Friday, December 29, 2006
PIRATES' WEEKEND
TODAY: Springfield Falcons at Portland Pirates, 7:05 p.m.
SATURDAY: Pirates at Worcester Sharks
SUNDAY: Hartford Wolf Pack at Pirates, 5:35 p.m.
In a trade brought on by the Anaheim Ducks' goaltending problems, the Portland Pirates sent right wing Pierre Parenteau, their leading goal scorer, and Bruno St. Jacques, one of the team's top defensemen, to the Norfolk Admirals on Thursday night.
The Ducks acquired goalie Sebastien Caron, right wing Matt Keith and left wing Chris Durno, assigning all three to the Pirates.
Caron, who has played in 91 NHL games, was the pivotal man in the deal for the Ducks.
"The issue, right now, is goaltending, not (Portland's) goaltending but the organization's goaltending in general," Pirates Coach Kevin Dineen said.
J.S. Giguere and Ilya Bryzgalov, the Ducks' top two goalies, are out with strained groins and listed "day to day."
Two weeks ago, after Bryzgalov went down, the Ducks called up Mike Wall from the Pirates. Thursday, Anaheim called up David McKee, a former Cornell goalie, from the Augusta Lynx of the ECHL.
"We're going to miss the talent that (Parenteau) brought every night to our lineup and the grit that (St. Jacques) brought to our lineup," Dineen said, "but it's a move we had to make at this time."
In 28 games with the Pirates, Parenteau, in his third pro season, had a team-high 15 goals with 13 assists. In 25 games, St. Jacques had one goal and eight assists.
Selected in the fourth round of the 1999 draft by Pittsburgh, Caron, 26, has a 25-47-2 record with a 3.46 goals-against average for the Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks. This season, in nine games with Norfolk, the Blackhawks' top farm team, Caron is 4-4 with a 4.03 goals-against average.
Last season, Durno, 26, had 20 goals and 20 assists with the Milwaukee Admirals. In 22 games with Norfolk this season, he has four goals and an assist.
Last season, Keith, 23, scored a career-high 26 goals with 19 assists for Norfolk. In 19 games this season, he has two goals and eight assists.
Also, goalie Maxime Ouellet, who played three seasons with the Pirates when they were affiliated with the Washington Capitals, was signed to a pro tryout contract.
"We're trying to add to the organization's goaltending depth," Dineen said.
A six-year pro, Ouellet, 25, was cut by Vancouver last summer.
"I've been at home waiting for a place to play," he said. "I was thinking about playing for a team in Europe, then I got a call."
The Pirates sent goalie Nathan Marsters to the Augusta Lynx. In five games, Marsters was 2-3 with a 3.35 goals-against average.
The Pirates also called up forward J.B. Bittner and defenseman Nathan Saunders from the Lynx.
Bittner, who played four seasons at Ohio State, appeared in 38 games with the Pirates last year. Last season, Saunders, 21, scored one goal in 29 games for the Pirates.
Also, Doug "Sluggo" Sherer, the former Washington Capitals equipment manager, became the new equipment manager for the Pirates. He replaced Erik "Bones" Bruguiere, who left for personal reasons.
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-9795 or at:
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If you're gullible enough to believe everything you hear, fine -- just don't pass it along like you personally know it's true.report abuse
In regards to Pierre, he did not want to be in Portland. He dealt with the situation, but it was rocky at best.
Do you remember a period of three games towards the first quarter of the season that he did not suit up? (it was after his first hat trick)... The story about it being a reaction from detergent wasn't true, he was benched by Kevin for conduct and attitude detrimental to the team. Add that to his pre-season disgust about being cut from Anaheim and you had a guy who was discontent here in Portland as well as his future with the Ducks...
Is he a great loss? Yes he is... His goal production is missed... And would he have gotten a chance to play in Anaheim? No, the team is too deep at the wings and he isn't defensively ready for the NHL...
Truth be known, Anaheim was shopping him for the last month or so... I've seen quite a few scouts throughout that Civic Center recently from several teams (Philadelphia and Columbus come to mind right away), so Pierre being moved shouldn't be a total shock
In response to Matt Keith and Chris Durno, that was a mistake, my bad.
And as for my comment regarding long term. True, it's the AHL and it's about developing and readying players for the NHL. However, you can have players here for the long term (remember Ken Gernander of Hartford?), maybe not a career, but definately several years. The lack of a true number one netminder has caused us to play a game of musical chairs in net (6 netminders so far), and that does not benefit anybody.
Anaheim wants a solid number three who can be a full-time starter here in Portland, yet be ready for a call-up at any time. That was the role for Michael Leighton before he got plucked on waivers, and it was the role that Michael Wall was being groomed for. And with Jiggy and Ilya being set for this year and next year we should be having a netminder in place for that same amount of time, hence the "long term" line...report abuse
Who are White and Druro? It's Keith and Durno.
And as for 'long-term' in the AHL -- is there such a thing? This is a development league for the NHL and Anaheim is looking at moves that will benefit their organization long-term...not Portlands.report abuse
Trading away your most dependable player and scorer doesn't seem like a move that will benefit the club in any way, especially when you're not getting equal talent in return. Combine that w/ losing Bruno creates even more sting. There just seems to be alot of "what ifs" in this deal and I don't like it.
Gosh, I miss it when Gezlav, Penner, Perry, and Gavey were here. report abuse
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