Yo Ho Yo Ho...

...A Pirate's Life for Me!At a press conference today, the worst-kept secret in the NHL since the announcement of the Winter Classic was revealed when the Buffalo Sabres and Portland Pirates announced their new affiliation.

The Pirates were formerly the farm team for the 2007 Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks. Maybe some of those winning ways will transfer to their new parent club; we can only hope.

I have to admit, I am a little sad to see the Rochester-Buffalo affiliation end. It was nice to know that our little baby prospects were only a jog down the road if we ever needed them. So, farewell dear Amerks, you can take pride in knowing that you raised not only some of our best players but our best looking ones as well.

Goose and Pommer were such cute, little Amerks

I am very excited about this new partnership, though. Who doesn't love pirates?

I think Nate Gerbe would be Jack Sparrow (because he's cool like that) and Jhonas Enroth seems like he would want to rock that feathery hat (I really don't know why)

In other hockey news, Dominik Hasek has decided to hang up his goalie pads - possibly for good this time. The debate in Buffalo now seems to be centered around whether or not to retire his jersey at HSBC Arena.

My family and I were big Dom supporters when he played here; my little sister actually named her goldfish "Dominator" during the 1999 Cup run. I remember feeling betrayed when he asked for a trade to "Hockeytown," but I don't think a grudge is enough to deny the accomplishments he had while playing for us. Six Vezina Trophies and two Hart Trophies is nothing to sneeze at, and he is still involved with the community through Hasek's Heroes. No matter how we all feel about Dom personally, there is no denying his greatness between the pipes, which I feel he should be honored for in the town that brought him to NHL stardom.