Burroughs, Crus Rydberg Arrive as Islanders Shuffle Prospects in Bridgeport, Stockton

The New York Islanders won't make the playoffs, and their AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers won't either. That and the litany of injuries at the NHL level has helped paved the way for some roster shuffles that strengthen ECHL Stockton Thunder for their playoff push, while a few recent Islanders draft picks are joining Bridgeport on ATOs after their junior seasons ended.

Signed to ATOs (amateur tryout contracts) were forward Viktor Crus Rydberg of OHL Plymouth and defenseman Kyle Burroughs of WHL Regina. That means they'll get a little taste of the pros for the rest of this season before the 2013 NHL Draft picks return to their junior teams next season. Both had strong seasons, with Crus Rydberg (a bit less impressive overall) coming over from Sweden and Burroughs grabbing a big role as Regina captain after being a seventh-round pick last summer.

Heading out the door to the Stockton Thunder through a variety of technicalities (loan, reassignment, PTO release) are forwards Jeremy Langlois, Riley Wetmore, Andrew Clark, and Matt Mangene to the Thunder. Returning to the Sound Tigers is another 2013 pick, Alan Quine.

Also joining the Sound Tigers on an ATO is UConn's all-time leading scorer Brant Harris, expected to play in Tuesday's kids-focused daytime game.

Michael Fornabaio of the Connecticut Post reports that Crus Rydberg missed practice sick -- quarantined at the hotel -- while coach Scott Pellerin came away with Clark's latest stint in the AHL.

The Sound Tigers have nine games left in the regular season, which ends for them on April 19 in Hartford. That's likely too late for any junior players whose seasons continue on (Griffin Reinhart, Ryan Pulock), but that's always subject to change.