa signed with the Fife Flyers.
Those aren’t easy players to replace. The answer won’t be one player. It will have to be collective improvement.
Perhaps no returning forward has a bigger opportunity than Linus Hemstrom. The 22-year-old Swedish forward is coming off his first full season in Maine and showed flashes of becoming a legitimate offensive weapon. He has already demonstrated that he can create scoring chances with his skating and hockey sense, and his confidence appeared to grow as the season progressed.
Now he gets something he didn’t have last year: experience. The second professional season is often when young players begin to understand how to translate their talent into consistent production. If Hemstrom can take that next step, he could become one of the players Maine relies upon to replace some of the offense lost during the offseason. And his return is particularly important because the Mariners need players capable of turning potential into production.
Ben Allison is another player who could see his role increase dramatically. After leading U Sports in scoring at Saint Mary’s with 23 goals and 27 assists in 30 games, Allison joined Maine late in the season. He only played seven regular-season games, but he made an impression during the playoffs.
In five postseason games, Allison scored twice and added two assists. Perhaps his biggest moment came in Game 6 of the North Division Finals. With Maine one victory away from reaching the conference finals, Allison found himself alone on a breakaway in overtime. Wheeling goaltender Taylor Gauthier made the save, however, denying Allison what could have become one of the biggest goals in franchise history.
That experience could be invaluable. Allison now enters the season knowing what professional playoff hockey feels like. More importantly, he knows he can play at that level.
Antonio Venuto could also become an important piece of the offense. Maine acquired him from Kalamazoo during the 2025-26 season after he began his professional career with the Wings. Before joining the Mariners, he had already shown offensive ability, recording five goals and nine assists in 22 games with Kalamazoo and earning an AHL opportunity with Cleveland.
Venuto’s ability to create offense and his familiarity with Maine’s system should give Kowalsky another versatile option. He also has postseason experience with this group after playing in Maine’s run to the North Division Finals.
Ryan McGuire is another familiar face who could benefit from a full season in Maine. Originally joining the Mariners late last season after coming over from the Iowa Wild, McGuire returns for 2026-27. His late-season arrival means there is still plenty of room for him to establish himself within the lineup.
His return is important because Maine doesn’t necessarily need every player to become a 20-goal scorer. They need players who can complement one another and make the overall lineup deeper.
The addition of Ryan Francis gives Maine another young forward with offensive upside. The 24-year-old Halifax native joins a group that will be expected to help replace the production of several departed players. His arrival is part of a larger strategy: rather than attempting to recreate last year’s roster, Maine appears to be building a group with room to grow together.
Jack Works is perhaps one of the more intriguing additions. Maine acquired his ECHL rights from Wheeling after the 2025-26 season. The 25-year-old forward played 57 games for the Nailers last year, scoring nine goals and four assists.
His résumé, however, goes well beyond those numbers. Works won an NCAA championship with Denver in 2022 and later served as captain at Michigan Tech. He also played against Maine during Wheeling’s playoff series, meaning he has firsthand experience with the intensity inside Cross Insurance Arena. That combination of championship experience and leadership could make him an intriguing fit for Kowalsky.
If there is one area where the Mariners appear particularly well positioned, it could be defense. Connor Doherty returns after spending two seasons with Florida, where he helped the Everblades win the Kelly Cup.
Nick Anderson is also back after providing steady play last season, including the game-winning goal in Game 7 against Adirondack that delivered Maine its first playoff series victory. Owen Gallatin returns after gaining valuable experience last season, while Michael Underwood and Jaxon Bellamy provide additional size and defensive stability.
The official roster currently lists all five as returning defensemen. That group gives Kowalsky something every coach wants, options. Doherty brings championship experience. Anderson brings reliability and clutch ability. Gallatin brings youth and offensive potential. Underwood provides size and experience. Bellamy brings another big body who can continue developing.
The biggest challenge will be turning those individual pieces into a cohesive unit. If Maine can limit odd-man rushes and keep opponents from generating second and third opportunities, this could become one of the better defensive groups in the division.
There is one enormous question hanging over the roster. Who replaces Luke Cavallin and Brad Arvanitis?
The tandem was one of the biggest reasons Maine enjoyed so much success last season. Cavallin arrived in Maine as a reigning Kelly Cup champion and playoff MVP, while Arvanitis became the winningest goaltender in franchise history. Both are now gone. Cavallin could return depending on how the roster shakes out with the Providence Bruins. However, that is not a guarantee.
That means this is likely the biggest remaining piece of the puzzle for Kowalsky. Maine doesn’t necessarily need to replace Cavallin and Arvanitis statistically. That’s an impossible standard. What it needs is a tandem capable of giving the team a chance every night. The Mariners’ defensive structure can help, but goaltending will ultimately determine whether Maine remains among the ECHL’s elite.
What does realistic success look like? This is where expectations become interesting. Should Maine win 42 games again? Maybe. Should fans expect another 93-point season? That’s probably unrealistic. The ECHL is too unpredictable, and roster turnover is too significant. But making the playoffs? Absolutely. After last season, anything less would be disappointing.
Maine should realistically expect to compete for one of the top spots in the North Division. A second-place finish would be a reasonable target, while a division championship is certainly within the realm of possibility if the new additions develop quickly.
The bigger objective, however, isn’t regular-season success. It’s the playoffs. Last season proved that Maine can win a playoff series. The next challenge is winning two. Then three. Then four.
There are three things I believe will determine the Mariners’ season.
First, the younger players must develop. Hemstrom, Allison, Gallatin and the new additions can’t simply repeat what they did last year. Maine needs them to become better versions of themselves.
Second, the goaltending has to work. Replacing Cavallin and Arvanitis is arguably the biggest challenge of the offseason.
Third, the veterans need to lead. Deveaux, Doherty, Anderson and the rest of the returning core must make sure the culture doesn’t disappear with the players who left. And that’s where Kowalsky’s extension becomes so important. The coach who built last year’s team is still here. The captain is still here. Several important pieces of the defense are still here. And a collection of young players now has the opportunity to grow together.
The 2026-27 Maine Mariners won’t be last year’s team. And that’s okay. Trying to recreate the 2025-26 roster would be a mistake. That group had its own chemistry, personality and identity.
Last season proved the Maine Mariners are capable of something this organization had never accomplished before. They won 42 games, collected a franchise-record 93 points, captured their first playoff series and came within one win of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, the standard has changed. The 2026-27 Mariners don’t need to prove that they belong among the ECHL’s best—they need to prove they can stay there. With Rick Kowalsky back behind the bench, a strong core of returning players, a promising group of younger pieces and a front office committed to building something lasting, the foundation is once again in place. There are questions to answer, particularly in goal and on the offensive side of the puck, but every team entering a new season has its own challenges. For Maine, the opportunity is much bigger than simply repeating what happened a year ago. The Mariners have already shown they can make history. Now, they have to find a way to finish it.
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