Scott Pellerin Out As Sound Tigers Head Coach, Brent Thompson Returns

#ISLES NEWS: Brent Thompson Named @TheSoundTigers Head Coach; Pellerin Relieved of Coaching Duties - http://t.co/7No2DmtAD2
— NYIslanders (@NYIslanders) May 2, 2014

Eric Boguniecki, Doug Holewa remain.

Ct Post Scott Pellerin's comments:
–Scott Pellerin:

“Obviously I want to thank the organization for the opportunity to be a head coach in the American Hockey League. The relationships you make within the organization, with players, it’s something I’m very proud of, (and of) the work ethic and style of play my team played, and showed up every night. I’m very happy with that part of my tenure there in Bridgeport.”

“I want to wish the players the best of luck in their future progress within the organization; the staff, I want to thank them for their time and hard work and wish them the best.”


–Brent Thompson:
“It’s a great experience, a great challenge. I’m really looking forward to being able to work with Bridgeport and be part of the Islanders family still, to still be involved, to know Snowy values me.”

He said this wasn’t something that had come up during the season, but afterward.

“Garth Snow basically thought I was suited for Bridgeport to develop, to help develop all the young defensemen down there, who are obviously a huge piece for the organization here. If Garth asks me to do it, I’ll do whatever he wants.”

NYIFC Comments: 
Hardly a shock, seemed a matter of when.

Scott Pellerin signed a two year contract.

A year ago I would have agreed with Pellerin's dismissal due to a struggling team with NHL lockout players, and ECHL players complaing about the coach.

Pellerin's team struggled from beginning to end in 2013-14, but it did go 12-2 with a healthy team, then could not win in close to thirteen games on a team decimated with injury/callups/tryout contracts.

The issue was not coaching in 2013-14. Strome, Niederreiter, Nelson, Donovan, Ness, Sundstrom, Persson had individual success the last two years. 

Is this a promotion for Brent Thompson who's special teams were among the worst in the NHL, or a demotion as opposed to his dismissal based upon his previous AHL success?

Jack Capuano went from NHL assistant to Bridgeport assistant to AHL head coach. Is this Thompson getting to work with the prospects, and being groomed as Capuano's replacement?

New York has to hire someone for Capuano's staff or promote from within.

Looking Ahead To 2014-15 For New York

I am not expecting an announcement of Nassau County allowing Charles Wang to break his lease.

If that changes it likely has to be done no later than January 2014. There has been no marketing done to promote such a move by Barclay's people to build a season ticket base. 

I have no idea if Wang's 2009 sublease is still in effect with Smg in some capacity. (Smg handles booking again)

Smg (regardless of sublease) will want their money to the final day of the Islanders lease in July 2015, and even if the Isles left it would still require a buyout from Nassau County to vacate the remaining year.

Nassau County is not going to spend taxpayer money under any circumstances. Everything that happens they expect the developers to pay for the privilege.

Wang has another big hearing 2/4/14 on his Plainview property here. His hotel ownership has not changed, and he makes money off NHL teams/savings using it on Islander players.

Neulion on Long Island has exclusive rights to 2014/16 Olympics & Mr Wang's company spent 140m dollars for this.   Along with NHL, Mr Wang's company also has all Barclay's center video rights. (not Nets games)

If Bruce Ratner wants to walk away from his Coliseum legislature approval that's not even finalized because Nassau/TOH are doing nothing as usual, he can at any time.

If Ratner decides to do the NEC Coliseum project, is finally approved, and secures financing, the Nassau Coliseum closes August 2015, reopens Sept 2017.

By mid 2016, we'll likely know the story with Bridgeport, or if the NHL will allow the team to have two home arena's for regular season games.

Expect the answer to be no. All forty one home games will be at the Barclay's Center. 

On the ice the string will be played out in 2013-14. Some wins/many more losses. Too tough a schedule, and far too many weaknesses discussed at length here. This team has eight total goals from it's defense, four on the powerplay. A few corporate teams will exploit their financial advantages to close out the third seed in a weak division.

No team can win consistently without some scoring from it's defense or a power-play quarterback which no team is going give to Garth Snow in a trade. Thomas Hickey, Brian Strait, are in their first full season. Matt Donovan, Calvin deHaan, their second or third partial season. Hamonic is twenty three, MacDonald is not that player offensively with this group. I'm skeptical at Visnovsky's age if he will return at all despite being signed for 2014-15. Ironic a man who walked away from an auto racing accident sustained such a serious concussion on such an innocent play.

No coach can improve the issues on defense. No gm is giving away a defender signed long-term who can really help without a franchise player (Tavares) as the return.

We saw the bigger, older, veterans who could not score or play physical with Mottau, Eaton, Staios, Jurcina, at least this group is young with potential for improvement.

It's going to take years for the defenders in the system (Reinhart/Pullock/Mayfield/Pedan) unsigned defenders to be a factor here whether the gm/coach stay or go. 


