What is Springfield Thunderbirds?
{{Hockey team | team = Springfield Thunderbirds | color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#e31837 5px solid; border-bottom:#041e41 5px solid; | color text = #000000 | city = [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]], [[Massachusetts]] | league = [[American Hockey League]] | conference = Eastern | division = Atlantic | founded = 1975 (In the [[North American Hockey League (1973–77)|NAHL]]) | arena = [[MassMutual Center]] | uniform_image = [[File:SpringfieldThunderbirds.png|SpringfieldThunderbirds.png]] | colours = Red, navy blue, sky blue, white, gold<br>{{color box|#e31837}} {{color box|#041e41}} {{color box|#005cb9}} {{color box|white}} {{color box|#ffc425}} | coach = [[Daniel Tkaczuk]] (interim) | GM = [[Kevin Maxwell (ice hockey)|Kevin Maxwell]] | affiliates = [[St. Louis Blues]] ([[National Hockey League|NHL]]) | website = [http://www.springfieldthunderbirds.com/ Official website] | name1 = [[Erie Blades]] | dates1 = 1975–1982 | name2 = [[Baltimore Skipjacks]] | dates2 = 1982–1993 | name3 = [[Portland Pirates]] | dates3 = 1993–2016 | name4 = '''Springfield Thunderbirds''' | dates4 = {{nowrap|2016–present}} | division_titles = | conf_titles= '''1''' ([[2021–22 AHL season|2021–22]]) | calder_cups= }} The '''Springfield Thunderbirds''' are an American professional [[ice hockey]] team. They began playing in [[2016–17 AHL season|2016]]. The team plays in the [[American Hockey League]] (AHL). They play their home games in [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]], [[Massachusetts]] at the [[MassMutual Center]]. They are the AHL affiliate for the [[St. Louis Blues]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (AHL). The team originally played in [[Portland, Maine|Portland]], [[Maine]] as the [[Portland Pirates]] from 1993 to 2016. On May 4, 2016, the Pirates announced that we're going to sell the team to announced from outside of Portland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pressherald.com/2016/05/04/portland-pirates-leaving-maine/|accessdate