The Lewiston coach’s contract is on the table.
By Justin Pelletier
Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Faced with his third different coaching location in three years, Lewiston Maineiacs coach Mario Durocher is looking for a bit of stability, both in his own life and for a hockey team that he believes can be a contender as early as next season.

“This team can be one of the top five teams in the league next year,” Durocher said. “There are a few things that we will need to do in the offseason, but I think we have a good group coming back. The biggest thing, I think, will be continuity from the last two years.”

The first obstacle in the theory of continuity is his contract. According to General Manager Normand Gosselin, Durocher’s contract is on the table and the team would like to see him return for a third season behind the bench.

“It is all in their hands right now,” Durocher said, when asked about coming back. “I would like to be here. I think for me, after moving twice now in two years, it would be good for me, and for the team, if I stayed in one place. I believe in continuity, and the team would benefit from having the same coach with the same players for three years. I just need to know that the organization wants me here.”

On the ice, provided that Durocher does in fact stay, the Maineiacs look promising.

“We have a lot of good things coming back next year,” Durocher said. “The kid line (Marc-Andre Cliche, Mathieu Aubin and Pierre-Luc Faubert) will be that much better. They will score more goals and they will be more confident. (Alex) Bourret played well after Christmas and can be a top player if he comes back in shape, and (Alexandre) Picard had a good beginning to the season and hopefully he can come back ready to go again.”

With so much youth on offense, Lewiston’s strength this season was defense, which might include nearly everybody coming back.

“Chad Denny improved a lot this year, and he showed what he could do a little bit late in the season when we needed him,” Durocher said. “Next year, we have (Brandon) Roach and (Travis) Mealy that could come back at 19-years-old, too, and (Bobby) Gates as a 20-year-old. The only thing we might need to get is a big veteran defenseman that has size and presence on the blue line, to replace both Francis (Trudel) and Richard (Stehlik).”

Goaltending could see changes. Aside from Matt Davis, who may or may not return to the team, and Brandon Verge, the team had Maxime Joyal and Michael Chiasson playing at lower levels this season.

Also, you can never rule out a draft-day trade like that which brought Davis to Lewiston last summer.

Despite being bounced from the playoffs in the first round, Durocher wasn’t upset with the season as a whole.

“Our goal was to make the playoffs, and we did that,” Durocher said. “Now, though, you look back at the rough start, maybe we could have won the division. The difference might have been not having a third 20-year-old to start the season. With a little more experience, the start may have been a bit better. I think that will be important next year, to start with three 20-year-olds, but overall, this season the team played well.”

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