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Portland Pirates
Portland Pirates.svg
City Portland, Maine
League American Hockey League
Founded 1975 (In the NAHL)
Operated 1993–2016
Home arena Cross Insurance Arena
Colors Black, red, silver, white
                   
Franchise history
1975–1982 Erie Blades
1982–1993 Baltimore Skipjacks
1993–2016 Portland Pirates
2016–present Springfield Thunderbirds
Championships
Division Championships 2: (2005–06, 2010–11)
Conference Championships 1: (1995–96)
Calder Cups 1: (1993–94)

The Portland Pirates were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League (AHL). They played their home games at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine. Before becoming the Pirates, the team was called the Baltimore Skipjacks from 1982 to 1993.

The Pirates worked with several NHL teams. They were linked to the Washington Capitals (1993–2005) and the Anaheim Ducks (2005–2008). Later, they partnered with the Buffalo Sabres (2008–2011) and the Arizona Coyotes (2011–2015). Their last NHL partner was the Florida Panthers (2015–2016). The Pirates also hosted the AHL All-Star Classic in 2003 and 2010.

On May 4, 2016, the Pirates announced they would sell the team. The team moved to Springfield, Massachusetts, for the 2016–17 season. This happened after the Springfield Falcons team moved to Tucson, Arizona. The AHL approved the sale on May 23, 2016. The team then became known as the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Team History

Starting with the Capitals

The Portland Pirates team started in 1993. Tom Ebright, who owned the Baltimore Skipjacks, moved his team to Portland, Maine. He was inspired by how the ECHL's Nashville Knights operated. The Pirates became linked with the Washington Capitals NHL team. They filled the spot left by the Maine Mariners, who had moved a year earlier. On August 4, 1993, Eric Fenton became the first player to sign with the Pirates.

The Pirates were very popular in their first three years. They sold the most tickets and had many sellouts in the AHL. This was thanks to their general manager, W. Godfrey Wood, and his marketing ideas. Their first season was their best. They won the Calder Cup with a record of 43 wins, 27 losses, and 10 ties. They also had great attendance, with about 5,872 fans per game.

In their second season, they earned 104 points but lost early in the playoffs. In the 1995–96 season, they reached the Calder Cup Finals again. However, they lost to the Rochester Americans. For their first four seasons, Barry Trotz was their head coach. He later became a very successful NHL coach and won a Stanley Cup.

After these early years, the Pirates had mixed results. They often made the playoffs but were usually eliminated quickly. For example, in 1999–00, they had a great 100-point season but lost in the first round of the playoffs. The team's partnership with the Capitals ended in 2005 after 12 seasons.

Playing with the Ducks

In 2005, the Pirates decided to stay in Portland. They signed a five-year agreement to play at the Cross Insurance Arena. They also made a three-year deal to work with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

During their time with the Ducks, the Pirates had some good seasons. They made it to the 2006 Calder Cup playoffs conference finals. But they lost in seven games to the Hershey Bears, who went on to win the Calder Cup. The team did not make the playoffs in 2007. However, they reached the conference finals again in 2008. They were then defeated by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in seven games.

Partnering with the Sabres

On June 3, 2008, the Anaheim Ducks decided to partner with a different team. So, on June 10, 2008, the Pirates announced a new agreement. They would now be linked with the Buffalo Sabres.

On August 5, 2008, the team announced that Kevin Dineen would continue as their head coach.

On February 10, 2009, the Pirates played a game in Buffalo at the HSBC Arena. More than 11,000 fans watched the game. The Pirates lost 4-3 in a shootout to the Albany River Rats. Fans enjoyed the exciting game. The Pirates played in Buffalo two more times in the 2009–10 season.

On March 17, 2010, the Pirates signed a two-year extension to their lease. This meant they would keep playing their home games at the Cross Insurance Arena.

In May 2011, the Sabres wanted to end their agreement with the Pirates early. Sabres owner Terry Pegula wanted to buy the Rochester Americans and make them their main AHL team. The Pirates had to agree to this change, even though their contract with the Sabres was supposed to last until 2014. On June 24, 2011, the AHL approved the sale of the Rochester Americans. This also included ending the Pirates' contract with the Sabres.

Working with the Coyotes

On June 27, 2011, the Phoenix Coyotes announced a new five-year deal with the Pirates. This meant the Coyotes would send their young players to play for the Pirates. News reports said that two other teams wanted the Pirates to change their name and logo. But the Pirates chose the Coyotes because they wanted to keep their name and logo.

During the 2012–13 season, the Pirates played six games in Lewiston, Maine. They played at the Androscoggin Bank Colisée because the Cross Insurance Arena was being renovated. On April 17, 2013, the Pirates and Cumberland County agreed to a new five-year lease. This lease had an option for another five years. However, a disagreement about money from food sales caused problems. Because of this dispute, the Pirates played all their 2013-14 home games in Lewiston.

The Pirates even had to play their last game of the 2013–14 season at their small practice facility in Saco. This was because the arena in Lewiston was booked for a circus. The Pirates offered refunds to fans who bought tickets for the Lewiston game. They also said all money from the Saco game would go to a children's hospital.