Still make no mistake this team cannot use it's past massive injury numbers, it's a losing season plain and simple where winning was expected/promoted by management. They cannot hide from it, and deserve criticism. 

If the team works hard win or lose (they have worked hard to get into position to win despite results) I expect Jack Capuano will keep his job playing his veterans. There have been many teams that fall apart, losing games big for extended periods, that's when a coach is dismissed.

If the teams best defender Travis Hamonic is getting beat one on one by Kopitar, Crosby, Ovechkin why is a different coach going to play another defender in those circumstances?

I also suspect Garth Snow will keep his job despite Charles Wang not being shy about buying out big contracts because of fan pressure. Snow deserves some big criticism for the Clutterbuck trade.

As written about here already it's tough for many owners to find a compatible general manager or team President which is why many keep their jobs for years regardless of results. 

The UFA market the last few summers did not have a defender to address the loss of Mark Streit. 

Oddly Rick DiPietro started eighteen games in March/April 2013 risking his buyout if that was the intention from the moment he was demoted so these things usually are undecided until the final day.  

Perhaps an Andrew MacDonald resigning/likely not because we know the history by now, and suspect that's why he was split from Travis Hamonic, but both struggled together.

Calvin deHaan, Aaron Ness (despite big minus rating) are doing nothing to be sent down which is good news but leaves few spots.

Matt Donovan should be back for the second half of this season, big scoring defenders are a must here, he likely will take MacDonald's spot.  

Likely a trade of Nabokov by the deadline if healthy, but a moderate (conditional third) return.

Have seen nothing but solid work by Kevin Poulin/Anders Nilsson in front of a defense that implodes, no doubt both can split the work if necessary.

An attempt at resigning Thomas Vanek will not be with a contract front-loaded by thirty five percent which he will demand, and many corporate teams can/will offer because Charles Wang does not receive the taxpayer money of his counterparts in New York/New Jersey/or around NHL.

Unless Vanek really loves being here, risking money in a future buyout, he likely will have to be traded.

Solid first line player? Yes. Franchise superstar? No.

Has Tavares taken over games in the third period or produced any big goals with him? No, beyond Vanek's goal against Washington where the team had their worst collapse of all. 

After Andres Lee, Sundstrom, & Persson, Alan Quine that's it for the prospect depth at forward beyond Taylor Cammarata. Kabanov's done nothing to merit an NHL opportunity.

The folly of Kirill Petrov should finally be decided for good this summer. 

Expect Anders Lee to get a call, and see some time with Strome, Nelson in the NHL.

Scott Pellerin's done a solid job with a lot less than he had a year ago, his contract is up.

It is possible Pellerin could get the interim call to the NHL if things go off the rails completely with Capuano, but he's done nothing close to merit this.
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Even though the entries are becoming very infrequent here, I would like to wish everyone, and their families a Very Happy Holiday/Merry Christmas/New Year. 

What's Next For New York? More Very Tough Games

Bottom Line:
To make the playoffs in a sixteen team conference with only three top seeds guaranteed a spot, it's going to take at least ninety five points.

This means the three games under five hundred New York Islanders from this entry forward must play about eighteen games over.  

The team matched my projected wins for the month, they have played some very competitive hockey although a free falling Nashville Predators team is not the best barometer.

The Kings held a hot Devils team to zero goals on 11/15. They came here 11-6 good for only 9th place in a fourteen team conference.

Aaron Ness had the best finish by a defender this season, tying him for the team lead in five on five goals at one.

I like what I'm seeing from Nelson, Donovan, Ness. Outside of the first Kings goal in the third period, Kevin Poulin's been excellent.

The goaltender overall has not been the problem for this organization in 2013-14. 

Matt Carkner had his usual redirection/screen leading to the tying goal. To constantly put him out in key situations much less shorthanded just gives talented fast scoring forwards on other teams an advantage.

No doubt Carkner's doing his absolute best.  

Still despite the competitive play reality does not lie. Three games under, few regulation wins, so many weaknesses from penalty kill to faceoffs.

This is with three players in the top ten in NHL scoring. One (Okposo) who had four goals in forty eight games in 2013. Another (Nielsen) having a career year.  

It only get's much tougher from here. One look at the rest of this month with the December schedule likely spells the end.

The criticism will be brutal, some of it will be justified, others well over the top. A lot of it from the professional ranks will come from a place of ignorance from afar, but you know that.

No one wants this franchise to prove me wrong more than myself. 

3-12 Season Ending Stretch Starts 2-0? Bridgeport Breakthrough?

I would like nothing more than this team making my last entry look very bad.

The April 2013 New York Islanders returned for two games.
2-0? Thrilled.

That is how Jack Capuano's team must play win or lose.
It's the only way they have a chance. 

Even Bigger Cracks Appearing In New York's Weaknesses

No one wants to write about it, however it cannot be hidden any more than the thousands of empty seats when this franchise is listed at the official home team.

