Lewiston, ME – Not many hockey players can say they have played a high level caliber of hockey with their friends, but Michael Chaput, Stefan Fournier and Mathieu Gingras will have that opportunity with the Lewiston Maineiacs.

All three have played on a line together since they were seven.

“Since we were seven or eight years old,” said Chaput. “We’ve been playing together back at home, the AAA (Midget) hockey, the summer hockey, and the winter hockey. We are back here reunited and hopefully we will be playing together. If not, we will just see how it goes.”

“Mike and I actually been playing together since we were five or six,” said Stefan Fournier. “Gingras and I were playing for the same Midget team back at home. We all live in Montreal, we all live five minutes of each other.”

For Fournier, it was exciting to be traded to team where he knew someone.

“It’s always nice coming into a new place knowing people,” said Fournier. It would have been nice having those two, last year. Coming here in (my) second year having two friends here makes it that much more enjoyable. Most of the guys here all know each other before this team in Lewiston.”

Coach MacAdam sees the chemistry between all the players building already after one week.

“Tuesday night’s (team) barbeque with the billets, whole a bunch players are already friends,” said Don MacAdam on the opening day of training camp. Two or three guys have played together in Montreal; two or three guys have played together in Quebec City and they are buddies. There’s chemistry building and we really wanted to build from that from day one.”

MacAdam did say the team will try a combination of Mathieu Gingras, Michael Chaput, and Stefan Fournier.

“We got some combinations developing, but that typically what happens during training camp,” said MacAdam. “When players know each other and like playing with each other, typically good things happen.”

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On Saturday, the Maineiacs released forwards Julien Houle and Steeven Jacques.

Houle, a 5′8 forward had 21 goals and 18 assists in 41 matches with Amos Forestiers last season.

Jacques, 5’8, had six goals and five assists for 11 points in 58 games with the Maineiacs.

NOTES: The Maineiacs travel to Saint John on Tuesday to face the Sea Dogs. The two same teams play a contest in Fredericton, New Brunswick at the Willie O’Ree Place.