Sound Tigers Announce Season-Opening Roster
Oct 4, 2019
The Bridgeport Islanders, American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders, announced today the team's season-opening roster for its 19th AHL campaign. The roster is comprised of 19 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders as Bridgeport opens the season tomorrow night against the Springfield Thunderbirds at MassMutual Center.
Of the 31 players on the initial roster, 23 have previously worn the Sound Tigers sweater in at least one regular season game. The roster also includes 21 players on an NHL contract with the New York Islanders and six former first-round draft picks: Steve Bernier (2003, San Jose), Thomas Hickey (2007, Los Angeles), Josh Ho-Sang (2014, Islanders), Kieffer Bellows (2016, Islanders), Oliver Wahlstrom (2018, Islanders) and Simon Holmstrom (2019, Islanders).
Among the 10 AHL rookies, Holmstrom, 18, is the youngest player on the squad (May 24, 2001). Erik Brown, Arnaud Durandeau, Grant Hutton, Mason Jobst, Ryan MacKinnon, David Quenneville, Linus Soderstrom, Yanick Turcotte and Wahlstrom make up the other first-year players. The Sound Tigers season-opening roster also contains five veterans: Bernier, Ryan Bourque, Seth Helgeson, Hickey and Colin McDonald.
Furthermore, the roster features 4,814 games of AHL experience and 1,442 games of NHL experience (12 players).
Bridgeport's season-opening roster is listed below, numerically by position.
Forwards (19)
10 Ryan Bourque
11 Tanner Fritz*
12 Otto Koivula*
13 Colin McDonald
14 Matt Lorito*
15 Simon Holmstrom*
16 Oliver Wahlstrom*
17 Nick Schilkey
18 John Stevens
20 Kieffer Bellows*
21 Cole Bardreau*
24 Travis St. Denis*
25 Mason Jobst*
26 Josh Ho-Sang*
29 Arnaud Durandeau*
36 Jeff Kubiak
38 Erik Brown
37 Steve Bernier
43 Yanick Turcotte
Defensemen (9)
2 Seth Helgeson*
3 Thomas Hickey*
6 Mike Cornell
7 Grant Hutton*
8 Kyle Burroughs*
27 Parker Wotherspoon*
28 Sebastian Aho*
32 David Quenneville*
44 Ryan MacKinnon
Goaltenders (3)
30 Linus Soderstrom*
33 Christopher Gibson*
50 Jared Coreau*
* = Denotes players on an NHL contract
Bring on the T-Birds: The Sound Tigers open their 19th AHL season tomorrow night with a road matchup against the Springfield Thunderbirds at MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. Fans can follow all of the live action via the Sound Tigers Radio Network and AHLTV, beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. Bridgeport's home opener is set for Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Sound Tigers season tickets and flex plans are on sale now for the 2019-20 campaign, offering the greatest savings and ultimate flexibility of all ticket packages. Pick between a full-season, 20-game, or 10-game plan and you'll also be entitled to exclusive benefits, including the ticket holder exchange policy. Lock in your seats today by contacting Brad Dworin at 203-345-4813 or via brad.dworin@harboryardse.com.
About the Bridgeport Islanders
Founded in 2001, the Bridgeport Islanders Hockey Club is the top minor league affiliate of the New York Islanders. Don't miss your chance to take part in the family fun entertainment happening every home game at Webster Bank Arena. For further information on ticket or sponsorship opportunities, call our office at (203) 345-2300 or e-mail info@soundtigers.com. Follow the action all season long via www.soundtigers.com or by “liking” the Sound Tigers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.