The University of Maine’s hockey fortunes turned in dramatic fashion a year ago.

Following the national championship season of 1992-93, in which the Bears achieved a remarkable 42-1-2 record, the Bears found themselves mired in controversy last season as a variety of NCAA violations resulted in forfeiting 14 games.

Coach Shawn Walsh was suspended by UMaine President Frederick Hutchinson for allowing defenseman Jeff Tory to play three games after Walsh had been warned by representatives from Northern Michgan and Alaska-Fairbanks that the NCAA had already ruled Tory academically ineligible.

Hockey East banned Maine from the playoffs, but the Bears competed on the strength of a court order favorable to Maine, losing to eventual NCAA finalist Boston University in the quarterfinals.

There were hard feelings between Maine and the rest of the league. League officials considered booting the Bears out of Hockey East.

But it is a new season, and the fact of the matter is that Hockey East needs Maine as much as the Black Bears need Hockey East.

“Maine is very important to this league,” said Hockey East Commissioner Bob DeGregorio, who had been critical of Maine last spring. “There’s no question that they are considered one of the outstanding programs in the country. Shawn Walsh is an excellent coach and an excellent recruiter.”

Maine has the league’s only national championship. That capped an unprecedented run of seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and six seasons of 30 or more victories, excluding the forfeits.

Maine players have gotten 19 All-American nominations, six more than nearest HE challenger Boston College, and have won two Hobey Baker Awards. They are also tops in All-HE players with 26.

Walsh leads the league in Coach-of-the-Year awards with three.

Maine has led the league in attendance eight times and finished second the other two. Even during last season, Maine averaged a league-high 4,282 spectators per game.

Besides their drawing power at home, Maine’s success and fan support have made them the league’s best draw on the road, according to statistics provided by other colleges.

Last season, Merrimack, UMass-Lowell, Providence and Northeastern drew their largest crowds for Maine games. The 2,950 and 2,982 for two games at Merrimack represented more than 1,400 fans over the next largest Merrimack crowd, 1,522 against Boston College. The Bears drew 3,007 and 3,357 at Northeastern. Those were NU’s only crowds over 3,000.

Maine accounted for one of New Hampshire’s six sellouts and for one of BU’s four sellouts. The 5,004 that turned out for Maine’s game at Boston College was second only to the 6,123 that showed up for the BU’s game at BC.

“Maine has been vying for national recognition the last six or seven years, and when you’re a successful team, the fans at opposing rinks want to see their team try to beat you,” said BU coach Jack Parker. “And Maine brings their own fans. More Maine fans travel to opposing rinks than even New Hampshire fans.”

“When Maine comes to town, it’s like the Yankees coming to Fenway,” said UMass-Amherst coach Joe Mallen, a former BC assistant. “They’ve had big-name players, and college hockey fans like to come out and see them play. Maine’s success has really made the league interesting.”

In Maine’s last two Hockey East championship games at Boston Garden, the Bears helped draw 12,212 for the contest against New Hampshire in 1992 and 9,234 for the match against BU in 1993. Last year’s Hockey East title game between UMass-Lowell and Boston University attracted only 5,422.

“When Maine doesn’t make it to the Garden, it has an adverse affect on our attendance,” DeGregorio observed.

He recalled driving to Orono for a meeting several years ago and seeing “all these people standing in line for hockey tickets two hours before the game. With the wind chill, it must have been 25 below zero.”

First-year Providence Coach Paul Pooley, a former assistant at Lake Superior State, said Maine “is at the forefront when it comes to bringing respect to Hockey East. Wherever you go, people know who the Maine Black Bears are.”

Pooley said Maine’s success can be a positive recruiting tool for the league’s other teams.

“When you tell a recruit you’re in the same league with Maine, they know you must be in a pretty good hockey league,” he said.

Pooley added the Black Bears’ style of play is another positive attribute for Hockey East.

“They always have a good, solid hockey club. They have a lot of speed and they’re very enjoyable to watch. That attracts people as well,” said Pooley.

The sale of University of Maine merchandise by CCM and Coastal Silkscreen of Portland is among the highest in the league, said former Hockey East assistant commissioner Nonni Daly.

NESN-TV color analyst Bob Norton compared Maine’s situation to a two-edged sword.

“In one sense, they’ve been great for the league. They have one of the premier programs in the country and their fans have been very supportive,” said Norton. “The flip side is that some of the misfortunes they had a year ago had a negative impact on the league.”

“In my experience covering hockey, the Maine kids have been wonderful to deal with,” Norton added. “Some of my fondest memories have been watching those kids play and getting to know them a little bit.”

“We’ve always tried to prepare our kids to handle public speaking,” said Walsh. “We want them to understand the public relations end in order to help the league. A lot of our kids have done very well promoting the league and helping it look good.”