This is simply not a good hockey team overall who's goals allowed is at the bottom of whatever this division is called, and struggle badly at five on five.

It's beyond Jack Capuano/or any head coaches ability, although he's doing Nelson/Donovan no favors. 

It's likely to only get much worse as the special teams start to even out.

Garth Snow Out Of Right Wing Depth

Unfortunately my projection of this team out of right wing depth is holding. Jack Capuano from day one of camp has sounded like a coach who knows he does not have enough talent.

It shows in games.

The New York Islanders are lumbering around the ice, unable to sustain any fore-check as a unit.  Only thing close in games is the scoreboard, this team is getting outworked win or lose in all three zones.

Brad Boyes/Nino Niederreiter are making Garth Snow look very bad right now. One off to an excellent start, Niederreiter already past his fifty game production here as a rookie. 

Kyle Okposo as a first line right wing is getting some points, but his line is very slow collectively. Josh Bailey has been on the second line with some results, but again he's moved around too much.

Wait until Nielsen stops producing which will be soon given his career trends.

Bouchard does not look to have a clue, Nelson was first to be benched. 

Clutterbuck does not seem close to game shape, nor is he likely to produce when he is in shape.

The answer is not coming from Bridgeport. 

Alan Quine was Bridgeport's first line right wing on Sunday, after he was a third line right wing, then fourth line center. Joey Diamond went from first line right wing to third line left wing.

Scott Pellerin's touch of getting less out of more seems to be working fine from last year, albeit with a very young AHL roster this time.

Scott Pellerin Should Not Be Back In 2013-14

Scott Pellerin signed a two year contract with an option when he was hired by Garth Snow. He explained his job terms quite well last summer here. 

“It’s a perfect fit for me,” said Pellerin. “I mean I’m familiar with many people on the staff at Bridgeport. My coaching style is in line with what Garth was looking for to fill the post. My role is going to develop players on the minor league level, win as many games as we can and, to help our players reach their goals.”

Anyone who reads New York Islander Fan Central, knows I'm loyal to coaches, staff likely more than most. A minor league coach in the best of circumstances during a normal season has to work with many roster changes to the degree what happens is completely out of his control.

Scott Pellerin, unlike his predecessor in 29th place at the end of 2011, has had the most favorable of circumstances.

Based on what I have seen/read, or listened to since October, I do not believe Scott Pellerin should be retained for 2013-14 by Islander management to coach the Bridgeport Sound Tigers beyond this season.

Worst goals allowed in the AHL on a team with only a few NHL callups during a lockout season that had Hamonic, Donovan, Ness, Wishart into December with Cizikas, Ullstrom (sometimes injured) most of the time?  Over sixteen hundred penalty minutes, which again leads most teams by several hundred, dead last in AHL. Two seven game losing streaks, a franchise record pp slump?

Granted Pellerin's had bad luck with deHaan, Kabanov, and Anders Nilsson but this team should have been better defensively all year, these injuries are well within the norm for many teams which include Persson, Sundstrom missing time. Not sure where Jason Clark's struggles should be credited to or Colin McDonald's rise but naming a captain, and changing it did not fix much on the ice.   

The Islanders owned man games lost to injury for many years. and did not struggle in Bridgeport to this degree with a taxi roster of players when games were in the balance.  Kevin Poulin allowing three or more goals in 11/15 games? 

Absolutely Pellerin deserves some credit for individual performances like Niederreiter (first half) he seems far less engaged around the puck in second half (perhaps injuries on his line or a full season wear) Brock Nelson, John Persson, and Johan Sundstrom with Matt Donovan, Aaron Ness.


Too many times this team did not seem ready or play like a unit, despite it's talent, on a team during a lockout until mid-January, that did not recall many players. The critical moment breakdowns, or games other teams just outplayed them with two points in balance, or important games this team simply did not show, and a little too much complaining over some bad calls do not reflect well at all on Scott Pellerin.   

That includes the trade of Jack Combs to another AHL team, and sending of Chad Costello to the ECHL (so defender Jordan Hill can play forward?) with Costello pulling no punches in calling out Pellerin, which seems another first for a Bridgeport coach to be criticized by a player like that.

Garth Snow is accountable for this as general manager.

Mark Cantin and Mike Halmo seemed to be no success story. 

There are five games left in Bridgeport's season, playoffs are highly unlikely given math, but this is about talent that did not grow into a team, under circumstances far better than many past Sound Tigers coaches have been given.

I did not even advocate for a change from Dan Marshall. This was Pellerin's first chance coaching after being an assistant in Manchester for six seasons, it was not an off the radar selection to pick an AHL assistant with one team for a long time, that made five playoffs in six years under Mark Morris.

Regardless what happens from here with Islander prospects down the stretch, I believe this team needs a coaching change for 2013-14.

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.