LEWISTON – Working out was never this fun last season, and probably not as beneficial, either.

Last season, adjacent to the back of the locker room, was a hallway converted into a small “gym,” with a pair of bikes and some free weights.

“I came in here and the first thing I said about it was that the wall had to come down,” said Maineiacs head coach and general manager Clem Jodoin.

The wall he referred to was blocking a small storage space, but when opened up it turned the hallway into a spacious gym, where all 27 remaining players in training camp can simultaneously work out.

Last year, the players were forced to go to a local gym to get the full workouts they needed, and many of those visits were unsupervised. Now, the players will be watched closely.

“It is not about building Mr. Muscle,” said Jodoin. “We want to put each player on a certain routine and help them maintain their fitness.”

On Thursday, the team went through off-ice routines, which included bikes, pull-ups, push-ups, free weights and agility training.

“Each player has been tested, and we will develop a program specific to each player. And now, we will be able to watch them. No more lounging in the hot tub or in the pool.”

Bon voyage

After being cut from the team on Monday morning, center Maxime Robert had every reason to be bitter. Instead, the crafty forward was gracious, sending a letter to Maineiacs’ fans through the Internet site thanking everyone for the fun he had while he was here.

“I just want to thank you for all your support,” Robert wrote. “You guys are doing a great job for that team and the players know it…I know that I was probably the first one to complain (in some media from the province of Quebec) when they decided to move the team from Sherbrooke to Lewiston and about how things were going in the beginning of last season (rink, distance, school). But after a whole year, I can say that a lot of things change and Lewiston is a great place to play hockey…I’m sad to leave when I know that everything and everybody will be ready to fire up the Colisee for that second year. Thanks to everybody for your support!”

Ironically, Robert has been picked up by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in a new 19-year-old waiver draft established this year by the league. The Maineiacs’ first home game of the season, on October 1, will be against the Titan.

Still waiting

Head coach and general manager Clem Jodoin is still waiting for his visa application to come through, and thus will not be behind the bench again on Friday night when the team faces off against Shawinigan. There is also the probability that Jodoin will not accompany the team to Chicoutimi on Sunday, a fact he says is fine.

“There are other things I can be doing here to plan the year,” Jodoin said. “I also have complete faith in Ed (Harding) and Jeff (Guay) as assistants to do the job.”

Woodland traded

The Maineiacs executed another trade this week.

On Tuesday, a trade was announced sending Brett Woodland, last year a fill-in player, to the Victoriaville Tigres in exchange for a tenth-round pick in 2005.