PORTLAND – Sure, the state of Maine has produced some top hockey talent in the past.

Eric Weinrich might be the most famous recent example of a Maine-bred hockey player making it to Division I NCAA and the NHL. Lisbon’s Greg Moore seems also to be on that path at Maine.

But these and other top athletes across the state often have difficulty getting noticed, especially by smaller schools with small recruiting budgets.

One former University of Maine hockey standout is trying to change that and help high school athletes from Maine and the rest of the nation realize the dream of playing college sports.

“We’ve been wanting to come to Maine for some time,” said Bob Corkum, who played at Maine from 1985-89, and then spent 13 seasons in the NHL with seven different teams. “I jumped on board with (his company) last year, and this is just a fantastic opportunity for kids.”

Corkum and Jeff LaFrance, founders of At First Glance, have set up shop in the far corner of the lobby at Portland Ice Arena for the Fourth Annual Maine High School Hockey Invitational.

“Gary (Prolman, the tournament director) is all about getting Maine high school players some exposure,” said Corkum. “This really was a natural fit for us to come in here and help them out.”

As a player, Corkum compiled 142 points in four years at Maine to go along with 205 penalty minutes in 159 games. He also showed grit and determination that he said was indicative of the people with which he was surrounded in Maine. In the NHL, Corkum had 97 goals and 103 assists for 200 career points and 281 penalty minutes in regular-season play, with 14 points and 24 penalty minutes in 62 playoff appearances. That background gives him a unique perspective on the recruiting process and the skills players need to play in college.

“He’s a Maine guy,” said LaFrance. “It hits home here with some of the kids, and it also goes to show them that there is always somewhere for them to play hockey if they want to.”

“A lot of D-II and D-III schools don’t have the resources to go out and recruit players outside of their own small region,” said Corkum. “If we come across a kid that meets a criteria that we know schools are looking for and are good hockey players, we’re able to help them out. At the end of the day, we’re not making decisions for them. That’s up to the players and their parents. We just allow them an opportunity to see what’s out there.”

The company, which started out by focusing on baseball and football and now includes 18 different sports, has helped 67 clients achieve what LaFrance called “$2 million in opportunities.” That averages out to almost $30,000 per client.

“We’ve had several coaches tell us how much easier this method is,” said LaFrance. “We put this all together on a CD and that allows the coaches to see all they need to see at their leisure. We’ve had coaches tell us that if we can give them all that we can in two minutes, that makes their job that much easier.”

For Corkum, this tournament was a chance to come “home.”

“I’ve always considered this state my second home,” said Corkum. “I am still in touch with my surrogate family here and I plan on coming here when the kids are grown. I love it up here. The people are fantastic.”

Jay Mazur, another former Maine player and also the former coach at Scarborough High School, contacted Corkum last year and convinced him that this tournament was something he ought to look into.

“He was very excited about it,” said Corkum. “This whole project, it’s my reputation, Jeff’s reputation and the company’s reputation on the line.”

All day Monday and Tuesday, Corkum spent time at Portland Ice Arena, scouting the games played between Maine high schools and teams from across the Northeast. By the end of Tuesday, Corkum had at least two dozen names circled in his copy of the tournament program, names of players he feels his program could benefit.

“In the end, that’s what it’s really about,” said Corkum.

Corkum and LaFrance can be contacted via their Website at www.atfirstglancecorp.com, where a complete list of their services can also be found.