LHH Poll: What's your Bridgeport interest?
by Mark D on Oct 4, 2010 6:30 AM EDT
in Islanders in Diapers
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PrintWith the NHL season almost upon us and with several favorite Isles prospects heading to Bridgeport, it's also time for the start of the AHL season. The Islanders' affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers are entering their 10th season. The Islanders were late to the AHL game, sharing AHL affiliates for much of their history. The Capital District Islanders (90-93) and Springfield Indians (84-90) were the only other former Isles AHL full affiliates. It should be no surprise that the Islanders not having a full AHL affiliate came during the period of horrible and cheap ownership.
One of the most interesting aspects of Bridgeport's history came when I first heard about them getting an Isles AHL affiliate. In 2000 the Isles were sharing the Lowell Lock Monsters with the Kings. He who shall not be named decided that the incredible Isles prospects Jason Krog, Mathieu Biron, Juraj Kolnik, Petr Mika and Branislav Mezei weren't getting enough playing time. So he withdrew them and sent some to the ECHL, some to the NHL and some to the Springfield Falcons. He mentioned excitement over the incoming Bridgeport team, which was only a year away.
In their first season the Bridgeport Sound Tigers actually made the finals, with some notable names leading the charge. Future Islanders coach Steve Stirling was behind the bench, Rick DiPietro was in the crease for nearly 60 games, Trent Hunter and Jason Krog had 60+ point seasons and 19-year-old Raffi Torres had 20 goals for fourth best on the team. They've never returned to those same heights, even with a 100+ point season two years ago.
With that little bit of history, it's interesting to see how much thought people give to BP. Personally I tend to care that they are winning, and if the Isles were out of the playoffs and BP was in, I'd probably follow BP. Otherwise all I know about BP is what I read in passing and what I see via the stats at hockeydb.
Last season when I thought Andy MacDonald would make a good long term call-up, it wasn't from seeing him or hearing anything about him, it was just looking at his stats and he managed a positive +/- for two seasons when the rest of the team was mostly negative. Lesson to learn, never ask me my opinion for a fantasy hockey team.
Among the teams that I follow (Isles, Jets, Mets, Knicks) the only team's minor league system I know anything about is the Islanders', although I occasionally watch college football. When everyone got excited about Ike Davis, my main question was: "Who?" I've never understood how the basketball developmental league works either, and never really cared considering that the NBA draft is all of two rounds.
So, what is your level of interest in the Bridgeport Sound Tigers?
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I’ll look up their games online some times but later at the end of the season during playoff time i’ll follow them pretty frequently. I live right across the sound from Bridgeport and have thought about taking the port jeff ferry to the stadium but it hasn’t happen yet. I’ve been to their playoff game at the coliseum 2 years ago and their game in the NVMC during the lockout but thats it.
60%
I try and keep up on them but do not get their games on TV. I read their boxscores a few times a week, but just do not have enough time to keep up with them.
I would like to see a minor league report like Amazin Avenue did for the Mets farm teams..
Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all
That was actually some of my thought behind this poll. Since the Islanders don’t play on Sundays (the NHL won’t go head to head with the NFL) I was thinking of doing weekly BP updates and updates of the top prospects.
When will the hurting stop?
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Please do!
The team site used to do it weekly, but their coverage sucked last year. All we’ve had to cling to was hope for the future and those bastards stole it from us! Help us webbard…you’re our only hope!
by Keith Quinn on Oct 4, 2010 7:17 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
60%
I didn’t know about Rob Collins, and I check on them just about every day during their season. Fornabiao is solid and accessible(sans $5) source of info. If there is one “added value” aspect of Snow’s rebuild it is that he has made the Bridgeport SoundTigers EXTREMELY important to Islander fans. Once a haven for retreads and guys that would never see coliseum ice(even if they were successful), we can now look to them as a crystal ball into the Isle’s future.
That’s my favorite part of what Snow is doing. There are still certainly holes thorughout the organization, but Snow seems to be plugging them up as he moves forward.
If he could just keep the owner out of it…
The best thing about Bridgeport is that they play in Norfolk, and when they do two consecutive days there it makes for a nice mini-vacation.
Forget about the LHP, BKLYN, Queens or Hamilton... Wang is moving the Islanders to The Nassau University Medical Center.
40% - Speaking of the early 2000s...
…I think I actually paid more attention early on in their existence than I did through the lockout and immediate post-lockout years. But the last couple of years my interest ramped up, probably thanks to the Snow rebuild.
I pay attention to them more than that, but it’s out of obligation so I half-way know what’s going on with this franchise. In terms of actual fan interest I’ve never been a minor-league guy or prospects guy, in any sport. I love watching “best in the world” competition, so before that I’m in “Wake me up when they’ve made it” mode.
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
BP. The team not the oil company
They’re big in parts of conn. My friends go all the time. But then again they also go to a lot of barfpack games. They miss the Whale very much.
by Torch7 on Oct 4, 2010 11:15 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
That raises an obvious question
The “Conencticut Whale” in place of the Wolfpack – thumbs up or thumbs down. (It’s WAAAAAY down from me, but I’d love to hear from someone on the spot.)
Welcome to the board!
Quickly moving up the depth chart
its hilariously bad
have you seen the logo? almost as bad as the fishticks logo, maybe even worse if you have a perverted mindset
In Garth we trust!
Okay in spirit, poor in execution
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
Thumbs up.
The eventual goal is to bring the NHL back to Hartford. Changing the name to the Whale (even though its The Whale and not the The Whalers) is a nice reminder of the NHL past.
by TMS on Oct 4, 2010 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions
smart to have your own affiliate
The reserve list is 90 total players, only 50 of whom can be under contract. With shared affiliates there’s usually too many people looking for top line and PP minutes, and there’s longer-term guys who have outgrown the ECHL and may turn into something if you can only give them playing time. Huge hassle.
(It’s one of the biggest pains in the patoot in my EH’07 – Florida (used to) share the Rochester Americans with Buffalo, and at the time I think they were capped at 4 skaters and a goalie with the Everblades in the ECHL. In real life the Sabrs has affiliated with the Portland Pirates; in the game, you can’t change the affiliations and there aren’t enough AHL teams to go around, anyway. I am forever loaning guys to Omaha (AHL) or Pensacola (ECHL) or whatever. If I had to do it over I wouldn’t have picked a team at random, I would have just gone ahead and taken the Isles.
/nerdrant)
With an exclusive affiliation, if you ned to fill holes in the AHL lineup, a sturdy veteran of the Mark Wotton variety is usually just a phone call away. They sign a direct deal with the affiliate (possibly with an NHL Release Clause, if they still hope for the call) and plug whatever spot needs plugging, while tutoring the kids. They don’t block anyone the way another team’s blue chip would. They provide leadership and instruction and show kids how to act like pros. They also get a stable home life and a regular paycheck. Everybody wins!
Quickly moving up the depth chart
My favorite thing about the Sound Tigers is the Fornabaio column.
Every now and then I check the AHL standings to see how BPort is doing, and I might check the individual stats, but I wouldn’t say I follow them. I’ve taken the ferry over to a couple of games, and it’s always a good time. Nice little arena they got there.
Fornabaio is quality.
Really glad he’s there. (Although if he wanted an NHL beat job, I’d hope he got one ASAP.)
Lighthouse Hockey: You say that like Streit and Okposo were important to this team.
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