Portland Pirates Affiliate Announcement (Full audio)

The Maine Sports Network was LIVE at the Cumberland County Civic Center for the Portland Pirates announcement of its new NHL affiliation with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Listen to Brian Petrovek's  full press conference below:



Listen to Phoenix Coyotes full welcoming press conference. VP and GM Don Maloney, along with VP and Assistant GM Brad Treliving talked to the Portland media.

Voice of the NHL Mike Emrick joins us on The Shipyard Brewing Guest Line

Mike "Doc" Emrick joins us to talk Bruins, NHL Playoffs and, as he always does, Maine Mariners (Jeff just can't help himself).

Luke Adam called up to play tonight!

According to Sabres.com's Twitter feed, Luke Adam gets called up to the big club.

Adam didn't stay long in Portland. In 8 games he has 5 goals and 5 assists with a +/- rating of +4.

The Move is Official

From The Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier announced today that forward Luke Adam has been recalled from the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League.

Adam (6’2”, 215 lbs., 6/18/1990) is currently second on the Pirates in scoring with 10 points (5+5) in 8 games. The native of St. John’s, Nfld., was named the AHL’s Player of the Week after recording a four-point game (2+2) in his professional debut with Portland on October 9.

Adam was selected by the Sabres in the second round (44th overall) of the 2008 Entry Draft.

#PortlandPirates Get Enroth, Parrish, Ellis #sabres

Two press releases, one from the Pirates, one from the Sabres. Hit it!

Sabres:
Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today that goaltender Jhonas Enroth and defenseman Marc-Andre Gragnani have been assigned to Portland of the American Hockey League. This leaves the Sabres with 23 players on the roster: 13 forwards, 8 defensemen and two goaltenders.

The Sabres have also signed forward Mark Parrish, and loaned him to Portland. The 33-year-old Parrish has 387 points (216+171) in 720 career NHL games with Florida, NY Islanders, Los Angeles, Minnesota, Dallas and Tampa Bay.

Pirates
Buffalo Sabres Head Coach Lindy Ruff reported today that goaltender Jhonas Enroth and forward Matt Ellis are on their way to join the Portland Pirates.

Enroth was reassigned to the Pirates while Ellis cleared waivers allowing him to join the team.
Enroth, selected 46th overall by the Sabres in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, returns for his third season in Portland. The 22 year-old Stockholm, Sweden native has appeared in 108 games between the pipes for the Pirates over the past two seasons. Last season he went 28-18-1 with five shutouts and 2.37 goals against average before ending the season on the injury list.

Ellis returns for his second stint with the Pirates after having played 12 games during the 2008-09 season. The 29 year-old Welland, Ontario native is a veteran of 187 NHL games with Buffalo, Detroit and Los Angeles. Last season with the Sabres the 6-foot-1 forward has three goals and 10 assists for 13 points in 72 games with the Sabres.

In other Pirates roster news, Rob Ricci was released from his training camp tryout.

--PIRATES AND SABRES COMMUNICATIONS--

Portland Pirates Practice today at PIA - Interviews and Photos

Even though is was a small group of players, the Portland Pirates got in a little ice time before their 1st Pre Season game in Manchester, NH. Here are some photos and interviews from practice.

PHOTO GALLERY PRESENTED BY MBR.ORG

INTERVIEWS
Coach Kevin Dineen

Derek Whitmore

Colin Stuart

Boston Bruins and HockeyEast Media Day in Boston Presented by The Law Offices of Gary M Prolman

COACH WHITEHEAD ON THE PM JAB 96.3 THE BIG JAB

PRESENTED MY THE LAW OFFICES OF GARY M PROLMAN

University of Maine F Gustav Nyquist and Coach Tim Whitehead

BOSTON BRUINS
Special Thanks to our correspondent for the day, Tim Rosenthal

#NHL On-Ice Officials and League Having Labor Pains

About 2 or 3 Saturdays ago, a very credible source gave Jeff word that negotiations between the NHL and it's officials were not going well. In no hurry to rush into another story like last spring, we waited for a second source.

