The last time a Boston Bruins’ affiliate took the ice in ECHL prior to this season, the Atlanta Gladiators, led by Samuel Asselin, were streaking towards the top of the South Division standings as the COVID pandemic shut down sports throughout the world.
Boston went the entire 2020-21 season without an ECHL affiliate and ended its partnership with Atlanta to explore geographically closer options. Boston decided on the Maine Mariners, swapping ECHL clubs with the New York Rangers and establishing a presence in northern New England.
After building a roster, Maine skated off to a slow start as several top players were loaned out to AHL clubs for long stretches of the season — Alex Kile, Lewis Zerter-Gossage, Michael Kim, among others.