Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; James Hagens is selected as the seventh overall pick to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images On Monday, the Boston Bruins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/boston-bruins]announced an extension of their affiliation agreement with the Maine Mariners [https://thehockeynews.com/echl/latest-news/mariners-and-railers-to-meet-in-pre-season-series]through the 2027-28 season. “We are proud to extend our affiliation with the Maine Mariners through the 2027-28 season,” Providence Bruins General Manager Evan Gold, who is also the Assistant General Manager for Boston, said in a statement. “It has been a pleasure getting to know and collaborate with Dexter Paine over the past year-plus of his ownership tenure, and we are confident that his and the entire Mariners staff’s dedication to developing players and competing for championships fully aligns with our organizational development model. “The Bruins are excited to continue working with the Mariners to prepare our prospects for the next levels.” The Mariners began their partnership with Boston and Providence in 2021, leading into Maine’s third ECHL [https://thehockeynews.com/echl]season. The 2025-26 campaign marks year five of the affiliation and begins the new three-year extension. “We are excited to extend our affiliation agreement with the Boston Bruins and Providence Bruins,” Mariners Owner & Governor Dexter Paine stated. “It is an important step for our franchise as we align the Mariners with these two historic franchises. Stabilizing and growing the partnership with both Boston and Providence was a priority of mine after purchasing the team last fall. I want to thank Cam Neely, Don Sweeney and Evan Gold, and we look forward to many great years as part of the Bruins development pipeline.” The Maine/Boston affiliation has a history dating back to late 1980s and early 1990s, when the American Hockey League’s [https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/]Maine Mariners served as Bruins affiliates for five seasons before the team relocated to Providence in 1992.
