Bridgeport Islanders' Rick Kowalsky has new perspective in second stint as AHL head coach
Assistant coach Rick Kowalsky of the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center on October 18, 2018. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
After five seasons away from that role, Rick Kowalsky has a slightly different understanding of being an AHL head coach to bring to the Islanders’ top minor-league affiliate in Bridgeport.
He said on a teleconference on Friday that he has “a little more perspective on focusing on the individual and what their strengths and what their weaknesses are” after spending the previous five seasons in a development role.
Kowalsky was promoted on Thursday after serving the past two seasons as Brent Thompson’s assistant at Bridgeport and the previous three seasons as an NHL assistant with the Devils. Thompson departed the Islanders’ organization on Tuesday to join new Anaheim Ducks coach Greg Cronin as an assistant.
“As a coach, sometimes you focus so much on trying to win hockey games and how the team is playing within their structure,” Kowalsky said. “[The last five years] gave me some insight into that and I think I really grew as a coach. You’re in a little bit more of a development role as well with individual relationships with players.”
Kowalsky served as the Devils’ AHL coach from 2010 to 2018 and was the AHL coach of the year in 2016 when Albany set franchise records with 46 wins and 102 points.
Kowalsky worked with Islanders president/general manager Lou Lamoriello and Bridgeport GM Chris Lamoriello when they were in those respective roles with the Devils through 2015. Neither was available for comment on Friday, but when Kowalsky was promoted to the Devils’ AHL job in 2010 from their ECHL affiliate, Lou Lamoriello told the media, “[We] always felt the kids that came there from Trenton were well prepared. The communication and the way he did things in practice, he deserves this chance.”
Kowalsky, 51, said on Friday that he and the Lamoriellos had yet to determine the full Bridgeport coaching staff but that he expects goalie coach Chris Terreri to return. Kowalsky, who was Thompson’s lone assistant coach, isn’t sure whether Bridgeport will stick with the two-man system or hire two assistants.
He does expect a younger squad after Bridgeport went 34-30-7-1 and missed last season’s playoffs.
“There is still a dream to get to the NHL, or get back there,” said Kowalsky, who split his playing career between the ECHL and AHL. “I’m just excited to get back to being a head coach. I’ve learned a lot over the last five years and I’m looking forward to applying some of that.”
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.
