KEELEY: RYAN CULKIN REASSIGNED TO MAINE

Laval-signed d-man had been up since early February

BY: Michael Keeley, Maine Mariners

PORTLAND, ME – April 1, 2019 – The Mariners added to their blue line on Monday as defenseman Ryan Culkin was reassigned from AHL Laval to Maine. Culkin, who began the year with the Mariners, had had two call ups to Laval and has been on the Rocket roster since February 2nd.

Culkin, a 25-year-old native of Montreal, has played 35 games in Maine, with two goals and 20 assists. He scored the second goal in franchise history, a power play goal on October 13th against Adirondack. His initial recall came on November 22nd and he was returned December 10th. On February 2nd, the Rocket called him up a second time. In Laval, Culkin has played 9 games, scoring one goal.

Culkin signed with the Rocket in the July, after spending all of 2017-18 in the ECHL with the Fort Wayne Komets, where he led all team defenseman in points, with 38 in 53 games. Culkin was a fifth-round draft pick of Calgary in 2012 and has played 92 career AHL games, along with 137 in the ECHL.

Four games remain in the regular season, with the Mariners behind the Manchester Monarchs and Brampton Beast by three points for the third and fourth North Division playoff spots. Maine has a game in hand on each team but does not hold the tiebreaker against either.

The Mariners will host the Reading Royals on Wednesday, the Worcester Railers on Friday, and the Newfoundland Growlers on Sunday. They finish their road schedule on Saturday in Manchester. NESN Bruins TV host and former AHL Mariners broadcaster Dale Arnold will make an appearance on Friday. Tickets to all home games are available at MarinersOfMaine.com or at the Trusted Choice Box Office inside the Cross Insurance Arena. The Trusted Choice Box Office can be reached at 207-775-3468.