Bridgeport Hires Brent Thompson As New Head Coach

New York Islander Fan Central | 6/28/2011 06:59:00 PM | | |


Sound Tigers Website: Report the New York Islanders announced Tuesday that Brent Thompson has been named head coach of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

“Brent’s background as a player and his recent success as the head coach of the Alaska Aces makes him the perfect fit to show our young prospects what it takes to play at the NHL level,” Islanders General Manager Garth Snow said.


“I’m extremely excited for the opportunity to serve as the head coach of the Sound Tigers,” Thompson said. “I look forward to working with Garth Snow, Jack Capuano and the entire Hockey Operations staff in developing the organization’s prospects into everyday NHL players.”


Thompson served as the head coach of the Alaska Aces in the ECHL the past two seasons. This past year, he led the Aces to a league-best 47-22-0-3 record and the club’s second Kelly Cup Championship in team history. Thompson also won the John Brophy Award as the ECHL Coach of the Year.

Ct Post: Michael Fornabaio's article on the new coach.

Anchorage Daily News: Has comments from Aces managing partner, Terry Parks on Thompson.

“I pat him on the back and wish him well. “A big piece with him is he understood the young guys and knew how to get the best out of them.’’


Thompson is a former NHL defenseman who prior to arriving in Anchorage served as an assistant coach for AHL Peoria for three seasons. Bridgeport is an affiliate of the NHL's New York Islanders.

NYIFC Comments:
Little to add on the signing itself beyond the team he came from was a re-branded version of the Anchorage Aces. Butch Goring went there to coach after being fired by the Islanders here under an ownership that was broke.

Different circumstances now.

Obviously a coach with Thompson's ECHL success/AHL background has the experience to work at this level. Will Thompson have a good working relationship with Jack Capuano and perhaps change his system so players called up fit Capuano's system? His assistant was already in place.



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