Portland Pirates

Pro hockey team
text_color = red
bg_color = black
team = Portland Pirates

logosize = 200px
city = Portland, Maine
league = American Hockey League
conference = Eastern Conference
division = Atlantic Division
founded = 1993
arena = Cumberland County Civic Center
colors = Black, Red, Silver, White
color box|black color box|red color box|silver color box|white
owner = Brian Petrovek
coach = Kevin Dineen
GM = Bob Murray
media = Portland Press Herald
affiliates = Buffalo Sabres (NHL)
name1 = Erie Blades
dates1 = 1975 to 1982
name2 = Baltimore Skipjacks
dates2 = 1982 to 1993
name3 = Portland Pirates
dates3 = 1993 to present
reg_season_titles =
division_titles = 1 (2005–06)
conf_titles = 1 (1995–96)
calder_cups = 1 (1993–94)The Portland Pirates are a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Portland, Maine, USA, at the Cumberland County Civic Center. The franchise was previously known as the Baltimore Skipjacks from 1982 to 1993.

History

The Pirates were founded in 1993–94 as an affiliate of the Washington Capitals. The team was previously known as the Baltimore Skipjacks, who relocated to Maine. The Pirates replaced the void made by the Maine Mariners who departed to become the Providence Bruins a year earlier. The Capitals affiliation ended after 12 seasons in 2005.

The Pirates first season proved to be their most successful one, as they won the Calder Cup with a 43–27–10 record. Their next season they had 104 points, but were upset in the 1st round of the playoffs. In the 1995–96 season they again reached the Calder Cup Finals despite a subpar record of 32–34–10, but lost to the Rochester Americans.

Since then, it has been a roller coaster ride for the Pirates. Despite an excellent 100 point season, they were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round in 1999–2000.

For the first four seasons, they were coached by current Nashville Predators head coach Barry Trotz. They played host to the AHL All-Star Classic in 2003.

In the 2006 AHL playoffs, the Pirates went for a thrilling playoff run, only to be defeated by the eventual Calder Cup-winning Hershey Bears in a dramatic seven-game series.

In 2005 the Pirates announced a five year lease extension at the Cumberland County Civic Center, ending speculation that the team might relocate. The Pirates also signed a three year affiliation agreement with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 2005, but the Ducks announced on June 3, 2008, that they were affiliating with the Iowa Stars instead of renewing the agreement.

The Sabres era

On June 10, 2008, the Pirates and the Buffalo Sabres announced that they had reached a new affiliation agreement, ending several months of speculation. [cite web
url=http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/story/366680.html
title=Sabres to parent Portland
date=2008-06-10
accessdate=2008-06-10
publisher=buffalonews.com]

On August 5, 2008, the team announced that Kevin Dineen has been retained as head coach. [cite web |url=http://sabres.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=379388
title=Dineen Named Head Coach
date=2008-08-05
accessdate=2008-08-05
publisher=sabres.nhl.com]

;The market was previously home to:
*Maine Mariners (1977–1992)

eason-by-season results

Regular season

AHL awards and trophies

Calder Cup
* 1993-94

Richard F. Canning Trophy
* 1993-94, 1995-96

Frank Mathers Trophy
* 2005-06

Emile Francis Trophy
* 2005-06

Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award
* Olaf Kolzig & Byron Dafoe: 1993-94

Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award
* Barry Trotz: 1993-94
* Glen Hanlon: 1999-00
* Kevin Dineen: 2005-06

Jack A. Butterfield Trophy
* Olaf Kolzig: 1993-94

James C. Hendy Memorial Award
* Tom Ebright: 1993-94

Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award
* Jim Carey: 1994–95
* Jaroslav Svejkovsky: 1995-96

Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award
* Jim Carey: 1994–95
* Martin Brochu: 1999-00

Les Cunningham Award
* Martin Brochu: 1999-00

Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award
* Kent Hulst: 2000-01
* Chris Ferraro: 2002-03

James H. Ellery Memorial Awards
* Dave Ahlers: 2002-03

References

External links

* [http://www.portlandpirates.com Portland Pirates Official Website]
* [http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/teamseasons.php?tid=262 The Internet Hockey Database - Portland Pirates]