On May 7, 2014, the Pirates extended their agreement with the Coyotes for one year. They also slightly raised ticket prices to help rebuild trust with the community. The new owner, Ron Cain, was not worried about getting a new deal for 2015–16. He thought the Coyotes would likely move their AHL team closer to Glendale, Arizona.

Arena Lease Dispute

In 2013, the Pirates tried to sign a new lease for the arena. But they refused to sign it. They found out that the money they would get from food sales was less than what they had agreed to. The original agreement included a share of alcohol sales, but the state said this was illegal.

The Pirates then said they would look for another place to play their 2013–14 season. They planned to play in Lewiston, Maine, where they were already playing due to renovations. The arena managers said the Pirates would not play there that year. They started looking for other events to fill the dates. The Pirates then sued the arena. They wanted the original agreement to be honored.

On September 26, 2013, the Pirates confirmed they would play all their 2013–14 home games in Lewiston. Some game dates had to be changed. An AHL spokesperson said the Pirates had rights to the Portland area. This meant they could play anywhere within 50 miles of the city. The Phoenix Coyotes said they would continue with the partnership. The arena chairman criticized the Pirates for asking for more money. He said their desired lease would cost taxpayers. The Pirates said they would continue their lawsuit to play in Portland in the future.

On October 24, 2013, the team announced they were considering building a new arena in Saco, Maine. It would cost $40 million and have 5,000 seats. However, the team said this was not their cheapest option. They still preferred to return to Portland.

Ron Cain, the new majority owner, said on December 17 that if a deal wasn't made soon, he would move the team. He considered Saco or even out of state. The arena trustees kept refusing to negotiate. Two days later, Cain announced the team dropped its lawsuit. He said the trustees would restart talks. Cain wanted to find a balance between the team's needs and the arena's finances.

Maine Senate President Justin Alfond from Portland tried to help. He proposed a new law to let the Pirates get money from alcohol sales. This was part of the original agreement. Cain said this effort didn't affect their lawsuit decision. But it could help the team in the future.

On February 4, 2014, the arena and the Pirates announced a new five-year lease. The team would return to the Cross Insurance Arena for the 2014–15 season. The agreement included sharing concession revenue, which the Pirates wanted. Owner Ron Cain also said he had thought about moving the team to Glens Falls, New York. He even sent his CEO to discuss it. But he wanted the Pirates to stay in Maine.

Final Season with the Panthers

On March 18, 2015, the Pirates announced a new partnership. They would work with the Florida Panthers starting in the 2015–16 season. Eric Joyce, who was the general manager for Florida's previous AHL team, would take the same job in Portland. On May 4, 2016, the Pirates said they would sell and move the team for the 2016–17 season. On May 23, the team moved to Springfield, Massachusetts. This happened after the Springfield Falcons team moved to Tucson, Arizona. On June 15, the team's new name was announced as the Springfield Thunderbirds.

After the Pirates left, some former team executives wanted to bring a new hockey team to Portland. They hoped to get an ECHL team as early as 2017. However, this plan faced delays. In June 2017, Comcast Spectacor, who manages the Cross Insurance Arena, bought the rights to the Alaska Aces ECHL team. The league approved the sale and the team's move to Portland on June 15.

Other hockey teams in Portland's history:

  • Maine Mariners (1977–1992): This team also played in the American Hockey League.

The team that replaced the Pirates:

  • Maine Mariners (2018–): This team plays in the ECHL.

Season Results

Here are the results from the 23 seasons the Portland Pirates played.

