LEWISTON – The muddled, murky situation into which the Lewiston Maineiacs appear to have descended is starting to get a bit more clear.

Without officially declaring talks with the University of New Brunswick dead, the Maineiacs’ said Thursday that talks are now ongoing with Androscoggin Bank Colisee staff with regard to a return to Lewiston.

“We have meetings scheduled over the next few days and into next week to look at different options that will help improve and create opportunities for the team, the building and the community going forward,” Lewiston coach Don MacAdam said.

MacAdam said Tuesday that as far as he’s concerned, the team is still in Lewiston, and he saw nothing that would prevent the team from being in the city to begin next season.

On Wednesday, the team issued a news release saying that although talks were ongoing with the University of New Brunswick in Frederiction, there wasn’t an agreement in place with anyone.

Maineiacs’ president Matt McKnight went on a local television station this week and indicated that talks were, indeed ongoing at this time, but MacAdam said otherwise Thursday.

“Technically, all kinds of things are still an option,” MacAdam said Thursday. “But there hasn’t been any kind of significant back and forth between UNB and the Maineiacs in almost two weeks now.”

Speculation began in mid-January that the team may relocate. On Jan. 31, the Maineiacs applied to the league to relocate, with their eye on Boisbriand, Quebec.

Montreal Junior owner Farrell Miller, citing a geographical proximity clause, blocked the move. The Maineiacs’ attention then turned to Fredericton, where several members of the organization have ties. That, too, appears to be stalling.

But if anyone locally is expecting a quick answer to the quagmire?

Don’t hold your breath. Patience, the Maineiacs say, is the word.

“All of our efforts here now are toward these two upcoming games,” MacAdam said. “We have two big games coming up this weekend and then the playoffs, and that’s where our focus is right now, and we have to put everything else on hold.”

The Maineiacs are tied with Val d’Or for the final playoff spot in the league entering the final weekend on the schedule. The team hosts Baie-Comeau on Friday and Chicoutimi on Sunday, while Val d’Or will skate in Montreal and in Victoriaville.