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Portland Pirates Add Whitfield, Michaud to Coaching Staff

June 17, 2014 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Portland Pirates News Release


Saco, ME - Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney and Portland Pirates General Manager and Head Coach Ray Edwards announced today the hiring of Trent Whitfield as an Assistant Coach and Alfie Michaud as Goalie Coach for the Pirates' 2014-15 season.

Whitfield, a 36 year-old Alameda, Saskatchewan native, ended his 16 year professional playing career at the end of the 2013-14 season. He spent parts of seven of those seasons as a player in Portland between 1998 and 2005. Whitfield ranks fourth all-time in Pirates' franchise history in games played (348), goals (102), assists (153), and points (255).

He was selected as the Pirates' Most Valuable Player in 2004-05 after scoring 16-38-54 in 67 games. He was twice voted the Players' Player in 1999-2000 and 2004-05. Whitfield was the recipient of the team's Tom Ebright Award for best exemplifying what it means to be a Portland Pirate in 2002-03. He was selected by fan vote to both the Portland Pirates 10th Anniversary and 20th Anniversary All-Time Teams.

Whitfield has also played 194 National Hockey League games in his career with the Washington Capitals (1999-2002, 2002-04), New York Rangers (2002), St. Louis Blues (2005-06, 2008-09), and Boston Bruins (2009-12), earning a Stanley Cup ring in 2011.

During his playing career, Whitfield also played for the AHL's Peoria Rivermen (2005-09) and Providence Bruins (2009-13), the ECHL's Hampton Roads Admirals (1998-99), and the Bolzano Foxes (2013-14) in the EBEL of Austria.

Originally drafted by Boston in 1996, Whitfield won an IIHF World Junior Championship Gold Medal with Canada in 1997 and was named an AHL All-Star in 2003 and 2013.

"We are excited to welcome Trent Whitfield back into the Pirates family," Edwards said. "His wealth of playing experience and knowledge of the game will be an asset to our coaching staff and our players. He knows what it takes to play the pro game and is excited to teach our players what it takes to be successful every day."

Michaud, a 37 year-old native of Selkirk, Manitoba, also retired as a player at the end of the 2013-14 season. Most Maine hockey fans will know him as the goaltender that backstopped the University of Maine Black Bears to their last NCAA Division I Men's National Championship in 1999. Michaud was named the Most Oustanding Player of that year's NCAA Tournament after stopping 121 of 128 shots in four games, including 46 saves in the national title game, a 3-2 overtime win over the University of New Hampshire Wildcats at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California. In three seasons at Maine, he posted an overall record of 60-26-7.

He went on to play professionally with the NHL's Vancouver Canucks, the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, Manitoba Moose, and Worcester IceCats, the International Hockey League's Kansas City Blades, the ECHL's Reading Royals, Peoria Rivermen, and Utah Grizzlies, as well pro teams in Germany and Denmark.

"Alfie has played the game all around the world and is a real student of the sport," Edwards said. "He'll be able to relate his experience and technical skills to our goalies and make them better. With his background in Maine, we are thrilled he's chosen to begin coaching career with us in Portland."

The Portland Pirates are returning to the Cumberland County Civic Center in 2014-15! Opening night is Saturday, October 11! Ticket packages include Full-Season, Half-Season, the Weekend Pack, the Rivalry Pack, and the Six-Pack Pick 'Em, and all are on sale now. For more information on tickets packages, or to purchase, call 207-PIRATES or go online to portlandpirates.com .



American Hockey League Stories from June 17, 2014


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