The Lewiston Maineiacs appear to finally have someone in place to run the ship.

Bill Schurman, a long-rumored candidate for the vacant leadership position in the Lewiston Maineiacs’ front office, has been cleared to begin working in the United States via U.S. Immigration, and will join the team as a sports event management consultant. He will work alongside Maineiacs’ minority owner Paul Spellman as the leader of the recently-beleaguered front office, and it will reportedly be his job to coordinate front office activities and day-to-day operations of the team moving forward.

“It’s no secret that Lewiston and I have been talking about a relationship of some sort,” Shcurman said in a phone interview Thursday. “That relationship is still being defined, and hopefully by the end of the weekend we’ll have the t’s crossed and i’s dotted, and hopefully by the end of the weekend we’ll have something positive to announce.”

Schurman is the father of Lewiston assistant general manager Tim Schurman, and has been employed by the Moncton Wildcats in a couple of different stints as their general manager since 2002.

 The team is anticipating making an official announcement on Monday.

“There are still matters to be finalized over the next couple of days, but we are extremely close to making a significant announcement that will change the face of the organization,” Spellman said. “We are optimistic that we can make that announcement Monday morning.”

The groundwork for Bill Schurman’s move to Lewiston began earlier this summer. Wednesday, the following message appeared on an Internet message board out of Moncton, purportedly a goodbye from Schurman to the Moncton fans:

“Thanks posters. I wanted to say thanks to our many posters for being so passionate about Wildcats hockey and for being very fair to the organization and myself during my time with the Cats. Your comments for the most part have been constructive, informative, knowledgeable and appreciated. We have used many of your suggestions over the years and hope through these suggestions that our product has provided you good value for your dollars. Thanks again. It has been a great run and a pleasure to work for you.”

In a story in the Times and Transcript in Moncton on Tuesday, Moncton president Robert K. Irving announced the hiring of a new GM for the Wildcats, and at the same time wished Schurman luck.

“I would also like to thank (Schurman) for his contribution over the years and wish him well as he embarks on a new career venture,” Irving told the Times and Transcript of Moncton.

The Maineiacs are also expected to announce Monday the addition of an assistant coach to replace Jeff Guay. Rumors have surfaced that the team is speaking with Darren Rumble to fill the role as the team’s top assistant to head coach J.F. Houle.

Rumble, a former first-round NHL draft pick from of the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, played parts of 16 seasons in professional hockey. In 193 NHL games, Rumble had 10 goals, 26 assists and 216 penalty minutes as a defenseman. He spent the majority of the rest of his career at the American Hockey League level.

Most recently, Rumble was the head coach for Norfolk (Virginia) of the AHL. He led the Admirals to a 50-61-6-5 record in 122 games.

Prior to becoming head coach, Rumble served one season as an Admirals’ assistant coach and two seasons as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s former AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons. The Barrie, Ontario, native began his coaching career immediately upon retiring from his playing career with the Falcons in December of 2004.

Also still technically open is the position of athletic therapist, though the team also hinted recently that it has zeroed in on a candidate for that job, as well.