Rocky Thompson - Head Coach
Rocky Thompson was named head coach of the Bridgeport Islanders on Jun. 23, 2025. He became the 10th head coach in franchise history.
Thompson joined the Islanders’ organization following three seasons as an assistant coach with the Philadelphia Flyers. He also spent the 2020-21 season as an associate coach with the San Jose Sharks.
Thompson was head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, for three seasons (2017-20). He compiled a 113-71-29 record in 213 regular season games with the Wolves, including a 44-22-10 record during the 2018-19 campaign and an appearance in the 2019 Calder Cup Finals. Previously, Thompson spent five seasons as an assistant coach in the Edmonton Oilers’ organization, serving as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Oklahoma City Barons (2010-14) before moving up to the Oilers as an assistant coach in 2014-15.
The Calgary native earned his first head coaching opportunity with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2015-17. He went 81-40-15 over 136 games and won the 2017 Memorial Cup.
Thompson’s professional playing career spanned 10 seasons and included 25 NHL games between his hometown Calgary Flames (1997-99) and the Florida Panthers (2000-02). Most of his career was spent in the AHL, where he recorded 69 points (17 goals, 52 assists) and 1,919 penalty minutes in 566 games with the Saint John Flames, Louisville Panthers, Hershey Bears, San Antonio Rampage, Toronto Roadrunners, Edmonton Roadrunners, and Peoria Rivermen.
Thompson was selected by Calgary in the third round (72nd overall) of the 1995 NHL Draft.