Once the Cumberland County Civic Center began construction in 1976, there was discussion of the building hosting a minor league hockey franchise.

Quebec, who had already a farm team in nearby Lewiston (the Maine Nordiques of the North American Hockey League), was considering supporting affiliates in Portland as well.

Rhode Island, who were an established AHL franchise, didn't want to relocate to Portland, but instead proposed scheduling a dozen regular season games there.

Philadelphia was the only franchise that wanted to utilize Portland as their team's sole top-level farm club, and in 1977, the agreement to create the Maine Mariners was struck.

The first regular season game in franchise history was played in Portland in front of 6,566 spectators on October 15, 1977, against the Binghamton Dusters.