Brent Thompson leaves job coaching Islanders' AHL affiliate to join Ducks staff
Brent Thompson, head coach of the Islanders' AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers, diagrams a play during Islanders rookie camp at Nassau Coliseum on Sept. 12, 2017. Credit: James Escher
The Islanders’ top minor-league affiliate will have a new bench boss for the first time since 2014.
The Anaheim Ducks announced on Tuesday that Brent Thompson, who spent 10 seasons coaching the Islanders’ AHL squad in Bridgeport, had been hired as an assistant coach. The Islanders confirmed Thompson’s departure but did not immediately name his replacement.
The 52-year-old Thompson joins new coach Greg Cronin’s staff in a bit of an Islanders’ reunion. Cronin was an Islanders’ assistant under Jack Capuano and then an associate coach under Doug Weight from 2014-18.
Thompson compiled a 328-286-73 record in two stints as Bridgeport coach. He first led the team in 2011-12 before being elevated to an assistant coach under Capuano with the Islanders the next two seasons. Thompson returned to Bridgeport as head coach on May 2, 2014.
He surpassed Capuano for the most wins as Bridgeport coach in 2017.
While the Islanders did not name Thompson’s replacement, assistant Rick Kowalsky is a likely candidate and has previous ties to Islanders president/general manager Lou Lamoriello and Bridgeport GM Chris Lamoriello.
Kowalsky, 51, spent the previous two seasons as Thompson’s assistant. Prior to joining the Bridgeport staff, Kowalsky spent three seasons as a Devils’ assistant coach under John Hynes, Alain Nasreddine and Lindy Ruff.
He was also the head coach of the Devils’ AHL affiliate for eight seasons, first in Albany from 2010-17 and then Binghamton in 2017-18. Lou Lamoriello was the Devils’ boss until 2015 and Chris Lamoriello was the Devils’ AHL GM until that year.
Kowalsky was named the AHL coach of the year in 2016 when Albany set franchise records with 46 wins and 102 points.
Former Devils goalie Chris Terreri, who has been Bridgeport’s goalie coach since 2017, could also be considered as a candidate to replace Thompson.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
