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.  

David Cunniff - Assistant Coach

David Cunniff was named assistant coach of the Bridgeport Islanders on July 2, 2025. He spent each of the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Utica Comets. He also spent three seasons as head coach and general manager of the Islanders’ ECHL affiliate, the Worcester Railers, from 2020-23.

A native of South Boston, MA, Cunniff has been behind an AHL bench since he joined the Cleveland Barons as an assistant coach in 2002-03. He spent four seasons with the Barons and six seasons as an assistant coach with the Worcester Sharks before he was promoted to Sharks’ associate coach for two seasons (2012-14). Cunniff has also worked as an assistant coach with the Albany Devils, Iowa Wild, and Hartford Wolf Pack.

Prior to his coaching career, Cunniff played five professional seasons as a forward. He combined for 25 points (five goals and 20 assists) in 120 career AHL games with the Albany River Rats (1997-00), and 57 points (33 goals and 24 assists) in 148 career ECHL games with the Jacksonville Lizard Kings, Raleigh IceCaps, Louisiana IceGators, and Richmond Renegades.

Chad Kolarik - Assistant Coach

Chad Kolarik was named assistant coach of the Bridgeport Islanders on July 2, 2025. He joined the Islanders' organization following three seasons as an assistant coach with the United States National Development Program. Prior to joining the USNTDP, he began his coaching career with the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League (USHL) as an assistant coach for the 2021-22 campaign.

Kolarik played 12 seasons of professional hockey in the United States and Europe. He suited up for the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers in addition to 277 career AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Connecticut Whale, Springfield Falcons, Syracuse Crunch, and San Antonio Rampage. Kolarik finished his playing career with seven seasons in Europe throughout Sweden, France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria. He skated collegiately at the University of Michigan, where he produced 174 points (78 goals and 96 assists) in 163 games for the Wolverines.

The Abington, PA native has extensive international experience representing the United States, most recently as a member of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team that competed in PyeongChang, South Korea. In addition, Kolarik skated in two Deutschland Cups as a member of the U.S. Men's Select Team, helping Team USA earn a first-place finish in 2013, and was a member of the 2004 U.S. Under-18 Men’s World Championship team, winning a silver medal.