The Hockey News broke word on this earlier with news ECHL officials had been asked if they'd be replacement referees by the NHL. Great story, and the tip of the iceberg. With that, we might as well share what we were told.

THN and others have pointed out officials are unhappy with the way the league polices the officials. While I have no doubt that's part of the stand-off, the biggest issue is an obvious one, pay (Gasp, no way!). According to the source, the officials want what they deem a "fair pay raise", and have not been thrilled with what they have been offered in terms of salary and Per Diem, and were quote "insulted" with the offers they have received.

Says the source, "They see the contracts players are getting, they know the league is making more money then they were when the last CBA negotiations happened, yet they are being treated as an afterthought by the league".

Basically, there is an overwhelming sense of being taken for granted among on-ice officials, with training camp right around the corner, Gary Bettman and the rest of the crew cruising Toronto in the Mystery Machine need to work with a little urgency before we start talking about NHL officiating in the same way we do Major League Baseball umpiring and NBA officiating.

Joe Yerdon (@HockeyJoePHT) Joins us to Talk #NHL

Joe Yerdon from ProHockeyTalk on NBCSports.com joined us on the Weekend Warm-Up presented by Mr. Sparky this morning to wrap up the Kovalchuk drama, talk some Bruins, Sabres, and break down some Gustav Nyquist. Listen below, and if we're real nice to him, maybe he'll join us on a regular basis this year...

Sabres re-sign Matt Ellis

Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have re-signed unrestricted free agent forward Matt Ellis to a one-year contract.

Ellis (8/31/1981, 6’, 212 lbs.) spent last season in Buffalo where he set career highs in games played (72), points (13) and assists (10). Ellis, who turns 29 today, now has 33 points (13+20) in 187 career NHL games with Buffalo, Los Angeles and Detroit.

A native of Welland, Ont., Ellis joined Buffalo on October 1, 2008 when he was claimed off waivers from Los Angeles. He was originally signed as undrafted free agent by Detroit on May 10, 2002 after playing junior hockey with the St. Michael’s Majors.

COURTESY BUFFALO SABRES

Sabres sign F Colin Stewart to 2 way deal

Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have signed unrestricted free agent forward Colin Stuart to a one-year contract.

Stuart (7/8/1982, 6’2”, 205 lbs.) spent last season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat where he was fourth in team scoring with a career-high 36 points (17+19) in 67 games. The native of Rochester, MN, has 51 games of NHL experience with the Atlanta Thrashers from 2007-09, collecting 13 points (8+5) including four shorthanded goals.

Stuart played four years at Colorado College (2000-04), and was originally drafted by Atlanta in the fifth round (135th overall) of the 2001 Entry Draft.

COURTESY BUFFALO SABRES

#PortlandPirates Derek Whitmore joined Weekend Warm Up Saturday #sabres #theahl #nhl

Derek Whitmore on Weekend Warm Up presented by Mr Sparky America's On Time Electrician

Mark Mancari signed to a 1 year deal by Sabres #sabres #portlandpirates

MARK MANCARI AT PIRATES OUTDOOR SKATE LAST YEAR

Buffalo Sabres GM Darcy Regier announced today the Sabres have re-signed restricted free agent forward Mark Mancari to a one-year contract.

Mancari (7/11/1985, 6’4”, 225 lbs.) has led Buffalo’s AHL affiliate in scoring for each of the past three seasons, including 74 points (28+46) in 74 games for the Portland Pirates in 2009-10. He finished eighth in league scoring, and topped the Pirates in goals, assists and points. Mancari also led the Pirates with 14 power goals, and was second with a plus-16 rating. The 25-year-old Mancari had two points (1+1) in six games during four separate recalls to Buffalo last season, giving him five points (2+3) in 16 career NHL games.

Mancari was drafted by Buffalo in the seventh round (207th overall) of the 2004 Entry Draft.

