With the departure of Samuel Grenache and Oskar Orrpars in recent weeks, the Maineiacs are short both a European-born player and an over-ager from the maximum allowed per league rules.

Just don’t expect the Maineiacs to make a knee-jerk move to fill those spots.

“If we were to fill the spots, our goal would be to fill them with a difference-maker,” MacAdam said. “Just for the sake of filling them makes no sense in our minds. It would make sense to bring someone in who would make this team better, not just to fill a spot.”

Asked then if the team had its eyes on anyone in particular, MacAdam was quick to reply, simply saying, “No.”

Rumors began circulating last week after David Stich, a solid, shut-down defenseman who played last year for Saint John, was released back to juniors from his tryout with the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League. The Sea Dogs already have two European-born players on their roster, as well as three 20-year-olds. Stich, a German-born player, would take up both a European spot and an over-age spot on the Dogs’ roster.

“We’re going to check out every option available to us, but we’re not going to panic, either,” MacAdam said. “Not that we’re enamored with our record, we know we’re a work in progress, but if there’s someone out there who could potentially help us and be a difference-maker, we’re going to look into it.”

NOTHING ‘PURE’ ABOUT GOAL-SCORING

In seven seasons, the Lewiston Maineiacs have had just two players crack the league’s top 10 in scoring — Alex Bourret and Alexandre Picard, who both did it in 2004-05.

Others have come close — Mathieu Aubin scored 103 points the following year and finished 11th — but since then, the team has played more or less without a “pure” goal-scoring forward. Even in the Maineiacs’ run to the 2007 league title, David Perron led the team way back in 23rd place on the QMJHL’s overall scoring list.

This year’s team, MacAdam said, will have to be similar to those in the past to find success.

“I don’t think a pure goal-scorer exists on our team,” MacAdam said. “We have guys who can score, but pure goal-scorers? I wouldn’t label any of our guys like that. We have a number of forwards and defensemen who have a knack for the net.”

“We’re a blue-collar team,” assistant coach Jamie Dumont said. “We need shots to the blue line, getting pucks to the net. We’re not going to score Drummondville-like tic-tac-toe goals. We’re not that kind of team.”

NOT QUITE READY

Six games into the Maineiacs’ season, observers are starting to wonder whether 20-year-old netminder Adrien Lemay might play in every game this season. In every situation, for all 365-plus minutes, Lemay has been between the pipes for Lewiston, relegating 16-year-old keeper Jordan Kennedy to a backup role each time.

“I’m going to be honest, we expected more from Kennedy,” MacAdam said. “His conditioning has yet to be at this level, and that was a factor. “We made a comment at practice (Tuesday) that he just wasn’t making the saves, because he doesn’t have the legs. This is a huge adjustment for anybody, particularly goaltenders.”

The lack of depth at the position has prompted several internal discussions, and though the team won’t comment on what specifically it is talking about, the discussion have taken place.

“This is something that has to be addressed,” Dumont said. “We can’t comment on it now, but it has to be addressed.”

“We’re concerned about it, for sure,” MacAdam added. “Kennedy is not in a position to take on a starting role.”