LEWISTON – Last week’s dose of 80-degree weather hasn’t done much to remind people of hockey in the greater Lewiston-Auburn area.

The staff in the Lewiston Maineiacs’ front office is trying to fight that.

Well, now that there is a front office again, anyway.

One of the first things the Lewiston Maineiacs needed to do following their tumultuous sixth season was figure out who was doing what.

“That was an absolute necessity,” Maineiacs’ president and head coach Don MacAdam said. “This is a three million dollar business and it needs to be treated like one.

“That’s not to say that it wasn’t before, but just before I got here, the team laid off some people, so we needed to make sure that all of those roles were filled with people who could do those jobs going forward.”

The team appears to have the pieces of the puzzle in place.

MacAdam, who was hired in January to replace Ed Harding as the Maineiacs’ head coach, will remain with the team. Principal owner Mark Just has essentially put MacAdam in charge of revamping the rest of the team’s business operations.

Roger Shannon, hired by Harding to be the team’s head scout two years ago, is one of only two people who began last season with the team still in the front office. Shannon’s duties are essentially unchanged, and he will add the title of “general manager” to his business card.

The other person who began last year with the team still affiliated with the Maineiacs after the overhaul is Garrett Mason. Mason began with the Maineiacs as an intern less than two years ago. He is now the front office administrator.

“It’s great to know that the best is yet to come,” Mason said. “In the office, we’ve made a concerted effort to turn the page. We are determined to do whatever it takes to keep the Maineiacs on the ice in Lewiston for many years to come.”

Alex Reed, who recently completed his second season as the Maineiacs’ radio broadcaster, has been hired on full time as the team’s director of media relations and group sales. Reed, who has a masters degree in public relations from Marshall University, will deal with the media, and will be responsible for selling tickets to large groups all season.

“I look forward to being a part of this new era of Maineiacs hockey,” Reed said. “We are all very excited about the prospects for next season. The community can expect positive changes both on and off the ice.”

The most recent hire is more like a rehire. Rob Mainville, who helped the team as its director of corporate sales through the team’s run year in 2007, is back in the front office in the same position.

“One of the things that struck me,” MacAdam said, “was how many people remembered Rob when we went for on-site meetings. “He started a great deal of these relationships in the first place.”

“I am excited about my return to Lewiston and the Maineiacs,” Mainville said. “During the past couple of weeks I have learned how much both the Colisee staff and front office is dedicated to restoring the many great memories the team carries in people’s minds.”

According to MacAdam, the team is looking to partner with Jamey Bourgoin of Blue Line Sporting Goods to outsource its merchandising efforts, and the team has also partnered with Jim Cain and the Colisee staff in the single-game and season ticket sales areas.

After flirting with relocation, the Maineiacs announced on March 25 their intention to remain in Lewiston for an extended period of time.

The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is currently working on next season’s schedule, and Reed said when that comes out, the Maineiacs will be able to better focus their efforts on building relationships with the business community, and with the community at large.

For now, though, even with summer-like temperatures pushing the thermometer outside, the staff is trying to keep people’s minds – at least a piece of them – looking toward next hockey season.