NY Islanders: Brent Thompson leaves Bridgeport for coaching job with Anaheim

There was a change to the New York Islanders coaching staff on Tuesday, but it occurred at the America Hockey League (AHL) level. Bridgeport head coach, Brent Thompson, is leaving the organization to become an assistant head coach with the Anaheim Ducks.

The father of budding superstar Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres was behind the Bridgeport bench for the last nine consecutive seasons and also during the 2011-12 campaign. In June 2012, he was promoted to assistant coach under Jack Capuano but returned to the AHL affiliate for the 2014-15 season. He remained as head coach of the Sound Tigers, turned Islanders, until he landed a new position with the Ducks.

With Bridgeport, the 52-year-old posted a 328-276-73 record with the team, which included a division championship during the 2011-12 season. Last season, Bridgeport finished 34-30-7-1 and failed to make the Calder Trophy playoffs.

In 2022, he became the 22nd coach in AHL history to win 300 games. On Jan. 28, 2017, Thompson became the winningest coach in franchise history (134), passing Capuano. He was drafted 39th overall in the 1989 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings and would play 15 professional seasons in the NHL and AHL. In 121 NHL games, Thompson scored 1 goal and had 10 assists. He played for the Kings and Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes, last making an NHL appearance during the 1996-97 season.

The Islanders acknowledged the announcement from their Bridgeport affiliate but have yet to make an official statement or indicate who Thompson's replacement will be.