After being eliminated in overtime from the decisive game in 2019, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers came into their 19th season, the 2019-20 season with another young core. But this time, it was a young team that had some playoff experience but also had the future ahead of them. Brent Thompson was on the bench for year seven, while Christopher Gibson, Tanner Fritz, Kyle Burroughs, and Parker Wotherspoon were all entering their fifth season with the team.

The Roster

Bridgeport brought back most of the Islander contracted players, including Kieffer Bellows, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Matt Lorito. New members included Nick Schilkey, Cole Bardreau, rookies Mason Jobst, and Arnaud Durandeau, and 2019 first-round selection Simon Holmstrom. Former Sound Tigers captain Colin McDonald returned and played his final professional season with the Sound Tigers.

On defense, Grant Hutton returned after a solid AHL Playoff campaign, but Bridgeport went without Mitch Vande Sompel who got injured in training camp causing him to miss the entire season. Joining Gibson in goal was former Calder Cup Champion Jared Coreau.

Also returning to Bridgeport were Otto Koivula, Seth Helgeson, and Ryan Bourque. Josh Ho-Sang sat out the first two months, joined the team in December before being loaned to San Antonio. Bridgeport also got veterans like Steve Bernier, Thomas Hickey, Sebastian Aho, and Andrew Ladd throughout the year, while Cal Clutterbuck made a cameo appearance on a conditioning stint.

The Sound Tigers were determined with a lot of solid prospects, along with top-level AHL veterans. Fans in Bridgeport had a lot to be excited about.

A Rocky Season

For Bridgeport, there was a lot of hope that the 2019-20 season would finally get the Sound Tigers over the hump and finally past the first round. Unfortunately, there was an immediate huge blow, as on opening night in Springfield, Thomas Hickey would be knocked out for basically the entire season as he was hit in an open-ice collision by Paul Thompson. The Sound Tigers lost and started the season a franchise-worst 1-5-3 in October, and things did not get better.

In November Kieffer Bellows was scratched, and that lit a fire under him because as he was scratched, the Sound Tigers won four straight. He came back into the lineup and really dominated in December, earning AHL Player of the Week. It also earned a callup for Bellows to the Islanders. At the New Year, Bridgeport was 13-17-5, lingering at the bottom of the standings.

Bridgeport had to make some changes. Chris Bourque, John Stevens, and Matt Lorito were all traded away at the deadline, bringing back more grit. Prospects like Holmstrom, Jobst, and Hutton all struggled, but there were glimpses of hope as players like Jeff Kubiak and Nic Pierog played well after being recalled from Worcester.

Heading into March, the Sound Tigers sat at 21-31-7, but won the next three of five games, before the season, and all sports were on hold due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The AHL season was suspended and ultimately canceled in May of 2020. For the Sound Tigers, it was the worst statistical season in team history. They were the worst defensive team in the AHL and finished second-to-last in the league.

Would we get to a 2020-21 season? How long would it be? The Sound Tigers waited until it was safe, and got ready for a different season.

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.