Maine Nordiques (NAHL)

Last updated

Maine Nordiques
Maine Nordiques.svg
City Auburn, Maine
League North American Hockey League
DivisionEast
Founded2019
Home arenaNorway Savings Bank Arena
ColorsLight blue, red, white
   
Owner(s)Shift Sports and Entertainment
General managerNick Skerlick [1]
Head coachNick Skerlick
Affiliate Maine Nordiques (NA3HL)
Franchise history
2019–presentMaine Nordiques

The Maine Nordiques are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's East Division. The Nordiques play their home games at Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn, Maine.

Contents

History

On February 28, 2019, the North American Hockey League (NAHL) announced that they had approved the membership application submitted by ISS Kings Youth Hockey Club, LLC for a team in Lewiston, Maine, owned by Darryl Antonacci and that the team would start play in the 2019–20 season as a member of the East Division. [2] [3] The team shared the Androscoggin Bank Colisée and a development program with the Tier III Lewiston/Auburn Nordiques that has a team in the North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). The organization is named after the former professional team, the Maine Nordiques. Antonacci promoted his head coach from the ISS Kings youth team, Nolan Howe, son of Hall of Fame player Mark Howe, as the NAHL team's first head coach. [4]

In March 2020, team owner Antonacci agreed to purchase the Androscoggin Bank Colisée and the Tier III Nordiques from the arena owner Jim Cain. [5] As part of the turnover, Antonacci folded the Tier III junior team and replaced it with Tier 1 youth teams. [6] Both leagues cancelled their 2019–20 seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [7]

Nolan Howe was fired and replaced by associate head coach Matt Pinchevsky 16 games into the 2021–22 season. [8]

On May 5, 2023, the NAHL announced that team owner Darryl Antonacci had sold the Nordiques to Shift Sports and Entertainment, LLC. The agreement included a five-year lease renewal at the Colisée. [9]

In March 2025, the Nordiques honored the Lewiston Maineiacs, the prior tenants of the Colisée who played in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League from 2003 to 2011. The Nordiques wore Maineiacs jerseys and brought back former Maineiacs players over a three-game span. [10]

In June 2025, the Nordiques agreed to terminate the remaining time on their five-year lease extension in order to facilitate a sale of the Colisée. [11] [12] The Colisée was subsequently sold to Mill Town Sports and Entertainment in a deal finalized in July 2025. [13] Shortly thereafter, Mill Town Sports and Entertainment announced that they could not come to a lease extension with the Nordiques, citing unpaid bills from Shift Sports and Entertainment. [14] The Nordiques will instead play the 2025–26 season at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in neighboring Auburn, Maine. [15] Mill Town Sports and Entertainment subsequently moved their Tewksbury, Massachusetts-based United States Premier Hockey League team into the Colisée, rebranding them to the Lewiston MAINEiacs. [16]

Season-by-season records

SeasonGPWLOTLPtsGFGAFinishPlayoffs
2019–20 5420322421902307th of 7, East Div.
21st of 26, NAHL		Postseason cancelled
2020–21 5635192721691632nd of 6, East Div.
5th of 23, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals, 3–2 vs. New Jersey Titans
Won Div. Finals, 3–0 vs. Maryland Black Bears
Lost Robertson Cup Semifinals, 0–2 vs. Shreveport Mudbugs
2021–22 60222711552002436th of 7, East Div.
23rd of 29, NAHL		did not qualify for postseason play
2022–23 6033243692081883rd of 7, East Div.
11th of 29, NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals, 3–0 vs. New Jersey Titans,
lost Div. Finals 1–3 vs. Maryland Black Bears
2023–24 6037176802361782nd of 9 East Div.
9th of 32 NAHL		Won Div. Semifinals, 3–2 vs. Rochester Jr. Americans,
Lost Div. Finals, 2–3 vs. Maryland Black Bears
2024–25 4728154601491132nd of 10 East Div
8th of 35 NAHL		Won Play in Rd, 2–1 vs. New Hampshire Mountain Kings,
Won Div. Semifinals, 3–1 Maryland Black Bears
Lost Div Finals 1–3 (Rochester Jr. Americans)

References

  1. ↑ "NAHL Coaching Staff". Maine Nordiques. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  2. ↑ "NAHL team in Lewiston, Maine approved for the 2019-20 season". NAHL. February 28, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  3. ↑ Fournier, Nathan (February 28, 2019). "Maine Nordiques, an NAHL Tier II team, coming to Lewiston". Sun Journal . Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  4. ↑ Fournier, Nathan (March 25, 2019). "Maine Nordiques name Howe as first Head Coach". Sun Journal . Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Androscoggin Bank Colisee to be sold to owner of Maine Nordiques". WGME-TV. March 14, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Nordiques owner wants more high-end hockey, year-round events at the Colisee". Sun Journal . March 13, 2020.
  7. ↑ "NAHL announces cancelation of entire 2019-20 season due to COVID-19". NAHL. March 17, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Matt Pinchevsky replaces Nolan Howe as Maine Nordiques head coach". Sun Journal . November 9, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Maine Nordiques announce new ownership group". North American Hockey League (NAHL). May 5, 2023. Retrieved April 13, 2025.
  10. ↑ Fournier, Nathan (March 20, 2025). "Maine Nordiques honoring Lewiston Maineiacs at next 3 home games". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  11. ↑ Fournier, Nathan (August 18, 2025). "Maine Nordiques still plan to play in Lewiston-Auburn area". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  12. ↑ Fournier, Nathan (June 14, 2025). "Maine Nordiques without a home as potential sale of Lewiston's Colisée looms". Lewiston Sun Journal. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  13. ↑ Rice, Andrew (July 8, 2025). "Lewiston Colisee has new management, envisions 'top-tier sports events and entertainment'". The Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  14. ↑ Fournier, Nathan (July 17, 2025). "Maine Nordiques won't play at Colisee this season". The Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  15. ↑ Fournier, Nathan (August 21, 2025). "Maine Nordiques moving to Auburn's Norway Savings Bank Arena". The Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  16. ↑ Rice, Andrew (July 8, 2025). "Lewiston Maineiacs hockey is coming back to The Colisée". The Portland Press Herald. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
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