There’s no easy way to call for someone’s termination, but it needs to be addressed. Chris Lamoriello and Rick Kowalsky seem like decent individuals outside of hockey. They deserve respect as human beings. However, their oversight of the Bridgeport Islanders — formerly the Sound Tigers — has turned the team into a laughingstock. Let’s examine their track record, starting with Chris Lamoriello.

Chris, as many know, is the son of Islanders General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Lou Lamoriello. His career has consistently followed his father’s path. During Lou’s tenure with the New Jersey Devils, Chris served as a scout and later as GM of their AHL affiliate. When Lou joined the Islanders, Chris assumed the same role in Bridgeport in 2017.

The Bridgeport Islanders currently hold a points percentage of .286, second-worst in the AHL (Bridgeport Islanders)

At both stops, Chris led these operations into the AHL’s basement. In New Jersey, his teams posted a winning record three times during his 14-year tenure and never won a playoff series. Rick Kowalsky joined during Chris’s final five years in New Jersey. He became head coach in 2010-11 and stayed until the 2017-18 season. Over eight seasons, his teams reached the playoffs three times and won one series. Neither man has advanced to the third round of the Calder Cup playoffs in their current role. Despite these shortcomings, Chris managed a job with the Islanders.

Before Lamoriello’s arrival, the Sound Tigers were in decent shape. They had finished two straight seasons with over 40 wins but hadn’t won a playoff series. Under Head Coach Brent Thompson, who led the team since 2014-15, Bridgeport was trending upward. With a few adjustments, the Sound Tigers could have become legitimate Calder Cup contenders. Instead, Lamoriello steered them into decline.

Though the downturn began in 2017, Bridgeport peaked during the 2018-19 season. That year, they finished 43-24-6-3 with 95 points, a .625-point percentage, and the fifth-best record in the AHL. By 2023-24, their points percentage had plummeted to .410.

Kowalsky joined this struggling franchise last season when Thompson departed for an NHL job. In his first year, the Bridgeport Islanders finished last in the AHL. This season, they’ve improved slightly, now ranking as the league’s second-worst team. This mediocrity persists despite offseason moves to strengthen the roster, including bringing back Chris Terry and signing goalie Marcus Hogberg.

Winning isn’t the only goal of an AHL affiliate; player development is equally critical. On this front, Bridgeport has also failed miserably. Kowalsky gives young players like William DuFour, Matthew Maggio, and Justin Gill little opportunity to find their footing, frequently shuffling them around the lineup. Meanwhile, underperforming veterans like Tyce Thompson, who has five points a

nd a -15 rating in 25 games, remain in the lineup nightly. Thompson also leads the Islanders in penalty minutes. The B-Isles, who hold the second-worst penalty kill in the AHL, could certainly benefit from a player like Thompson staying out of the box. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie Cam Thiesing remains a healthy scratch with three points and a -3 rating in 14 games. Those numbers aren’t great, but not as bad as Thompson’s.

Bridgeport’s inability to develop prospects is glaring. Islanders stars like Noah Dobson and Mat Barzal bypassed Bridgeport entirely. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock succeeded only because they developed in Bridgeport before Lamoriello and Kowalsky took over. The last impactful non-first-round forward prospect the Islanders developed out of Bridgeport was Anders Lee—15 years ago.

Consider the litany of prospects Bridgeport failed to nurture: Ruslan Iskhakov, Sam Bolduc, Bode Wilde, Robin Salo, Oliver Wahlstrom, Jakub Skarek, and others. None reached their potential under this affiliate’s oversight.

If Bridgeport can’t win and can’t develop players, what purpose does this leadership serve? The time has come to move on, at least from Kowalsky. Lou Lamoriello is unlikely to fire his son, so that aspect will probably have to wait until Lou retires or is fired. The status quo, however, is unsustainable.

featured image courtesy of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Joey McAuliffe

Joey McAuliffe is a passionate Islander fan pursuing a Masters of Accounting in Buffalo, NY. His favorite player of all time is Jordan Eberle. He has followed the team closely since 2014, but he began regularly attending games during the 2006 season. Outside of hockey, Joey loves music and the Buffalo Bills.