PORTLAND — When the Maine Mariners make their debut in the ECHL this fall, local fans will see a familiar face on the ice as Biddeford native Trevor Fleurent has signed with the new minor league club.
“It’s going to be great. I think every kid wants to live out the dream, especially close to home if you can do it. When I heard Maine was getting a team, it was kind of in the back of my mind — ‘that’s where I want to be,’” said Fleurent, who played his college hockey at the University of New England.
The Mariners are excited to add some homegrown talent for their inaugural season.
“Trevor put up some big numbers at the University of New England and we are looking for him to show us the same thing coming into training camp in October,” said Mariners head coach Riley Armstrong on the team’s web site.
Fleurent, who won three state titles with Biddeford High School, is coming back home after spending a year playing professional hockey in Norway.
“It was a good league. (It was) full of good imports, ECHL veteran guys and AHL guys,” said Fleurent of the Norway experience. “It was good. I had never really left the nest, I guess you could say, and where I was at in my career I said ‘you know what, let’s try something different and go overseas and see what it’s all about.’ I’m glad I did it. It was an overall great experience.”
The former BHS standout had a stellar career at UNE, where he would become the Nor’easters all-time leader in assists, goals and points from 2013 to 2017.
Fleurent, who was a Travis Roy Award winner at BHS, believes his time at UNE helped prepare him for the pro game.
“It definitely helps. (Division III) hockey is on the map. It’s good hockey. It’s not what some people may think. You see a lot of D3 guys coming out and doing well in pro hockey rinks. I’m happy with the way UNE was for me and my development,” Fleurent said.
The name Fleurent is synonymous with UNE hockey as Trevor’s younger brother Brady is currently one of the Nor’easters top players — and has actually claimed most of those records for himself.
“I think I still have one more left … but he’ll end up breaking that as well,” Fleurent said of his younger brother.
The Fleurent brothers are hoping they get a chance to watch each other play this winter.
“(Brady) was looking at the schedules the other day and kind of matching them up, ‘oh, I can go to this one and you can come to this one,’” said Fleurent, who scored 12 goals in Norway last year.
Following his outstanding career at UNE, Fleurent signed with the Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional Hockey League in March of 2017.
Fleurent has learned a lot from his time in both the SPHL and Norway.
“It’s definitely different than college hockey, where you see college hockey and it’s more run-and-gun. You’re always going, foot on the gas at all times. Pro (hockey) you kind of have to pace yourself, use your speed or skills at the right time,” said Fleurent on what he’s learned in the pros.
Fleurent played the role of agent to get his next shot at playing professional hockey.
“I actually reached out to them a couple months back, just kind of throwing my name out there. I told them I wasn’t planning on going back to Norway and I’d like to come home and play in front of my friends and family again if possible,” said Fleurent.
Biddeford will once again have two natives playing professional hockey on the East coast as Fleurent joins former teammate Brian Dumoulin, who is a two-time Stanley Cup champion defenseman with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“It feels good. Obviously you see the success that Brian’s had, and I’m a competitive person and I wish Brian the best … I kind of want to follow in his footsteps,” said Fleurent. “If not get a shot in the NHL, at least make my name in the pro hockey world.”
The path to the NHL may be a difficult one, but Fleurent would certainly love to face off with his former teammate down the road.
“If that ever was to happen that would be a classic,” said Fleurent, who won two of his three state titles with Dumoulin.
Fleurent is hoping the success of players like himself, Dumoulin and his younger brother will help grow the sport in Maine.
“I grew up watching the (Portland) Pirates and college teams around so if we could return the favor and get the kids falling in love with hockey, that’s always a good thing,” Fleurent said.
— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at pmcdonald@journaltribune.com or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.