Calder Cup Champions Conference Champions Division Champions League leader
Regular Season Playoffs
Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL SOL Points PCT Goals
for		 Goals
against		 Standing Year Prelim 1st
round		 2nd
round		 3rd
round		 Finals
1993–94 80 43 27 10 0 — 96 .600 328 269 2nd, North 1994 — W, 4–1, ALB W, 4–2, ADK — W, 4–2, MNC
1994–95 80 46 22 12 0 — 104 .650 333 233 2nd, North 1995 — L, 3–4, PRO — — —
1995–96 80 32 34 10 4 — 78 .488 282 283 3rd, North 1996 — W, 3–1, WOR W, 4–2, SPR W, 4–3, SJF L, 3–4, RCH
1996–97 80 37 26 10 7 — 91 .569 279 264 3rd, New England 1997 — L, 2–3, SPR — — —
1997–98 80 33 33 12 2 — 80 .500 241 247 3rd, Atlantic 1998 — W, 3–1, FRD L, 2–4, SJF — —
1998–99 80 23 48 7 2 — 55 .344 214 273 5th, Atlantic 1999 Did not qualify
1999–00 80 46 23 10 1 — 103 .644 256 202 2nd, New England 2000 — L, 1–3, WOR — — —
2000–01 80 34 40 4 2 — 74 .463 250 280 5th, New England 2001 — L, 0–3, SJF — — —
2001–02 80 30 31 15 4 — 79 .494 220 225 4th, North 2002 Did not qualify
2002–03 80 33 28 13 6 — 85 .531 221 195 4th, North 2003 L, 1–2, MTB — — — —
2003–04 80 32 27 13 8 — 85 .531 156 160 5th, Atlantic 2004 W, 2–0, PRO L, 1–4, HWP — — —
2004–05 80 34 34 — 6 6 80 .500 175 242 6th, Atlantic 2005 Did not qualify
2005–06 80 53 19 — 5 3 114 .713 306 241 1st, Atlantic 2006 — W, 4–2, PRO W, 4–2, HWP L, 3–4, HER —
2006–07 80 37 31 — 3 9 86 .538 225 232 6th, Atlantic 2007 Did not qualify
2007–08 80 45 26 — 5 4 99 .619 238 215 3rd, Atlantic 2008 — W, 4–1, HWP W, 4–2, PRO L, 3–4, WBS —
2008–09 80 39 31 — 3 7 88 .550 249 239 3rd, Atlantic 2009 — L, 1–4, PRO — — —
2009–10 80 45 24 — 7 4 101 .631 244 214 2nd, Atlantic 2010 — L, 0–4, MCH — — —
2010–11 80 47 24 — 7 2 103 .644 280 238 1st, Atlantic 2011 — W, 4–2, CTW L, 2–4, BNG — —
2011–12 76 36 31 — 4 5 81 .533 223 254 3rd, Atlantic 2012 Did not qualify
2012–13 76 41 30 — 3 2 87 .572 230 233 2nd, Atlantic 2013 — L, 0–3, SYR — — —
2013–14 76 24 39 — 3 10 61 .401 222 284 5th, Atlantic 2014 Did not qualify
2014–15 76 39 28 — 7 2 87 .572 203 190 4th, Atlantic 2015 — L, 2–3, MCH — — —
2015–16 76 41 27 — 6 2 90 .592 215 207 3rd, Atlantic 2016 — L, 2–3, HER — — —
Totals 1820 870 683 116 95 56 2007 .551 5590 5420 17 playoff appearances, 1 Calder Cup

Team Players

Team Captains

  • Chris Jensen, 1993–1995
  • Jeff Nelson, 1995–1996
  • Kent Hulst, 1995–2001
  • Terry Yake, 2001–2002
  • Dean Melanson, 2001–2003
  • Todd Rohloff 2002–2003
  • Trent Whitfield, 2003–2005
  • Graham Mink, 2003–2004
  • Aaron Gavey, 2005–2006
  • Shawn Thornton, 2006–2007
  • Tyler Bouck, 2007–2009
  • Brad Larsen, 2009–2010
  • Matt Ellis, 2010–2011
  • Dean Arsene, 2011–12
  • Alexandre Bolduc, 2012–2013
  • Jordan Szwarz, 2013–2014
  • Alexandre Bolduc, 2014–2015
  • Brent Regner, 2015–2016

Pirates Hall of Fame

The Portland Pirates officially retired only one number, #50. However, a banner still hangs to honor five Maine Mariners players. Their numbers were retired before that team moved to Providence.

  • 37 Olaf Kolzig (1993–96) Inducted 1999
  • 19 Andrew Brunette (1993–98) Inducted 1999
  • 34 Byron Dafoe (1993–95) Inducted 1999
  • 32 Kevin 'Killer' Kaminski (1993–95, 1997–98) Inducted 2000
  • 3 Steve Poapst (1993–2000) Inducted 2001
  • 10 Kent Hulst (1993–96) Inducted 2002
  • 30 Martin Brochu (1996–2000) Inducted 2003
  • 23 Ryan Mulhern (1995–98, 1999–2000) Inducted 2004
  • Head Coach Barry Trotz (1993–97) Inducted 2005
  • 44 Todd Nelson (1993–95) Inducted 2006
  • 31 Jim Carey (1994–96) Inducted 2007
  • Owner 50 Tom Ebright (1993–97) Inducted 2008
  • 26 Chris Jensen (1993–95) Inducted 2010
  • 17 Martin Gendron (1994–96) Inducted 2011

AHL Awards and Trophies

Team Records

Single Season Records

  • Most Goals: Michel Picard, 41 (1993–94)
  • Most Assists: Jeff Nelson, 73 (1993–94)
  • Most Points: Jeff Nelson, 107 (1993–94)
  • Most Points (Defenseman): Marc-Andre Gragnani, 60 (2010–11)
  • Most Penalty Minutes: Mark Major 355 (1997–98)
  • Best Goals Against Average (GAA): Maxime Ouellet, 1.99 (2003–04)
  • Best Save Percentage (SV%): Maxime Ouellet, .930 (2003–04)

Career Records

  • Career Goals: Kent Hulst, 147 (1993–2001)
  • Career Assists: Andrew Brunette, 224 (1993–98)
  • Career Points: Kent Hulst, 360 (1993–2001)
  • Career Penalty Minutes: Kevin Kaminski, 797 (1994–95, 98)
  • Career Goaltending Wins: Mike McKenna, 84 (2007–08, 2014–16)
  • Career Shutouts: Maxime Ouellet, 17 (2002–05)
  • Career Games Played: Kent Hulst, 473 (1993–2001)
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