MAINEiacs Managing Consultant Bill Schurman on NewsTalk 91.9 in Moncton #qmjhl #maineiacshockey

MAINEiacs Managing Consultant Bill Schurman on NewsTalk 91.9 in Moncton. Thanks to 91.9 for the use of the audio!

Former #PortlandPirates Winger Tim Kennedy waived by #Sabres in contract dispute.

Former Portand Pirates winger Tim Kennedy was waived by the Buffalo Sabres today. According to Buffalo GM Darcy Reiger, Kennedy cleared waivers and is an unrestricted free agent.

Here is the interview courtesy Sabres.com

2 LEWISTON MAINEIACS TAKEN IN #NHL DRAFT, NO OTHER WITH MAINE TIES #portlandpirates

2 Lewiston MAINEiacs players got the call from the NHL today as C Michael Chaput was taken 89th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers and 6'1" Defenseman Samuel Carrier was taken 176th overall by the Washington Capitals.

MICHAEL CHAPUT BIO

SAM CARRIER BIO

Unfortunately none of the other players with Maine ties drafted today.

Here is a list of possible Portland Pirates players drafted by Buffalo over the last 2 days. Click on player for stats and bios.


Rnd  Overall Player   Pos Country Ht Wt Amateur League Amateur Team
1 23 MARK PYSYK D CA 6' 1" 174 WHL EDMONTON
3 68 JEROME GAUTHIER-LEDUC D CA 6' 1" 176 QMJHL ROUYN-NORANDA
3 75 KEVIN SUNDHER C CA 6' 0" 192 WHL CHILLIWACK
3 83 MATT MACKENZIE D CA 6' 1" 191 WHL CALGARY
4 98 STEVEN SHIPLEY C CA 6' 2" 205 OHL OWEN SOUND
5 143 GREGG SUTCH RW CA 6' 2" 193 OHL MISSISSAUGA
6 173 CEDRICK HENLEY LW CA 6' 5" 195 QMJHL VAL D'OR
7 203 CHRISTIAN ISACKSON RW US 6' 0" 174 HIGH-MN ST. THOMAS
7 208 RILEY BOYCHUK LW CA 6' 4" 210 WHL PORTLAND

NHL DRAFT - DJ ABISALIH #nhl #theahl #nhldraft

Despite the fact that the regular season and playoffs last from October to June, almost everyone in the hockey world will attest to the game being a 12-month sport. The Stanley Cup Final just concluded a few weeks ago, and here we are, with teams already preparing themselves for the 2010-11 campaign. This weekend features the NHL Entry Draft, and by the middle of next week, the free agency period will begin. By the time August comes around, teams in the CHL will start their respective training camps, which will be followed by NHL training camps in September.

So, what about this weekend and the 2010 NHL Entry Draft? For those of us that work in junior hockey, this is a fun time of year, especially this summer, as the draft will be dominated by up and coming players from the three leagues across Canada and the northern United States. The more specific domination will come from the Ontario Hockey League, who will produce the first overall pick for the fourth consecutive draft (Patrick Kane in '07, Steven Stamkos in '08, John Tavares in '09).

The top two picks in this year's draft are pretty simple. The Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins will both get future stars in Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin... or is it Tyler Seguin and Taylor Hall? Both of those players come from the OHL, as does the favorite to be the third overall pick - Erik Gundbranson of the Kingston Frontenacs. The OHL's domination could continue to the fourth overall pick, as defenseman Cam Fowler of Windsor has a realistic shot of making it a 1-through-4 sweep for the league that has won each of the last two Memorial Cups. If Columbus opts not to go with Fowler, they will likely select either Brandon Gormley of Moncton (QMJHL), or Brett Connolly of Prince George (WHL).

2009-10 was my first season as a broadcaster in the QMJHL, so Brandon Gormley presents a fun story for me. This past February, I had a chance to meet and interview the 18-year old, so watching him get picked in the first round will certainly be neat to watch. On the ice, Gormley is one of the top defensemen in the QMJHL, as he is intelligent, while being strong on both the offensive and defensive sides of the puck. Off the ice, I met a young man with tremendous professionalism and poise - a person any organization would be proud to call their own. The latter doesn't come as much of a surprise, as Moncton's Danny Flynn is one of the most respected coaches in the entire CHL. Depending on which team drafts him, Gormley could land an NHL job. If not, he will be a must see in Lewiston on November 26th.

