Sound Tigers Sign Colorado PTOs Combs, Costello to AHL Deals

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers signed a slate of PTOs (professional tryout contracts) a few weeks ago, in response to some injuries and in anticipation of the NHL lockout reaching its Avery-or-get-off-the-pot stage.

With the NHL ready to resume and the New York Islanders poised to pluck players from their AHL affiliate, Chad Combs and Jack Costello have now agreed to one-year AHL deals. The motivation for the two forwards, who were ECHL leading scorers when plucked from the Colorado Eagles, is strong. Combs, 24, and Costello, 26, are trying to secure regular work at the AHL level.

Costello, an Iowan who attended Northeastern, has bounced around with 23 AHL games on four different clubs the last three seasons. Combs, a St. Louisan who took the OHL route with Saginaw, has also been on four AHL clubs. Islanders assistant Brent Thompson's ECHL Alaska Aces were also his employer for a brief stretch in 2009-10.

The question Islanders fans have been tossing around, and will get to see play out soon: Which promoted Sound Tigers forwards will they be replacing?