LEWISTON – With just over four months of down time before the opening of training camp in August, Lewiston Maineiacs General Manager Normand Gosselin isn’t taking much time off now that the team’s inaugural campaign is over.

“The offseason starts tonight,” Gosselin said Thursday at the team’s final meet and greet of the season. “We have a meeting with the coaching staff and we will start talking about next year.”

There are two issues that far outweigh any others this offseason. First, there is an overabundance of potential returning 20-year-olds. By league rules, a team can have four on the roster, and can dress just three. Next year, six players from this year’s edition of the Maineiacs will return to camp as 20-year-olds.

“That is one of the first things we have to look at,” Gosselin said. “We have six guys that could be back, and we have to look at which ones may actually be here.”

Two of the players, Matt Davis and Richard Stehlik, are currently drafted by the Nashville Predators and could look to sign professional contracts over the summer. Maineiacs head coach Mario Durocher believes that this might be in their best interest.

“Davis would probably prefer, and Richard, too, to play among men next season,” Durocher said. “I would be surprised if they both came back.”

The two will also have the opportunity to play in either the East Coast Hockey League or the American Hockey League if the NHL forces a lockout next fall.

Vladislav Balaz, also a potential professional player next season, has not made a decision. Either way, because both of the team’s European players would be 20 next season, the Maineiacs can select two players in this year’s foreign draft, which is separate from the entry draft.

“That’s the other thing we have to start preparing for is the draft,” Gosselin said. “There was a showcase in Exeter, N.H., two weeks ago for U.S.-born players, and there is one in Montreal next week for Quebec and the Maritimes. We will also continue to evaluate talent here in the U.S. over the summer.”

Gosselin said he expects about 60 players to be invited to training camp. That list includes every player that suited up for the Maineiacs this season that remains eligible to play in the league.

“For guys like Kevin Turgeon, who had to leave when he was hurt, he will be back,” Gosselin said. “There is nothing guaranteed, but guys like Mathieu Lemire, Denis Fecteau, Brett Woodland and Steve Holland will all be coming back to camp if they want to.”

Durocher echoed Gosselin’s warning about no guarantees.

“The guys coming back, especially, know that they need to be in shape,” Durocher said. “I met with all of the players one by one (Thursday) and told them all the same thing about training camp. I told them that if they are not ready to go, that if they are not in shape, I won’t take them back. The training camp will be interesting next year.”

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