MARINERS ISSUE QUALIFYING OFFERS

PORTLAND, ME – July 10, 2023 – The Mariners have issued qualifying offers to eight players, completing the ECHL rights protection process entering 2023-24. The eight players receiving qualifying offers are:

FORWARDS (6): Tim Doherty, Mitch Fossier, Tyler Hinam, Mathew Santos, Pat Shea, Chase ZiekyDEFENSEMEN (2): Marc-Olivier Duquette, Andrew Peski

Although a qualifying offer is not equal to a signing, it ensures that each player cannot play for another ECHL team in 2023-24, unless their rights are traded. For instance, if a player signs a contract in another league such as the AHL or somewhere overseas, the Mariners retain their ECHL rights. The following stipulations apply to qualifying offers:

Each team was entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players. Of the eight qualified players, no more than four could be veterans (260 regular season professional hockey games played as of the start of the upcoming 2023-24 season). Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded.

The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until July 22 at which time the qualifying offer becomes null and void and the team may sign the qualified player to any salary or may elect to take no further action. Teams that extend a valid qualifying offer to a non-veteran player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season.

A team that extends a valid qualifying offer to a veteran player, or to a goaltender who has played more than 180 regular-season games, will retain the rights to that player until July 22. After July 22, if the veteran player or goaltender is not signed to a contract by the team, the player shall be deemed a restricted free agent and shall be entitled 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 with the player’s rights and the restricted free agent wishes to accept the contract offer, the restricted free agent and the offering member must, within 24 hours, notify the ECHL, the team with the player’s rights and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association. The member with the player’s rights shall have seven days after the date it is notified to exercise its right to match the contract offer.

If a restricted free agent is not signed to either an offer sheet or a contract by an ECHL team by August 8, the player shall be deemed an unrestricted free agent.

The Mariners kick off their fifth ECHL season on October 20th, 2023 in Trois-Rivieres, QC against the Trois-Rivieres Lions, with the home opener on Saturday, October 21st at 6 PM, also against the Lions. The full schedule for the 2023-24 season, presented by Hannaford to Go, can be viewed here. Full and half season packages plus 12-game plans are on sale now by calling 833-GO-MAINE or visiting the Mariners front office at 94 Free St. in Portland. Prospective package holders can also put down a deposit or fill out an inquiry form at MarinersOfMaine.com. Single game tickets will go on sale in September.