The Bridgeport Islanders (formerly the Bridgeport Sound Tigers) 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 former Bridgeport Sound Tigers logo featuring Storm the Tiger (2000–2021).

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers joined the American Hockey League (AHL) 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, losing the series 4–1.

In its second season, the team finished second in the division and entered the playoffs as the fifth seed in the conference. The Sound Tigers 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 10 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, its 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.

The team is set to relocate to Hamilton, Ontario, for the 2026–27 season, and intend to play at the renovated TD Coliseum, following unanimous approval by the AHL Board of Governors.

Team identity

Mascot

The lone mascot of the Bridgeport Islanders is an 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 Islanders moniker and is a regular at home games.

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.

Season-by-season results

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonGamesWonLostTiedOTLSOLPointsPCTGoals forGoals againstStandingYearQual Round1st round2nd round3rd roundFinals
2001–0280432584—98.6132401921st, East2002—W, 3–1, MANW, 4–0 SJMW, 4–3, HAML, 1–4, CHI
2002–03804026113—94.5882191982nd, East2003—W, 3–0, MANL, 2–4, BNG——
2003–04804123124—98.6131781402nd, East2004—L, 3–4, WBS———
2004–05803738—1479.4941922226th, East2005Did not qualify
2005–06803833—6385.5312462534th, East2006N/AL, 3–4, WBS———
2006–07803637—1679.4942292675th, East2007Did not qualify
2007–08804036—1384.5252252405th, East2008Did not qualify
2008–09804923—35106.6632412122nd, East2009N/AL, 1–4, WBS———
2009–10803832—4686.5382012205th, Atlantic2010N/AL, 1–4, HER———
2010–11803039—4767.4442092567th, Atlantic2011Did not qualify
2011–12764126—3691.5992332191st, Northeast2012N/AL, 0–3, CON———
2012–13763232—7576.4492182423rd, Northeast2013Did not qualify
2013–14762840—2664.4211832385th, Northeast2014Did not qualify
2014–15762840—7164.4212132465th, Northeast2015Did not qualify
2015–16764029—4387.5722092205th, Atlantic2016N/AL, 0–3, TOR———
2016–17764428—3192.6052202125th, Atlantic2017Did not qualify
2017–18763632—5380.5262062145th, Atlantic2018Did not qualify
2018–19764324—6395.6252332282nd, Atlantic2019N/AL, 2–3, HER———
2019–20632333—5253.4211522068th, Atlantic2020Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–2124814—2018.37559813rd, Atlantic2021No playoffs
2021–22723130—7473.5072132266th, Atlantic2022W, 2–0, PROL, 1–3, CLT———
2022–23723430—7176.5282382487th, Atlantic2023Did not qualify
2023–24722538—7259.4101622228th, Atlantic2024Did not qualify
2024–25721550—4337.2571812948th, Atlantic2025Did not qualify

Players

Current roster

Updated March 3, 2026.

No.NatPlayerPosS/GAgeAcquiredBirthplaceContract
49CanadaEthan BearDR282025Regina, SaskatchewanIslanders
34CanadaAdam BeckmanLWL242025Saskatoon, SaskatchewanIslanders
14United StatesCameron Berg (A)CL242025West Fargo, North DakotaBridgeport
47CanadaSean DayDL282025Leuven, BelgiumBridgeport
36CanadaHunter DrewRWR272025Kingston, OntarioBridgeport
7FrancePierrick DubéRWR252026Lyon, FranceBridgeport
12SwedenVictor EklundRWR192026Stockholm, SwedenIslanders
8CanadaLiam FoudyCL262024Scarborough, OntarioIslanders
4CanadaIsaiah GeorgeDL222024Oakville, OntarioIslanders
20CanadaMatthew Highmore (A)CL302025Halifax, Nova ScotiaIslanders
1SwedenMarcus HogbergGL312024Örebro, SwedenIslanders
16United StatesAlex JefferiesLWR242024Framingham, MassachusettsIslanders
11CanadaDaylan KueflerLWL242023Red Deer, AlbertaIslanders
17United StatesJoey LarsonRWR252025Brighton, MichiganIslanders
26FinlandEetu LiukasLWL232023Turku, FinlandIslanders
29CanadaMatt LuffRWR282026Georgetown, OntarioIslanders
18CanadaMatthew MaggioRWR232023Windsor, OntarioIslanders
3United StatesCole McWardDR242025Fenton, MissouriIslanders
10United StatesTravis MitchellDL262023South Lyon, MichiganIslanders
27FinlandJesse PulkkinenDL212025Laukaa, FinlandIslanders
17United StatesScott Reedy(PTO)RWR272026Prior Lake, MinnesotaBridgeport
24United StatesLuke RoweDR272025Succasunna, New JerseyBridgeport
45United StatesJeremy Smith(PTO)GL372025Dearborn, MichiganBridgeport
25CanadaChris Terry (A)LWL372024Brampton, OntarioBridgeport
15United StatesCam ThiesingCR252024Franklin, TennesseeIslanders
70FinlandHenrik TikkanenGL252022Lohja, FinlandIslanders
28United StatesGleb VeremyevCL222025Monroe Township, New JerseyIslanders
6United StatesMarshall WarrenDL242024Laurel Hollow, New YorkIslanders

Team captains

Notable alumni

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

Team records

Single season

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

Notes

External links