PORTLAND – The Buffalo Sabres and their Maine affiliate, the Portland Pirates, are announcing that former UMaine standout Eric Weinrich is joining the Pirates’ coaching staff.

Weinrich joins head coach Kevin Dineen as an assistant coach for the 2008-09 season. This will be the second coaching stint for Weinrich in professional hockey. He previously coached with Dineen and the Pirates during the beginning of the 2006-07 season.

Weinrich, of Yarmouth, ended his playing career with the Pirates in the 2007-08 season. He played at UMaine from 1985 through 1987 and was an All-American in 1987.

The 41-year-old former player for eight NHL teams says there won’t be any comeback try this time. He says “this definitely won’t be a Brett Favre situation.”