Hockey season is upon us as teams are in the midst of reporting to camp, going through media day, and getting to skate as a team for the first time since the conclusion of the 2018-19 season. For the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, this means that they are one year closer to the upcoming 20th anniversary of the organization. The 19th season of Sound Tigers hockey is here and it allows us to be reintroduced to some familiar faces and introduced to some new ones as well. Let’s take a deep dive into what the Sound Tigers roster could look like heading into the 2019-20 season as they make a push towards fighting for their first Calder Cup in team history.
Forwards:
Head Coach Brent Thompson has an insane amount of depth to work with regards to the forward core that he will have in Bridgeport this season. The returnees to the core include some veterans and some prospects, headed by alternate captain Steve Bernier. Bernier is heading into his fifth season in the Islanders organization, and after putting up a spectacular season with 24 goals, 18 assists, and 42 points in 62 games, the 34-year-old will be relied upon to spearhead the veteran leadership in Bridgeport. Also returning on the veteran side of the spectrum are Matt Lorito, Tanner Fritz, John Stevens, and Travis St. Denis. Ryan Bourque is also back in camp on a Professional Tryout contract, so it is possible that he returns as well. Looking at the returning prospects, Thompson will rely on breakout center Otto Koivula, who put up extremely impressive numbers with 21 goals, 25 assists, and 46 points in 69 games, Kieffer Bellows, Oliver Wahlstrom, Scott Eansor, Bobo Carpenter, and Mason Jobst. A massive question mark throughout the Islanders organization is the status of Josh Ho-Sang. Ho-Sang will be entering his fourth season in Bridgeport after being re-signed to a one-year contract. He is no longer waiver exempt, so he has to prove himself in camp or otherwise, his tenure with the Islanders, albeit a rocky one, maybe over.
There are quite a few newcomers as well. One of the more prominent players that are coming in is Nick Schilkey. Schilkey, 25, spent the last two seasons with the Charlotte Checkers, including a Calder Cup championship last year. He amassed 15 goals, 22 assists, and 37 points in 64 regular-season games, and added one goal and seven assists in 19 games during the Checkers’ Calder Cup run. Another addition to the forward corps is in the return of Colin McDonald. Following four seasons away from the Islanders’ organization, McDonald returns as an AHL free agent. He spent the last four seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, serving as their captain. I would expect McDonald to slot in as an alternate captain, or even taking the spot left by last year’s co-captain Ben Holmstrom, who is no longer with the organization. Other newcomers to the Sound Tigers offensive core include Islanders prospect Arnaud Durandeau, Cole Bardreau, Nic Pierog, J.D. Dudek, and Erik Brown.
Defense:
The defensive core is going to be similar to last year’s core. Lead by captain Kyle Burroughs, the defense also features a plethora of the Islanders top prospects in Sebastian Aho, Mitch Vande Sompel, Parker Wotherspoon, and Grant Hutton. The big name in that group that is likely to get time in the NHL this season is Aho. The 23-year old had a 22-game cameo in his draft season due to his monstrous stat line for a rookie defenseman getting his first introduction to American ice, putting up nine goals and 29 points in 40 games. His scoring pace only continued into this past season, where he put up nine goals, 37 assists, and 46 points in 67 games. Expect him to be a quick call in case of an injury to a defenseman, unless he makes the Islanders out of camp. Also returning is another big body in fan-favorite Seth Helgeson, who has a little tendency to put up penalty minutes. To be exact he has 269 penalty minutes in 150 games as a Sound Tiger. The new names include Justin Murray and top prospect Bode Wilde, who the Islanders have three options for. He could play in the NHL, which is highly unlikely with the depth on the blueline, he could play on the Sound Tigers, or get sent back to Saginaw for another season of OHL hockey. I believe he will be on the Sound Tigers defense to start the season.
Goalies:
There has been a change in goal for the Sound Tigers. Out goes Jeremy Smith, who signed a deal with Kunlun of the KHL, and in comes Jared Coreau, who spent last season with the San Diego Gulls and the San Antonio Rampage. Coreau will play alongside Christopher Gibson, who is entering his fifth season in the organization and is slowly climbing the all-time standings when it comes to Sound Tigers goalies. Also returning is Evan Buitenhuis, who held the fort in Worchester last season as the starting goalie for the Railers. The final two goalies that will be in the fold for the Sound Tigers and Railers will be two prospects. Linus Söderström is fully recovered from the plethora of injuries he has suffered over the past few seasons, and Jakub Skarek has made the jump from Europe to the United States ahead of this season.
The Sound Tigers may be much younger than last season, but that does not mean they do not have hopes for the playoffs. With the returning leadership alongside incoming veterans, the Sound Tigers are in for a fun season as they look forward to competing to win their first Calder Cup.
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Christian Gardecki

A Native of Danbury, CT. Christian is one of the longest tenured Drive4Five writers, Christian Gardecki began writing for Drive4five In May of 2017. Christian covers Minor League Hockey and the Bridgeport Islanders for Drive4Five. Outside of Drive4Five, Christian was the captain of his High School Hockey team and currently attends Hofstra University with a major in journalism. Christian was the play by play broadcaster for the Danbury Westerners summer collegiate baseball team during their 2021 NECBL Championship. Christian also was the Public Address Announcer for the Danbury Hat Tricks Minor Pro Hockey team in the Federal Prospects Hockey League and NAHL Junior team from 2019-21.