Bridgeport Islanders

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Template other The Bridgeport Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who own the franchise. The team started in 2001–02 season and was purchased by the Islanders in 2004. The team plays their home games at the Total Mortgage Arena.

History

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers logo, used from 2001 to 2021

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers logo, used from 2001 to 2021

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers joined the American Hockey League as an expansion franchise in 2001 and were coached by Steve Stirling. The team's name referenced both the Long Island Sound where Bridgeport lies and the circuses of former resident P. T. Barnum, with the Sound Tigers identity being unveiled at the Barnum Museum. In their inaugural season, the team won their division and had the best regular season record to win the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy. In the playoffs, they won the Eastern Conference championship and the Richard F. Canning Trophy to advance to the Calder Cup finals against the Chicago Wolves. They lost the series four games-to-one.

In their second season, the team finished second in their division and the fifth conference seed in the playoffs. They advanced to the conference semifinals, where they lost to their division champion Binghamton Senators in six games. Stirling was promoted to head coaching position with the New York Islanders and was replaced by Greg Cronin for 2003–04. As the Sound Tigers, the team had limited success, missing the playoffs ten times and not winning a playoff round since their second season.

On May 10, 2021, it was announced that the team would change its name to the Bridgeport Islanders beginning with the 2021–22 season.

The team finished the 2024-25 season with a 15-50-4-3 record, their worst record in team history. Alongside this, they finished with a home record of 4-28-1-3, setting the record for the fewest home wins in a season for an AHL team.

Team identity

Mascot

The lone mascot of the Bridgeport Islanders is a anthropomorphic blue tiger named Storm. He appears at home games sporting a jersey with the number 01 (short for the year the team was founded). While Storm can usually be found exciting fans throughout the arena, he skates on the ice during periodic intermissions. Storm's appearance has changed since the team's inaugural season. Storm has weathered the storm since the club's change to the Islander's moniker and is a regular at-home game.

Rivalries

The main (and instate) rival of the Islanders are the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers (the main rival of the Bridgeport Islanders' parent club, the New York Islanders). The games have become known as the Battle of Connecticut. They have formed a rivalry with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL affiliate, and the Providence Bruins, the Boston Bruins' AHL affiliate, largely due to the teams frequently facing off in playoff match-ups and regular season play. They also are semi-rivals with the Hershey Bears, the Washington Capitals' AHL affiliate.

Season-by-season results

Regular season												Playoffs
Season	Games	Won	Lost	Tied	OTL	SOL	Points	PCT	Goals for	Goals against	Standing	Year	Qual Round	1st round	2nd round	3rd round	Finals
2001–02	80	43	25	8	4	—	98	.613	240	192	1st, East	2002	—	W, 3–1, MAN	W, 4–0 SJM	W, 4–3, HAM	L, 1–4, CHI
2002–03	80	40	26	11	3	—	94	.588	219	198	2nd, East	2003	—	W, 3–0, MAN	L, 2–4, BNG	—	—
2003–04	80	41	23	12	4	—	98	.613	178	140	2nd, East	2004	—	L, 3–4, WBS	—	—	—
2004–05	80	37	38	—	1	4	79	.494	192	222	6th, East	2005	Did not qualify
2005–06	80	38	33	—	6	3	85	.531	246	253	4th, East	2006	N/A	L, 3–4, WBS	—	—	—
2006–07	80	36	37	—	1	6	79	.494	229	267	5th, East	2007	Did not qualify
2007–08	80	40	36	—	1	3	84	.525	225	240	5th, East	2008	Did not qualify
2008–09	80	49	23	—	3	5	106	.663	241	212	2nd, East	2009	N/A	L, 1–4, WBS	—	—	—
2009–10	80	38	32	—	4	6	86	.538	201	220	5th, Atlantic	2010	N/A	L, 1–4, HER	—	—	—
2010–11	80	30	39	—	4	7	67	.444	209	256	7th, Atlantic	2011	Did not qualify
2011–12	76	41	26	—	3	6	91	.599	233	219	1st, Northeast	2012	N/A	L, 0–3, CON	—	—	—
2012–13	76	32	32	—	7	5	76	.449	218	242	3rd, Northeast	2013	Did not qualify
2013–14	76	28	40	—	2	6	64	.421	183	238	5th, Northeast	2014	Did not qualify
2014–15	76	28	40	—	7	1	64	.421	213	246	5th, Northeast	2015	Did not qualify
2015–16	76	40	29	—	4	3	87	.572	209	220	5th, Atlantic	2016	N/A	L, 0–3, TOR	—	—	—
2016–17	76	44	28	—	3	1	92	.605	220	212	5th, Atlantic	2017	Did not qualify
2017–18	76	36	32	—	5	3	80	.526	206	214	5th, Atlantic	2018	Did not qualify
2018–19	76	43	24	—	6	3	95	.625	233	228	2nd, Atlantic	2019	N/A	L, 2–3, HER	—	—	—
2019–20	63	23	33	—	5	2	53	.421	152	206	8th, Atlantic	2020	Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21	24	8	14	—	2	0	18	.375	59	81	3rd, Atlantic	2021	No playoffs
2021–22	72	31	30	—	7	4	73	.507	213	226	6th, Atlantic	2022	W, 2–0, PRO	L, 1–3, CLT	—	—	—
2022–23	72	34	30	—	7	1	76	.528	238	248	7th, Atlantic	2023	Did not qualify
2023–24	72	25	38	—	7	2	59	.410	162	222	8th, Atlantic	2024	Did not qualify
2024–25	72	15	50	—	4	3	37	.257	181	294	8th, Atlantic	2025	Did not qualify

Players

Current roster

Updated June 21, 2025.
Template:Ice hockey team roster

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Team captains

Notes

• ^1 There were three captains for the 2004–05 season: Aldridge named on Oct. 16, 2004, Seeley named on Nov. 6, 2004, and Campbell named on Mar. 16, 2005
• ^2 There were two captains for the 2012–13 season: McDonald was named on Dec. 7, 2012, and Watkins was named on Feb. 22, 2013.
• ^3 There were two captains for the 2018–19 season: when Ben Holmstrom played, he wore the "C" on his sweater. When Holmstrom did not play, Kyle Burroughs wore the C.

Notable alumni

The following players have played both 100 games in Bridgeport and 100 games in the National Hockey League: Template:Columns-list

Team records

Single season

Goals: Jeff Hamilton, 43, (2003–04)

Assists: Chris Terry, 51, (2022–23)

Points: Chris Terry, 78, (2022–23)

Penalty minutes: Eric Godard, 295, (2004–05)

GAA: Wade Dubielewicz, 1.38, (2003–04)^[C]

SV%: Wade Dubielewicz, .946, (2003–04)^[C]

^ C. AHL Records

Career

Career goals: Jeff Hamilton, 89

Career assists: Chris Terry, 129

Career points: Chris Terry, 205

Career penalty minutes: Brett Gallant, 857

Career goaltending wins: Wade Dubielewicz, 81

Career shutouts: Wade Dubielewicz, 15

Career games: Seth Helgeson, 454

External links

• Official website