PORTLAND, ME – August 5, 2022 – Last season, four alumni from the University of Maine suited up for the Maine Mariners. On Friday, the Mariners announced that another former Black Bear will be joining the team. Forward Mitch Fossier has agreed to terms to return to the state where he played his college hockey, becoming the first Mariners free agent signing for 2022-23.
Most recently, Fossier played in Slovakia, spending the 2021-22 season with HC Banksa Bystrica. In 38 games, he scored 15 goals and added 12 assists. He also played in nine playoff games and had four points (2 goals, 2 assists). In 2020-21 he was in the American Hockey League with the Rockford Ice Hogs. He appeared in 19 games as a rookie, putting up 8 points (5 goals, 3 assists).
Fossier played at UMaine from 2016-2020, finishing up as captain of the 2019-20 squad. He led the team in scoring his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons, capping it with 42 points in 34 games in his final year. He was a Hockey East Third Team All-Star in 2018-19 and on the Second Team in 2019-20. In 134 career collegiate games, Fossier put up 128 points – 38 goals and 90 assists.
“Going to school in Maine, I know what an unbelievable city Portland is,” said Fossier. “I haven’t been back since I graduated school, so I’m excited to be back in the state and playing hockey with what I hear is a really good group of guys.”
The 25-year-old forward is originally from Alpharetta, GA. He played two seasons of American junior hockey: one each in the North American Hockey League and the United States Hockey League. In 2014-15, he had a 49-point season in 59 games for the NAHL’s Janesville Jets, plus 13 more points in 9 playoff contests. He jumped to the USHL and the Sioux City Musketeers for his final season of juniors and had 40 points in 60 games in 2015-16.
Fossier will become the fifth University of Maine alumnus to play for the Mariners. Last season, forwards Ed Tralmaks, Brendan Robbins, and Pat Shea, and defenseman J.D. Greenway became the first group of former Black Bears to put on the Mariners uniform. The Mariners have now announced seven player signings for 2022-23. Click here to view the current roster.
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