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Gordie Dwyer, who's played nine seasons of pro hockey, welcomes his chance with the Pirates.

PAUL BETIT November 7, 2007

When the phone call came from the Anaheim Ducks, Gordie Dwyer was ready to come to Portland.

After spending nine seasons as a professional hockey player for teams in the NHL and the minor leagues, Dwyer knows all about being ready when the call comes.

"He's a true professional," Portland Pirates Coach Kevin Dineen said. "He's a very physical player, a strong up-and-down player and will be able to give us a jump when we need it."

After spending two months last season playing for the Orebro Vipers in Sweden's Division I, Dwyer is glad to have a chance to play in North America again.

"It's a good opportunity for me," said Dwyer, who arrived in Portland last week. "I could go to Europe. I had some offers from Europe. But I have a young family - two young children. This is close to home, and it's a great opportunity."

For Dwyer, who grew up in Dalhousie, New Brunswick, home is now on Prince Edward Island, where he spent three weeks coaching the Summerside Western Capitals in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League before joining the Pirates last Thursday.

Dwyer, who turns 32 in January and could make his Pirates debut this weekend, started the season with the New York Islanders.

"I never got an offer," he said. "I played five exhibition games, and I couldn't get a deal. I didn't sign with them, so I went home."

To keep in shape, Dwyer worked out and skated with the much younger junior hockey players.

"He's in better shape than most of them," Western Caps General Manager Gabe Keough said. "They had a hard time keeping up with him."

In order to play his hard-nosed style, Dwyer has to be in shape.

"I'm a high-energy kind of guy," he said. "I take pride in my skating and my forechecking ability, and I like to go out there and play hard and have fun."

Dwyer's playing resume includes a total of 108 NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens. In September 2000, he was suspended 23 games by the NHL for abusing officials and leaving the penalty box to fight in a preseason game against the Washington Capitals.

ROCHESTER LEFT wing Dylan Hunter was named AHL player of the week after recording two goals and five assists to help the Americans to three consecutive victories.

Portland defenseman Aaron Rome, who notched his first two goals of the season against Philadelphia and Providence, also was nominated for the award.

Grand Rapids center Mark Hartigan, who played 25 games for the Pirates last season, also was a candidate.

FOLLOWING SURGERY for a broken left foot three weeks ago, forward Shane Hynes is at least five weeks away from walking without crutches.

The injury occurred three days before Portland's season opener when a Rome slap shot hit Hynes in the foot during a practice session.

Since becoming a pro in 2005 following his junior year at Cornell, injuries have limited Hynes, a Montreal native, to 66 AHL and ECHL games.

He was Anaheim's third-round pick in NHL draft.

AFTER SCORING a goal and recording two assists in two games with the Pirates, rookie center Matt Christie was reassigned to the Augusta Lynx in the ECHL.

"He's probably one of the few non-deserving sent-downs I've had in my long and illustrious two-year (coaching) career," Dineen said. "He's a kid who has played very, very good hockey for us and needs to play lots of hockey."

After the recent return of forwards Jason King, Petteri Wirtanen and Ryan Carter from Anaheim to Portland, it became difficult for Christie to get significant ice time.

Christie, a 22-year-old forward who turned pro last spring following his senior year at Miami University (Ohio), started the season with the Lynx, scoring a goal and three assists in the three games.

MEET AND GREET: Portland defenseman Eric Weinrich, a veteran of 18 NHL seasons who grew up in Gardiner, will appear 5-7 p.m. on Thursday at...