LEWISTON – After 100 days, the songbird hasn’t changed his tune, and this year’s Lewiston Maineiacs training camp is still as wide open as it can be.

Maineiacs coach and General Manager Clem Jodoin crossed the 100-day threshold this week, and the changes to the system are starting to become more obvious, even though his influence has been from afar.

“It has been busy,” Jodoin said. “It started right away with the draft and a list of all of the potential players. I did not know any of them, but they all have their own background, their own story. I don’t want to know those yet. The biggest thing right now is building the organization and giving things a structure.”

Part of the new “structure” is an improved gym facility attached to the team’s locker room, a new video system to watch game tape, a new computer system, and a reorganization of the team’s school system.

“Anything that we can do to make the organization better, that is what we are working on,” Jodoin said. “It is definitely not finished yet. We still have a lot to do with businesses, a lot of one-on-one things that have to be done. But it is fun, so far.”

From a distance

Some of the more personal things that Jodoin has to do will have to wait at least a few more weeks thanks to a snag in the Visa application process.

Last year, coach Mario Durocher was aboard under the now-infamous H2-B Visa, which has been capped this year by the federal government. Jodoin, however, qualifies for the P-Visa for professional athletes and coaches thanks to his extensive work history and his previous credentials. The problem: A longer application process.

“The P-Visa is usually restricted to the highest level of competition in any particular sport,” said Maineiacs Vice President and Governor Matt McKnight. “We found a criteria within the process and he does fit the category, but we have to illustrate his level of international experience. There are a number of letters that have to be signed and returned to be included in the application.”

Jodoin is able to enter the United States as a visitor, and can observe the day-to-day operations of the organization, but is unable to participate in anything that he would normally be compensated for.

“He can be here to observe the camp,” McKnight said. “As it is, we have plenty of assistants that will be able to run practice and be on the bench for games. We certainly do not want to violate any rules at this point.”

Still involved

Though not able to work from his office in Lewiston just yet, Jodoin has been able to piece together a rough schedule for the season, down to practice times and ice time for the players throughout the season.

“I still have to go one day at a time with the bigger things,” Jodoin said. “But for those things it is good to get things down and ready to go.”

Jodoin can also attend training camp and observe the players.

“There will be different things that we will all be looking for in each game of the training camp,” Jodoin said. “That is the one chance they will get to prove themselves, those games. All of the players will stay all four days unless they want to leave, so we will evaluate all of the players at the end of that part of camp.”

Some players, such as locals Kirk Bolduc, Tyler Martin, Nate Frechette and Colby Gilbert, will elect to bail out after two days to preserve their eligibility for the NCAA, while others may leave for other opportunities.

“Everyone coming to camp knows that they have a chance to be evaluated individually and separate from anything that happened in the past,” Jodoin said. “This is not just hockey, this is about their futures. They will all face obstacles, and they all have a picture of what they want to happen. I am not selling dreams, I am selling reality.”