STEFANSON SIGNS ON FOR THIRD SEASON

PORTLAND, ME – August 2, 2023 – The Mariners continued building their 2023-24 roster on Wednesday, announcing the re-signing of forward Reid Stefanson. Coming off his first full season as a professional, Stefanson was fifth on the Mariners in point scoring in 2022-23, and third in goals.

First joining the Mariners at the end of the 2021-22 season, Stefanson continued the lineage of UMass-Lowell alumni in Maine. Stefanson joined now head coach Terrence Wallin and forward Nick Master as former Riverhawks to become Mariners when he signed in the spring of 2022. He made an immediate impression in Maine, with four points in his first nine ECHL games and then played a big role in the Mariners’ North Division Semifinals playoff series against Reading, scoring a key goal in Game 3.

Returning for 2022-23, Stefanson elevated his game, posting 47 points (22 goals, 25 assists) in 69 regular season games. February was when Stefanson really broke out, as he scored eight goals and added four assists in the month, which also included a pair of multi-goal games. He also finished the regular season strong, scoring a goal in four of the last six games. His 22 goals put him third on the team, behind Pat Shea and Alex-Olivier Voyer.

Stefanson is originally from Winnipeg, MB and is now 26 years old. He played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League for his hometown Winnipeg Blues to start his junior career, before jumping to the United States in 2016-17 and the North American Hockey League’s Minot Minotauros. Stefanson also played for the United States Hockey League’s Sioux Falls Stampede in 2017-18 before heading to UMass-Lowell.

“I am really looking forward to spending another year in Portland,” said Stefanson. “The city, fans, and team were awesome last year and I can’t wait to get back there in October.”

Stefanson is the seventh player to be announced on the 2023-24 roster, joining fellow forwards Cam Askew, Austin Albrecht, Brooklyn Kalmikov, and Gabe Guertler, plus defensemen Connor Doherty and Gabriel Chicoine. Click here to view the current roster.

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 presented by Evergreen Credit Union 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 this fall.