The Maine Mariners were one of three teams, along with the Trois-Rivieres Lions and Atlanta Gladiators, to make their season-ending roster public today, as all 28 ECHL teams were required to have them to the league by 3 pm today. Each team is allowed to protect a maximum of 20 players and reserve the rights to eight players; no more than four can be veterans. The ECHL considers any player with 260 professional hockey games played prior to the 2024-25 season a veteran. The list does not include players on NHL or AHL Contracts.
The Roster
Forwards
Ty Cheveldayoff, Wyllum Deveaux, Tyler Drevitch, Gabe Guertler, Brooklyn Kalmikov, Xander Lamppa, Griffin Ness, Felix Pare, Christian Sarlo, Bennett Stockdale, Sebastian Vidmar, Chase Zieky
Defenseman
Gabriel Chicoine, Connor Doherty, Fedor Gordeev, Jason Horvath, Darien Kielb, Andrew Peski, Alex Sheehy
Goaltenders
Brad Arvanitis
Thoughts As the Mariners Head Into The Off-Seasons
There’s no doubt that one of the biggest issues for the Mariners during the 2023-24 season was goaltending. However, the Mariners did put Brad Arvanitis on their season-ending roster as he was one of the bright spots between the pipes, going 20-10-3 with a 2.71 GAA, .920SV%, and one shutout. He was also the only goaltender of the four goalies who took the net for the Mariners, finishing the season with a winning record.
The seven defensemen that Maine decided to put on their season-ending roster definitely are going to catch some eyes. Gabriel Chicoine had a breakout year during the 2023-24 season, putting up 16 goals and 45 assists for 61 points in 66 goals, and was named to the ECHL All-Star Game. There’s no question that if the Mariners are able to keep him around, he could become the new face of the franchise once Alex Kile decides to retire. However, for the Mariners, two of the seven defensemen they have on their season-ending roster have already signed to play overseas next season, as Darien Kielb, who left the Mariners in January to go play in Slovakia, has signed with the Glasglow Clan in Scotland for the 2024-25 season and Fedor Gordeev decided to take the overseas route as well as he’ll be heading back home to Russia.
The forward group from last season stays mostly intact despite a few trades the Mariners made during the season and the news that Chase Zieky will be heading overseas for next season. If Alex Kile does indeed plan to announce his retirement, that will be a massive loss to the Mariners roster; however, I think that one of the moves that went under the radar during the 2023-24 season was the acquisition of Sebastian Vidmar, if put into the right situations with the right linemates he could easily be a 20-goal scorer for the Mariners next season. Forward Felix Pare, who was acquired by Maine yesterday from the Wheeling Nailers, was also on the team’s season-ending roster.
