PORTLAND, ME – The Maine Mariners postponed their weekend home games after ECHL players went on strike Friday, following a breakdown in collective bargaining negotiations. On Friday, December 26, the ECHL membership of the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) called a strike. With that, the Maine Mariners, Boston’s ECHL affiliate, issued a statement ahead of their home games this weekend:

“We wanted to provide a statement from the ECHL about collective bargaining with the PHPA and the union’s decision to force all ECHL players to go on strike. The union’s decision to force our players to stop working means that we have to postpone this weekend’s home games on Friday and Saturday against the Worcester Railers and Trois-Rivieres Lions. This could also result in the postponement or rescheduling of additional games, and we will be in direct communication with our fans and supporters as soon as practicable if that is the case, but know that we’re working to have a team on the ice for our next regularly scheduled home game.”

The Mariners are currently ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference. Through 23 games this season, the Mariners are 11-8-3. A few Bruins prospects have spent time in Portland, Maine, this season. Defensemen Loke Johansson (9 GP, 0-2–2), and Jackson Edward (2 GP, 0-0–0), as well as goaltender Luke Cavallin (14 GP, 9-4-1, 2.05 GAA, .927 SV%). Many players on AHL contracts have been back and forth between Maine and Providence.

Edward was reassigned from the Mariners to Providence on Friday morning.

While only one current Bruin, Tanner Jeannot, has ECHL experience, the league has historically served as a viable development path to the NHL. Jeannot played in eight total games with the Florida Everblades. Not too long ago, the Maine Mariners had a success story: Justin Brazeau. Brazeau played in 75 ECHL games, including 18 with the Mariners, before trending upward to Providence, then landing in Boston. Brazeau is currently with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Reports of the player strike coming to fruition surfaced this week. Both the PHPA and ECHL have taken to open letters and statements to present their cases.

On Monday afternoon, the PHPA released an open letter to fans, calling for higher-quality equipment and a “day off” that is not a bus ride home. They also requested better pay. The players cited that they helped the league recover from the pandemic, but have not seen their money rise since. This letter from the PHPA called the league out for their “bullying to bargaining” tactics.

Later that night, the PHPA announced that the ECHL membership voted to serve a strike notice, effective on Friday, December 26. This letter cited that the bargaining had gone on for several months. The letter used “unlawful and coercive” to describe the ECHL’s conduct throughout the negotiations.

On Friday afternoon, the ECHL issued a statement, which included their “last, best, and final offer” to the PHPA. In this statement, the ECHL offered to “raise player salaries by 20 percent in the first year, boost their per-diem rate, guarantee more off-days, and expand the top-of-the-line equipment available to players.”

In their statement, the ECHL claims to have offered custom sticks, alternate equipment, and mandated off days. They also provided a 19.8% increase to the salary cap, which includes retroactive pay for this season. The ECHL also denies that it has unlawfully contacted players throughout the negotiation.

Josh Wilkins, a player for the South Carolina Stingrays, posted an update to his Instagram. He claimed that “the league recently presented a solid proposal that was denied by the PHPA – without first asking the players or holding a vote to determine whether we felt the offer was fair.”

The Maine Mariners’ players released a statement, emphasizing that this is not a reflection of the Mariners organization, but instead, the ongoing differences at the league level. The Mariners players praised owner Dexter Paine and the team’s staff, calling the Bruins’ affiliate one of the league’s top organizations in terms of player treatment and support.

The Mariners said they are “working to have a team on the ice for our next regularly scheduled home game.”

It is unclear what that team will look like. However, an unnamed ECHL player told Inside AHL Hockey’s Tony Androckitis that “if we strike, we’re kicked out of our apartments the next day, and they’re calling up players from the SPHL.”

Maine has two road games scheduled this week. Their first will be in Trois-Rivieres, QC, on Sunday afternoon. Then, they are at it again in Glens Falls, NY, on New Year’s Eve. The next home game in Portland is on January 2 against Adirondack. Additional postponements remain possible as the PHPA and ECHL have not yet reached an agreement.