The Maine Mariners released their season ending roster for the 2019-20 season, protecting the rights of seventeen players between now and July 1st. This would be the second phase in three step process of protecting player’s rights. (The first step was the initial protected list, and the final being qualifying offers.)
Each team is allowed to reserve rights to eight players at a maximum from the list of 20 by extending a qualifying offer no later than June 30th. Of those players, no more than four can be veterans, and players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded. The qualifying offer MUST remain open for acceptance until July 16th.
At that time, the qualifying offer is voided and the team can sign the player to any salary or they may elect to take no further action. For teams that decide to extend a qualifying offer to a non-veteran player, they shall retain rights to that player for one playing season.
A team that gives a qualifying offer to a veteran player or goaltender that has played more than 180 regular season games will retain the rights to that player until July 16th. After that date, if the veteran player in question is not signed to a contract by the team, that player is then considered a restricted free agent and is allowed to seek and secure offers of employment from other ECHL teams. Restricted free agents may not be traded.
When a restricted free agent receives a contract offer from a team other than the team that holds the player’s rights AND the restricted free agent in question wishes to accept the offer, they must notify the ECHL, the team with the player’s rights and the PHPA within 24 hours. The member with the player’s rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise their right to match the contract offer.
If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or contract by an ECHL team by August 1st, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent. Starting on Tuesday June 16th, teams can sign players on their season-ending rosters to standard player contracts for the 2020-21 season. Up to eight players may receive offers by June 30th. Free agency begins on July 1st.
The Maine Mariners 2019-20 season-ending roster is as follows:
FORWARDS (9): Conner Bleackley, Ryan Ferrill, Dillan Fox, Brian Hart, Ted Hart, Alex Kile, Nick Master, Michael McNicholas and Mikael Robidoux.
DEFENSEMEN (7): Josh Couturier, Marc-Olivier Crevier-Morin, Nathaniel Kallen, Austin McEneny, Jonathan Racine, Dallas Rossiter and Gabriel Sylvestre.
GOALTENDERS (1): Francois Brassard.
Comparing the season ending roster, there were only three names not included. Corey Kalk, Terrence Wallin and Matt Nuttle. Out of those names, it came as a surprise to some to see Nuttle and Wallin not included. Both spent a considerable amount of time on the ice. Wallin with 56 games and rookie Matt Nuttle with 40 during the 2019-20 season. Kalk was traded to Maine from the Wichita Thunder and given a qualifying offer, but it seems as if he never actually played a game at all.
Overall, there aren’t many surprises that come from the season-ending roster. With the 2019-20 season the Mariners had, I’m looking forward to seeing them play and continuously improve. Many players count their trip to Newfoundland in February as the highlight of the season. They gave the Growlers a run for their money, winning three out of four games and ending the Growlers at-home win streak.
Fans are excited to see the Maine Mariners return to the ice and make waves in the ECHL this season. The Mariners hit the ice at the Cross Insurance Arena on October 17th, 2020 with a 7:00pm puck drop against their North Division rivals, the Worcester Railers.