The Maine Mariners will be without their All-Star defenseman next season as Gabriel Chicoine has opted to take the overseas route and head to Slokavia for next season. Chicoine spent four seasons at the NCAA level as he spent his first three seasons at Norwich University before transferring to Bowling Green State University for his final season. The 27-year-old blueliner would lead the Cadets in goals in his first two seasons including scoring five of the six goals that came from the blueline during the 2019-20 season. In 104 games at the NCAA level the Quebec native put up 12 goals and 62 assists for 74 points. Chicoine played just over two seasons in the ECHL, all with the Mariners, where he’s put up 21 goals and 76 assists for 97 points in 139 games with Maine and is coming off a record season where he put up 16 goals and 45 assists for 61 points in 66 regular season games and would be named as the Mariners representative for the 2024 ECHL All-Star Classic. He’s added one goal and three assists for four points in 13 career Kelly Cup Playoff Games.
This is a massive loss for the Mariners on the blueline, as Chicoine has been a big part of their blueline over the past two seasons and has led the Mariners’ defensive core in points in each of the last two seasons. Heading into the 2024 off-season, the Mariners will have to completely rebuild their blueline as they have now lost three defensemen as Andrew Peski and Fedor Gordeev both decided to take the overseas route.
