Nabokov Injured, Parker Milner Recalled To Bridgeport:

Stockton Thunder: Stockton Thunder Director of Hockey Operations and Head Coach Rich Kromm has announced that goaltender Parker Milner has been called up to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League, effective immediately.

Milner, 23, has played in five contests as a member of the Stockton Thunder and has posted a 1-4-0-0 record with a 3.22 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.

NYIFC Comments: 
The decision needed to be made today with the Islanders leaving for a road trip by Monday afternoon.


The story is the loss of Nabokov on the ice/around the club, an injury like that can have long-term lingering effects. This is Kevin Poulin's chance with a lot of young defenders around him. As written here often no doubt he can handle the starters role.

Milner's recall likely means Anders Nilsson is recalled to New York with Bridgeport off until Friday even though it's been a rough start for Nilsson who missed most of last season & needs work.

Kenny Reiter is better suited to sit for long stretches than Nilsson, come in and give his team a chance to win, however it's highly unlikely he's called up to the NHL, and would have to sign an NHL contract.

Bridgeport Sends Ken Reiter To Fort Wayne ECHL

Sound Tigers website: Reports Ken Reiter was sent for Fort Wayne of the ECHL. 

Bridgeport finished it's preseason 1-1, off games that were only scheduled a few weeks ago. Travis Hamonic left after one period Friday with an injury being called slight/precautionary by new head coach, Scott Pellerin.

Islanders website: Has been updating Bridgeport on a daily basis.

Fort Wayne is currently affiliated with the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs and Anaheim Ducks, as well as the American Hockey League's Toronto Marlies and Norfolk Admirals

More players need to be cut before next Friday's opener. 

NYIFC Comments:
Not earth shattering news but worth an update. Bridgeport opened last season with three goaltenders. Mikko Koskinen started last year with Bridgeport before being loaned to a team in Europe, he declined the Isles qualifying offer, and signed in Europe for 2012-13, however the Isles retain his NHL rights. 

New York/Bridgeport had no ECHL affiliate last season. Ft Wayne Komets are an ECHL expansion club playing their inaugural season.

Goaltender Ken Reiter Signing With Bridgeport AHL

Tribune Review reports Islander camp invitee Goaltender, Ken Reiter will sign an AHL contract with his comments.

Reiter played one game with Bridgeport in 2011-12.  This twenty five year old goaltender played the last three years at Minnesota-Duluth.

After attending a prospect camp with the New York Islanders in late June, Reiter’s contract to play for Bridgeport, the Islanders’ AHL affiliate, was in the mail early this week.

“Once I sign my name on that paper, it’s going to sink in a little bit,” Reiter said. “I left home at 15, so it’s been pretty much a decade of ups and downs in my junior career, and with college – that’s probably the brightest point of my career so far. Just a lot of hard work, man, a lot of hard work and sacrifice from both myself and my family.”

“I’ve always been the guy that’s kind of had to scratch and claw for everything I’ve earned. So, I’m prepared to do that again if I have to,” Reiter said. “But for me, I feel it’s a great situation with a good organization, and I feel that the opportunity was there. So that was the biggest aspect for me, especially coming out of college.”

Reiter’s contract is with the AHL and the East Coast Hockey League, meaning he’s not signed with the Islanders, at least not now.

NYIFC Comments: 

The Islanders do not have an ECHL affiliate at this time, if Kevin Poulin, Anders Nilsson are in Bridgeport that means they need a place for Reiter to play because the three goalie system did not help Mikko Koskinen, who's rights the Isles retained. 

Also let's be clear that an AHL contract is not an NHL contract.

I wrote a lot more about this signing on Sulia because on paper it's an AHL signing, but is very interesting.