How Rocky Thompson Strengthened the Culture, Identity of the Bridgeport Islanders in First Season as Head Coach

The Bridgeport Islanders have come a long way since last season. 

The New York Islanders AHL affiliate punched their ticket into the postseason for the first time since 2021-22 and won 19 more games than the season prior. A playoff berth that was a reward for a major turnaround, which was led by Head Coach Rocky Thompson, who laid a foundation in his first season behind the Bridgeport bench.  

“The culture is what you lay in, that's your foundation,” Thompson said. “Bringing the guys together as a team and creating an environment where they want to start to play for one another.” 

Bridgeport finished the season with a record of 34-30-3-5 (W-L-OTL-SOL) with 76 points, following a season where they went 15-50-4-3 with 37 points, including a 4-28-1-3 record on home ice.  

“I can't speak on last year culture, I just know that these guys have been beat up here,” Thompson said. “That's something that takes time to get out of the psychology of your head. Things certainly didn't go their way last year and we even found that at the start of this year, there was a mentality associated with this team whether it was conscious or not, that you're going to lose.”

It didn’t happen overnight, but as Bridgeport settled into the way Thompson wanted them to play as a team, their rebound became noticeable around the division and the league.  

“We’ve gotten to a point where we're a competitive team,” Thompson said. “Teams come in to play the Bridgeport Islanders, and they know they’re going to have a fight on their hands, no matter what, down to the end. We're not getting teams that come in just thinking it's “point night” anymore. Now we're getting the team's starting goalies, not their backup goalies, which has happened in the past.”  

Their increased competitiveness kept them in the mix in the tight standings of the Atlantic Division, where they finished in fourth place with 76 points. They had a strong playoff push with a 12-5-0 record from Mar. 7 to end the year.  

“We've managed to keep ourselves relevant and in this very competitive division,” Thompson said. “That's a good thing, that's what we want. Iron sharpens iron.”  

When Thompson was named the 10th Head Coach in Bridgeport history in June 2025, he came in with an attack-first mentality. His system is an energetic, aggressive one with an emphasis on forechecking.  

“The play without the puck is kind of my mentality on how I want us to play,” Thompson said. “I think whether you're a big or small team, a fast or slow team, you can be a checking and an attacking group, with or without the puck. Our guys have that mentality, we've worked a ton on this skillset which allowed us to have success.” 

He has eight seasons of combined experience as a head coach and assistant at the AHL level, six seasons as an assistant at the NHL level and five years of coaching in the Canadian juniors. He's a Swiss Army knife in pro hockey with an intense, motivating factor for his players.

"It's really cool to see what Rocky's done, with the culture change," Marshall Warren said. "It's a full 180 from last year. And for me, he's helped develop me into the player I am now. So, lot of credit to him and the way he holds me accountable." 

Bridgeport brought in reinforcements for their playoff push. Cole Eiserman, the Islanders 2024 first-rounder, played his first 12 AHL games, recording nine points (2G, 7A). Victor Eklund skated in his first nine AHL games, contributing 10 points (3G, 7A) while also making his NHL debut on Apr. 14. Cal Ritchie, who completed his first full season in the NHL, was assigned to Bridgeport for the playoffs. 

"He's a great coach, very passionate," said Eiserman, who made his pro debut on Mar. 21. "He obviously knows the game very well. We won both of my first games here and just jumping into the locker room and the culture here, it shows how good of a coach he is and what he's done with the team." 

The Bridgeport roster also features some NHL and AHL veteran experience and scoring. Matt Luff, who was traded to the Islanders from St. Louis Blues in exchange for Julien Gauthier on Feb. 24, had 52 points this season between Springfield and Bridgeport. The 28-year-old forward has over 100 NHL games in his pro career spanning 10 years. He was entrusted as Eiserman’s linemate in his first pro game, and same with Eklund.  

Adam Beckman was Bridgeport’s leading goal scorer in his first full year as an Islander, as he recorded his first-career 30-goal campaign.  

Matthew Highmore had a 15-goal, 40-point campaign, while Liam Foudy set career-highs with 26 goals and 21 assists through 60 games. On the back end, Warren, a Long Island native, had a solid sophomore pro season with 32 points (6G, 26A), Travis Mitchell recorded 17 points (1G, 16A) and Isaiah George had 18 points (2G, 16A) through 47 games. 

Highmore, Foudy, Warren, Mitchell and George were among the players recalled by the Islanders at some point, which Thompson said is both the toughest and most rewarding part of the AHL system.  

“When you lose your best player, that's part of your job,” Thompson said. “But I turn on the television every night that we're not playing, and I watch every single Islanders game. If I miss it, I replay it in the morning, and I'm cheering.”

The support goes both ways. Islanders General Manager and EVP Mathieu Darche said that he watched about 45 of the 72 games Bridgeport played this season, so he’s been dialed into the work Thompson has been doing with the talent in Bridgeport.  

"The guys that were there all year like Foudy, he took a huge step, as well as guys like Beckman," Darche said. "You saw Warren and those guys come up, and George was very good. Rocky and the coaches down there have done a phenomenal job of helping these guys." 

When a player returns to Bridgeport after an NHL stint, Thompson notices increased confidence in his players which fuels their game.   

“They come back improved, because there’s a new level of confidence,” Thompson said. “When you get up into the NHL, you feel better as a player. Then when you come down, there is a difference, which is very positive. It must be confidence, the pace of play up there, the execution that can help a player coming down for sure, when they have the right attitude, they come down and they're excited about playing again here.”   

Marc Gatcomb played 15 games with Bridgeport early in the season, recording eight points (4G, 4A) before he was recalled and stayed with the Islanders. Gatcomb played 35 games in the 2024-25 campaign, so he saw first-hand the changes the team was making under Thompson when he was in Bridgeport in October and parts of November. The biggest takeaway Gatcomb had from Thompson was the need to be consistent and make an impact on every shift.  

“Last year, I could relate to a lot of those guys,” Gatcomb said. “It’s a lot of games and the travel is tough but they’re doing a great job turning it around this season, stringing together a bunch of wins.” 

“Rocky is great,” Gatcomb continued. “He helped me a lot with video sessions and he’s just a very detailed coach. He holds every player accountable and he’s very intense. It’s good to have a coach like that.”

When Thompson reflects on his first season with Bridgeport, gratitude and a forward-focus comes to mind.  

“The Islanders are a first-class organization and there's great communication,” Thompson said. “I feel like they've empowered me to create the culture down here, the way I have a vision for it. I appreciate the trust that they've placed in me to be able to create this environment. There's a long way for this organization to go, but I think the foundation's being laid, and it's a very sturdy one right now.” 

Their playoff run starts on Tuesday night, as Bridgeport takes on the Hershey Bears for Game One.  

"Having a run can only be good," Darche said. "There's nothing quite like experiencing playoffs in the pros. I think it will benefit these guys immensely."