PORTLAND, ME – July 8, 2026 – The Maine Mariners have issued qualifying offers to eight players, completing the ECHL rights protection process entering 2026-27. The list does not include players who have signed contracts. The eight players receiving qualifying offers are:
FORWARDS (5): Max Andreev, Robert Cronin, Linus Hemstrom, Jacob Hudson, Xander Lamppa
DEFENSEMEN (2): Jaxon Bellamy, Michael Underwood
GOALTENDERS (1): Brad Arvanitis
Although a qualifying offer is not equal to a signing, it generally ensures that each player cannot play for another ECHL team in 2026-27, unless their rights are traded. For instance, if a player signs a contract in another league such as the AHL or 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. Players on open qualifying offers cannot be traded.
The qualifying offer must remain open for acceptance until 11:59 p.m. ET on 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 Player shall retain the rights to that qualified player for one playing season. Any player who has played in more than 190 professional regular-season games is ineligible to receive a Qualifying Offer.
All regular-season games played in any of the following leagues shall count towards a Player’s Rookie/Veteran and Qualifying Offer status:
North America – National Hockey League, American Hockey League, ECHL, Central Hockey League (Defunct, but games played count toward veteran status)
Europe – Czech Extraliga (Czech Republic), Liiga (Finland), DEL (Germany), KHL (Russia), Slovak Extraliga (Slovakia), SHL (Sweden), National League (Switzerland)
The Mariners 2026-27 season begins on Saturday, October 17th at Worcester with the Home Opener one week later on October 24th, also against the Railers. For more information on ticket packages and group discounts for the 2026-27 season, fans can call 833-GO-MAINE, go to MarinersOfMaine.com, or visit the Mariners front office at 94 Free Street in Portland.
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