Unfortunately, this summer's first round won't be loaded with players out of the QMJHL, although the 2011 Entry Draft could see Drummondville's Sean Couturier selected as high as first overall. That being said, this year's most intriguing story comes out of the Q, as Kirill Kabanov is the biggest mystery of the weekend. In terms of talent, he is a top-10 pick without question. However, Kabanov had injury problems throughout the 2009-10 season, and there have been serious questions about his attitude. During the first round of the playoffs, there was an incident between Kabanov, his teammates, and the Moncton organization that saw him miss the remainder of the postseason. The recent saga has seen Kabanov fall out of the first round on some draft boards, while others have him everywhere from 15th to 30th. When all is said and done, and we look back at this draft down the road, the Russian forward will either be a steal because of his talent, or a flop because of his attitude.

Other notable players from the Q that will hear their names called relatively early are Stanislav Galiev (Saint John), Petr Straka (Rimouski), and Jerome Gauthier-Leduc (Rouyn-Noranda), as well as goaltenders Louis Domingue (Quebec) and Mathieu Corbeil-Theriault (Halifax). In terms of goaltending, Jack Campbell of the US Under-18 Team and Calvin Pickard of the Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) will be the first two chosen. Pickard is ranked higher according to NHL's Central Scouting, but Campbell's gold medal victory at the World Junior Championship could give him a slight edge. Over the past few years, goalies haven't been selected early, so if one is drafted on Friday, it won't be until the latter stages of the first round.

Looking at the local team, the Lewiston MAINEiacs will have at least one player selected in this year's draft, with the possibility of a few others. 18-year old forward Michael Chaput was ranked 78th among North American skaters by NHL's Central Scouting, as well as 81st overall by The Hockey News. If those rankings hold true, Chaput could be selected between rounds three and five. After missing the end of the 2008-09 season with an injury, the Montreal, QC native rebounded to lead the MAINEiacs with 28 goals, while finishing second on the club with 55 points.

If Chaput hears his name called this weekend, it will mark the seventh consecutive season with a MAINEiac at the NHL Entry Draft, as well as the eighth straight year for the organization, dating back to the days of the Sherbrooke Castors. Michael would also be the second member of his family to get drafted, as his brother Stefan (also a former MAINEiac) was selected in the fifth round (153rd overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006.

Chaput could be joined in Los Angeles by a few of his teammates from the MAINEiacs. Forward Jess Tanguy was a late addition to the list provided by Central Scouting, appearing as the 191st ranked North American skater on the final rankings list. Tanguy burst onto the scene after joining Lewiston in January, recording 15 goals, 12 assists, and 27 points in 32 games. The Laval, QC native had six points in his first three games as a MAINEiac, before registering at least one point in ten of twelve games toward the end of the season.

Matthew Bissonnette wasn't ranked by Central Scouting, but could prove to be a late steal for a team in search of a large two-way forward. Bissonnette had 18 points in 28 games with Moncton, before being traded to Lewiston, where he had 12 goals, 19 assists, and 31 points in 27 games. The Beaconsfield, QC native had eleven multiple-point games as a MAINEiac, including a career high of four against Rimouski on January 29th.

Finally, defenseman Samuel Carrier was listed in Central Scouting's midterm rankings, but dropped out of the final rankings. Carrier is a power play quarterback with a powerful shot. After scoring nine points in 56 games with Quebec in 2008-09, the blueliner exploded for ten goals, 32 assists, and 42 points in 66 games with the MAINEiacs. The Varennes, QC native's most successful stretch came toward the end of the season, when he picked up 13 points (5g, 8a) in six games.

To all of the draft followers, I hope you enjoy the next couple of days, I hope your teams do well, and if you have any friends or family members in the draft, I hope this is the start of a long and successful hockey career!