PORTLAND – The Portland Pirates held their first official practice of the season Saturday night with news that seven more players are on the way from the Buffalo Sabres.

Earlier in the day, the Sabres assigned seven more players to their AHL affiliate, which practiced with 15 players at the Portland Ice Arena.

On Friday morning, a group of 13 players skated at PIA.

Most prominent among the new assignees is Mark Mancari, the Pirates’ leading scorer the past two seasons.

The group of new assignees also includes forwards Luke Adam and Paul Byron, defensemen Drew Schiestel, T.J. Brennan and Dennis Persson and goaltender David Leggio.

“I’m really enthused,” Portland Coach Kevin Dineen said. “Just about everybody who is coming I’ve had before. With the exception of Leggio, everybody has been here before, and are coming down to very strong reviews in Buffalo.”

In addition, Buffalo also returned forward Zack Kassian to his junior team in Windsor, Ontario, and released forward Mark Parrish from his tryout.

The moves left the Sabres with 26 players in their training camp — 14 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders. Buffalo, which hosts Philadelphia in its final preseason game today at the HSBC Arena, is expected to make another round of cuts before it opens its regular season Friday at Ottawa.

Adam and Persson were expected to arrive in time to participate in today’s 11 a.m. practice at PIA. The other assigned players were expected to travel to Maine today.

Defenseman Tim Conboy, a six-year veteran who is in his first season with the Pirates, practiced Saturday night after driving from Minnesota.

“I had to get my car and the rest of my stuff, ” he said. “It’s good to be here. Now, I can focus on hockey.”

Corey Tropp, a rookie forward from Michigan, also practiced for the first time Saturday night with the Pirates.

Few of the Pirates are strangers to each other. Most of them reported to Buffalo’s training camp three weeks ago.

“We’ve been together for a couple of weeks, so I know them pretty well,” Conboy said. “There are all great guys. Top to bottom, they are great guys all around.”

NOTES: NHL Jason Kilijanski has been hired as the team’s new strength and conditioning coach and video coordinator. For the past two seasons, Kilijanski served as an apprentice to Doug McKenney, the head strength and conditioning coach with the Buffalo Sabres. The Pirates play the Manchester Monarchs in an exhibition at 8 p.m. Tuesday in Nashua, N.H.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com