LEWISTON – For the second consecutive season, a member of the Lewiston Maineiacs’ organization is leaving the team early.

This time, the impact won’t be visible on the ice, but will be profound in the caverns and back rooms of the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

Tom Bourdon, the Maineiacs’ athletic therapist and equipment manager from Day 1, has accepted a job as the head athletic trainer for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League, beginning this week.

“I’ve met a lot of great people and made a lot of good friends here,” Bourdon said. “There’s no question it’s tough. I’ve made a life up here, and now I have to pick it up to follow my dream.”

Bourdon began his tenure in Lewiston at the team’s first training camp. If there was ever a trial by fire, this was it.

“It was an interesting move,” Bourdon said. “I went from a routine physical therapy clinic with set hours and jumped into a job where, I still don’t quite know what the hours are.”

Without a qualified applicant to fill the role of team equipment manager, the Maineiacs again turned to Bourdon, making him the only person in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to hold both roles for one team.

“He came in in a tough situation, and he had to learn under fire,” Maineiacs’ coach and GM Ed Harding said. “He’s like the players in our organization in some ways, looking to move up through the ranks. The timing’s not great, but I think I can speak for the whole organization that we wish Tom the best.”

His journey from the junior ranks to the pros was a bit longer this summer than some people might realize, and originally started with a phone call about a job in Norfolk, Va.

“If you know some people, they’ll let you know what’s going on,” Bourdon said. “My buddy told me they were looking, and the decision wouldn’t come for a while. Ultimately, they ended up hiring someone else.”

Even as that opportunity dried up, his friend again came through, letting him know of an opportunity in Providence.

“They ended up hiring the guy from Providence in Tampa Bay,” Bourdon said. “He let me know where I had to send my resume and who I should contact. I went down, had my interview and was offered the job two days later.”

The timing – already two games into the Maineiacs’ regular season – is about the only thing causing Bourdon any consternation.

“It’s probably the biggest regret I have leaving this organization, is the timing,” Bourdon said. “Unfortunately I can’t control when these jobs come open and when other teams hire their staff. I feel badly leaving like this, because the Lewiston Maineiacs have been nothing but fantastic to me over the last five years. It was a tough part of the decision.

“I’m grateful for everything here, all that the organization has done, giving me my chance, my start in hockey.”

Bourdon will report to Boston on Monday, and begin getting set up to help with the Bruins’ pro camp before heading to Providence for its training camp.

The Maineiacs, meanwhile, are searching for a full-time replacement for Bourdon as an athletic therapist. The equipment duties will likely fall to Bourdon’s assistant, Ross Hoerman.