NY Islanders name hard-nosed Rocky Thompson new Bridgeport head coach

The Bridgeport Islanders have a new bench boss, and he brings some serious bite and a hard-nosed style to the AHL club. On Monday, the New York Islanders announced that Rocky Thompson will serve as the 10th Head Coach in Bridgeport history, and let’s say, if his track record is any indication, the B-Isles are in for a new era of edge, energy, and no-nonsense hockey.

At 47, Thompson isn’t new to the AHL or the NHL. He spent the last three seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Philadelphia Flyers and has deep coaching roots across the NHL, AHL, and junior levels. Most fans will remember him guiding the Chicago Wolves to the Calder Cup Finals in 2019, and before that, winning the Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires in 2017.

Thompson’s connection to new Isles Assistant Coach Bob Boughner (from their San Jose Sharks days) gives the organization some much-needed coaching cohesion. It’s clear Patrick Roy and Lou’s front office want a unified voice from Bridgeport to Long Island — and Thompson’s track record with prospects makes him a natural fit.

As a player, Thompson was no stranger to hard-nosed hockey. Nearly 2,000 penalty minutes in the AHL says it all. He logged 25 NHL games, with 15 for the Calgary Flames across the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons and 10 more with the Florida Panthers during 2000–01 and 2001–02. In those games alone, he piled up 117 penalty minutes — a clear sign of his old-school grit.

Mathieu Darche tapping Thompson could be the spark the organization needs for a sharper, stronger, and more productive development system. With a proven resume and plenty of fire, Bridgeport’s future just got a lot more interesting.