As with any hockey team, especially within the ECHL, players come and go, and rosters change constantly. Over the past few days, the Mariners have had some substantial shakeups to their roster. This past Saturday, during the game-filled weekend, goalie Kyle Keyser was sent down to the Mariners from AHL affiliate the Providence Bruins. Keyser is one that seems to flow back and forth between the Mariners and the P-Bruins quite often, so this isn’t a very surprising transaction for Maine. On the same day, Mariners’ defenseman Billy Constantinou was released from his SPC. One of the more notable moves of the weekend comes as a direct consequence of actions from the Mariners game against Newfoundland on Sunday the 28th. Mariner’s Alex Sheehy received a one-game suspension, along with a fine, as a result of him slew-footing a Newfoundland player. This game also resulted in a one-game suspension and a fine for Newfoundland’s Matt Brassard for an obviously serious slashing offense. Both of them will miss their team’s respective games this Friday.
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Arguably the most noteworthy and bittersweet move was announced on Monday the 29th when Mariner’s star player Alex Kile was recalled by the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL. Kile is currently signed to a one-year contract with the Phantoms, but has played a good portion of the season with the Mariners. He’s played with the Mariners in some capacity since their inaugural season in 2018. While the Phantoms’ ECHL team is the Reading Royals, not the Mariners, Kile still plays in Maine when he’s sent down from Lehigh Valley. Kile was the first ECHL player of the week for 2024, which he earned after getting seven points under his belt within three games. So far this season, Kile has the most goals in the league with 23, and is second in overall points with 48. He is obviously an invaluable asset to the Mariners and is well-deserved of this call-up, but the Mariners will definitely feel the loss of his presence on the ice.
