| Text Color: | black |
| Bg Color: | white |
| Team: | Maine Nordiques |
| Logosize: | 125px |
| City: | Lewiston, Maine |
| League: | NAHL |
| Operated: | 1973-1977 |
| Colors: | Red, White and Blue |
| Owner: | William Rocheleau, Jr. et al. |
The Maine Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team that operated within the North American Hockey League from 1973 to 1977. They were based at the Central Maine Youth Center in Lewiston, Maine. The Nordiques served as a farm club for the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association.[1]
The team played for four seasons at Central Maine Youth Center, which had a seating capacity of just 2,800 fans.[2]
The Nordiques were the Quebec Nordiques' top farm club, and were the only professional sports franchise in the state of Maine during the mid-1970s.[2]
The club's all-time leading scorer was Paul Larose, who achieved 179 goals and 248 assists for the team between 1973 and 1977. Larose and Alan Globensky were the only two players to appear in all four seasons. Future National Hockey League players included goaltender Richard Brodeur and defenseman Paul Baxter.[2]
Financial backers of the team included former Lewiston Mayor Bill Rocheleau, who led a group of local businesspeople who backed the Nordiques. Rocheleau also served as league president during the NAHL's final season in the winter of 1976–1977.[2]
| Season | League | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | Points | Winning % | Goals for | Goals against | Standing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973–74 | NAHL | 74 | 45 | 26 | 3 | 93 | 0.628 | 398 | 309 | Lost in round 1 | |
| 1974–75 | NAHL | 74 | 27 | 46 | 1 | 55 | 0.372 | 266 | 394 | Out of Playoffs | |
| 1975–76 | NAHL | 74 | 18 | 55 | 1 | 37 | 0.250 | 295 | 450 | Lost in round 1 | |
| 1976–77 | NAHL | 74 | 40 | 29 | 5 | 85 | 0.574 | 311 | 284 | Lost in finals |