The Veteran Who Refuses to Fade: Chris Terry Leads Bridgeport Forward
Oct 6, 2025By: Jason Shaya
“Beware the old man in a profession where men die young.”
On April 9th last season, at home against the Hartford Wolf Pack, Chris Terry, the Brampton, Ontario native, assisted on a power play goal by Joey Larson. That point, which contributed to the eventual game winner, made Terry the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. For the 36-year-old, originally drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2007, it was a milestone moment that celebrated nearly two decades of dedication, perseverance, and consistent production.
In today’s AHL, Terry is an anomaly: still producing at a high level, averaging well over a point per game as he approaches 40. The average hockey career in the AHL lasts only two to four years. Yet as the 2025–26 campaign begins, Terry is preparing for his 17th pro season. Not bad for a kid who scored his first goal with the now defunct Albany River Rats back in 2009.
This year, if all goes to plan, he will surpass 900 AHL games. Last season, he celebrated his 1,000th professional game, a total that included 152 NHL appearances with the Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens. Nearly two decades after he was drafted, Terry is still setting records, scoring goals, and leading his team on and off the ice.
His résumé is remarkable: OHL champion, four-time AHL All Star, OHL Humanitarian of the Year, and winner of the 2018 JB Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL’s leading scorer with 71 points. But at this stage, what matters most to Terry is helping the Bridgeport Islanders make a deep playoff run. The sacrifice for wisdom is youth, and Terry has paid that price, trading years for experience and channeling it into a push for the Calder Cup that has eluded him.
“The desire to make playoffs in Bridgeport has never been higher,” said Terry. “We got a taste of it a few years ago and it was a special time within the Total Mortgage Arena and the fan support and with every game growing excitement it’s one of those things that you deeply miss when you don’t have that opportunity.”
With a revamped lineup, a new hockey operations department, and fresh leadership behind the bench, the franchise shares Terry’s goal: to fight for a championship. “Making the playoffs is always at the top of every hockey player’s list. But, as the years go by within this league winning a Calder cup has always been at the top of my list, but probably more and more important as the years have gone by and the older, I get it’s truly something Very special that I would love nothing more to win,” remarked Terry.
Last season’s disappointment now fuels Terry and his teammates as they prepare for the season opener on October 11 against the Providence Bruins. For Terry, it is one more game, one more battle in the career of a veteran who knows better than most that growing old is a privilege denied to many. He embraces the challenge ahead, physically and mentally ready for the fight.
The 2025-2026 season begins at home on Saturday, October 11th when the Islanders battle the Providence Bruins at 7:00 PM inside Total Mortgage Arena. The team will don their Sound Tigers sweaters during each Saturday game home including opening night during the 25th anniversary season.
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