PORTLAND, ME – August 14, 2026 – The Maine Mariners, proud affiliates of the NHL's Boston Bruins and AHL's Providence Bruins, have signed forward Ryan Francis to a contract for the 2026-27 season.
A 24-year-old forward from Halifax, NS, Francis was a fifth-round draft pick of the Calgary Flames in 2020, going 143rd overall. He made his professional debut in the 2021-22 season with Calgary’s AHL affiliate at the time, the Stockton Heat.
Francis spent the 2025-26 season with the Atlanta Gladiators, skating in 68 games and registering 30 points (7 goals, 23 assists). He also appeared in six games with Atlanta in 2024-25.
Francis’ most notable ECHL season came in the 2022-23 campaign, when he posted 47 points in 57 games with the Trois-Rivieres Lions. Since then, he’s spent time with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Adirondack Thunder, in addition to the Gladiators. He’s appeared in 192 career ECHL games, plus an additional 27 in the AHL for Stockton, Laval, and Ontario.
Click here to view the current roster of announced Mariners signings for the 2026-27 season.
The Mariners 2026-27 season begins on Saturday, October 17th at Worcester with the Home Opener one week later on Saturday, October 24th, a 1 PM puck drop against the Railers. For more information on ticket packages and group discounts for the 2026-27 season, fans can call 833-GO-MAINE, go to MaineMariners.com, or visit the Mariners front office at 94 Free Street in Portland.
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