Glad you appreciated our support Mike!

It was certainly a tense, exciting, interesting, nailbiting, (add additional adjectives) game and we were glad that you guys took the victory!

Providence is on the horizon, best of luck in that series!

Hey Mike...just wanted to say that my son who is 4 started playing hockey thi year and it was the first year that we have attended any games...I dont even know where he got the idea for hockey but when he was 3 begged me to let him play but I thought he was too young...anyway..he loves it and made a fan out of me also...we are so thankful to have the team in Portland only an hour from home we have been to about 15-20 games this year and hope to see you all in the finals winning the cup. His favorite players are you, Bootland and King...and also Platt for the puck he gave him Sunday nigh;-) Good luck against the Bruins...we will be there cheering you all on!!

Unfortunately I’ve been battling another hand injury, this time on the same hand just the right side of my hand near my wrist, from the Bridgeport fight. It’s been a frustrating time not being able to play my game like I want to.- Mike Hoffman

Hopefully Bootland has the stones to take care of the Providence players like Curry and Macentyre,

Craig,

I have seen eye to eye with you all season when it has come to the pirates, except this time! Mike Hoffman has been one of the best players on and off the ice this year. You and I both know that if his hand wasn't messed up, that he would be dropping the mits left and right. Bootland was an excellent pick up and I thank the pirates for making such a great deal (Keith was a waste of space anyway). Don't be running your mouth saying that Hoffman doesn't have the "stones" to fight anymore. We have enough talent on our team to so that he shouldn't have to do it everytime. Have some sincerity for someone that is battling a recurrent injury. For the record, I bet your your a Roger Clemens fan and still thinks that he wasn't taking the roids...GUILTY!!!! Mike Hoffman is one of the best players ever to play in the city of portland and you should be ashamed of yourself for making such a comment. Your probably that idiot that sits in the stands and yells fight immediately after the National Anthem. Grow up man!

Gee Mike, at no point did Craig say anything about Mike not wanting to fight... Read his comment very carefully, the only thing he stated was if Darryl could pick up the slack as an enforcer...

Sorry to rain on your parade but Mike is not one of the best players ever to play in the city of Portland, not even close, there is a long line of players that Mike would say deserve a spot ahead of him on the heiarchy of great Pirates/Mariners.

No offense meant to you Mike with that comment, but I can't honestly say that you have done more for Portland than Olaf Kolzig, Sergei Gonchar, Andrew Brunette, and others.
Shame you won't be back in Portland next year, because I've enjoyed seeing you on the ice and your transition from an enforcer into a two-way player!

Thank you Andrew for explaining that to Mike. Hoffman has an injury and hopefully he does get healthy enough to go out and handle his business. I can tell that he is hesitant out there. I wish it didnt have to be that way. Why do you say Hoff wont be back next year?

Pay attention to what is going on in Iowa and Rochester. Also know that this does not affect only Mike Hoffman.

That's all I will say...

Andrew of South Portland,

That is exactly what Craig was saying in his message. I know that because of the simple fact that I have known Craig for years now and he called me as he posted that message. I didn't like what he had to say, so i responded.

Wow Andrew are you saying that the Ducks are going to move the AHL Franchaise to Iowa and Buffalo is coimng to Portland: gee hadn't heard that before...

well well well do we have another fight???? hey andrew I totally agree with you... and craig what he means by he won't be here next year is that he (hoff) is a GREAT player and if talent scouts have any talent in picking players.... they will definitley pick hoff..... hopefully..... and yeah I really don't like what any of u have to say... well except mike... but anyways..... grow up... please!!

No rockstah22, I did not mean that Mike will be signed by another team...

I meant that he (as will the rest of his teammates) will not be playing in Portland next year.

As for Tim, who posted in what I took as a sarcastic comment... Watch what is happening... Dallas has already recinded their affiliation agreement with Iowa, and Iowa has already been reported as taking a trademark on the name "Iowa Thunder"...

The next likely step for these changes will be the Spring Board of Governors meeting. This forum is where you'll hear that the Dallas Stars has bought the dormant Edmonton AHL franchise (not the Oilers mind you) and that several NHL teams will announce new affiliation agreements...

It wasn't sarcasism. I hate when people act like there all in the know, when it pretty common knowledge.

Actually it's not common knowledge...

I've talked with a lot of people, both supporters of the Pirates and the average person, and I'd say about 5% have heard about (or know) what has been occuring over the past few months. In fact even the most passionate Pirate supporters have expressed shock at this...

But if it really is common knowledge, I guess you must know a lot more than I do...

Guess so, I read about it in late December on HF Boards...My guess is I do know a lot more than you...:)

Well, HF Boards is no different a source than AHLFans.net.

My guess is you know as much as I do.

my guess is that andrew knows alot more about whats going on than most people here, and no its not "common knowledge" lol its RUMORS

K since you don't know a lot about common knowledge, I will ingore your post... I was kidding hence the smile face there Andrew :)...I know just as much as you, no more or no less...

I heard around the "rumor" mill that Hoffman was seeing that girl Sarah, that you said had no chance with him...How does that make you feel KKKKKKK...

I wanted to publish this since there is a sizeable segment of the Pirates fanbase that is not aware of the changes once the Pirates playoff run concludes (you can capture the Calder Cup boys!!!) so I want every one of you to check this link out.

This says some pretty obvious things, but this is also the first "semi-official" release coming from Brian Petrovek.

http://www.buffalonews.com/sports/sabresnhl/story/344007.html

For those that moderate this blog, please leave this link here for everyone to read. The changes are only a matter of time, and are as much the public's knowledge as anyone else's.
I understand the vested interest in not wanting this to be circulated given the Pirates being in the playoffs. But at the same those who run The Buffalo News chose yesterday to run this article, and the key piece to the article (Petrovek) didn't not seem to want this story to be held back.