Maine Mariners Hockey Team Suspends 2020-21 Season

According to ESPN.com, there will be no Maine Mariners hockey this season after all, as the entire Northern division of the East Coast Hockey League ECHL has opted to suspend their play for the rest of the season.

The Maine Mariners also posted about it on their Facebook page:

This means the Maine Mariners, the Minor League franchise of the New York Rangers, will not be playing any games at the Cross-Insurance arena, despite the original plan announced in October for a delayed start of January.

ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin said in a press release that it was a difficult decision.

“As we continue to navigate the continually changing regulations across North America, we recognize the difficult nature of this decision. While some of our teams’ host cities have allowed upcoming plans to include fans inside arenas, we unfortunately do not see the same path for these highly-affected areas in the North East.”

VP of Operations for the Maine Mariners, Danny Briere, also mentioned in the press release that the Mariners hope to return to play in the 2021-2022 season.

“We want to thank our fans for their passion and loyalty as we continue to navigate returning to the ice. The future for this franchise is bright, and we are already making exciting plans for the 2021-22 season.”

For the full press release, visit here.

What do you think? Are you disappointed that there's no hockey? Or do you understand the situation they're in? Let me know.