Not much remains of Maineiacs in Lewiston

LEWISTON, ME - Stepping inside The Colisee these days, it'd be easy to miss the fact that a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League club once called the building home.

It's been almost 13 years since the Lewiston Maineiacs played a game (a game that saw the Saint John Sea Dogs defeat the Maineiacs 6-5). The team folded soon after being eliminated from the 2011 post-season and its players were distributed around the QMJHL through a dispersal draft.

Lewiston has been home to the North American Hockey League's Maine Nordiques since 2019. The NAHL is a Tier II junior league in the USA Hockey system, a level below the United States Hockey League.

This past Sunday, the Maineiacs welcomed the New Hampshire Mountain Kings, a team that just began operation this season. Playing in front of a few hundred fans (in fairness, the game was played at the same time as a New England Patriots game) in Lewiston, New Hampshire won a wild game 6-5.

The Colisee has certainly seen better days. While it's far from falling down, it's certainly not being maintained to the level it was when the Maineiacs played here. There is a nice, modern centre ice scoreboard that only functions fully on one side. There are smaller video boards that circle the rink but many don't work properly. There are huge TVs everywhere but only a few were in use. One end of the rink had a bunch of junk — broken ping pong tables, chairs and random concession equipment — on the top concourse.

There are only a few signs that the Maineiacs once called the building home. The most obvious is the 2007 President Cup championship banner that hangs in the rafters.

On one end of the rink there is a bar called "The Maineiacs Bar" which features the classic Maineiacs logo on a couple pieces of carpet (I didn't step on it). Behind the bar are old game programs — many signed by players — including one that featured a game between the Maineiacs and St. John's Fog Devils.

The Colisee has held some oddly historic events through the years and it's a neat building to check out if you're ever in the area. But it's just not quite the same without the Maineiacs calling it home.