PORTLAND — The Portland Pirates said today they will hold a press conference Monday at 1 p.m. where Brian Petrovek, managing partner/CEO of the Pirates, will make “a major announcement.”
This came on the heels of the American Hockey League’s Board of Governors unanimously approving the sale of the Rochester Americans franchise to the Buffalo Sabres this afternoon. With that move, the Sabres will return to Rochester as the Americans’ NHL affiliate beginning next season.
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For the moment, it also means the Sabres now own the Americans, and also have an affiliation agreement with the Portland Pirates.
Petrovek declined to reveal which team will be coming to Portland. A source with knowledge of the situation, as well as numerous media reports, indicate that the AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes, currently based in San Antonio, will be in Portland next season.
Petrovek also said the Pirates didn’t stand in the way of Buffalo making this move, even though the teams have an existing affiliation agreement. The Pirates had no issue with the move as long as they “were made whole, meaning a new affiliate was in place,” said Petrovek.
2:16 p.m.
The American Hockey League’s Board of Governors today unanimously approved the sale of the Rochester Americans franchise to the Buffalo Sabres this afternoon, meaning the Sabres will return to Rochester as the Americans’ NHL affiliate beginning next season.
It also means the Sabres now own the Americans, and also have an affiliation agreement with the Portland Pirates. Brian Petrovek, managing partner/CEO of the Pirates, has scheduled a press conference for this afternoon to address the matter. The Pirates have been the AHL affiliate of the Sabres for the past three seasons.
“We are pleased to welcome Terry Pegula and the Buffalo Sabres as owners in the American Hockey League,” said David Andrews, the AHL president and CEO. “The Rochester Americans and Buffalo Sabres have a rich history together, and reuniting these two outstanding franchises is great news for hockey fans in western New York.”
2:01 p.m.
The American Hockey League is expected this afternoon to approve the sale of the Rochester Americans to the Buffalo Sabres, meaning that the Sabres will own one AHL franchises while still having an affiliation agreement with the Portland Pirates.
The Pirates have been the AHL affiliate of the Sabres for the past three seasons. Brian Petrovek, the managing owner/CEO of the Pirates, is scheduled to meet with the media later this afternoon to talk about what the purchase of the AHL franchise by Buffalo means for his team.
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