Scott Pellerin is out as Bridgeport coach. His predecesor, Brent Thompson, returns.
More in a bit.
–Eric Boguniecki and Doug Holewa will return as assistants, by the way. First time as a trio, as Holewa came in when Bertani was promoted along with Thompson.
–Scott Pellerin: “Obviously I want to thank the organization for the opportunity to be a head coach in the American Hockey League. The relationships you make within the organization, with players, it’s something I’m very proud of, (and of) the work ethic and style of play my team played, and showed up every night. I’m very happy with that part of my tenure there in Bridgeport.”
He’s proud of the guys he and his staff sent along to the NHL. “I want to wish the players the best of luck in their future progress within the organization; the staff, I want to thank them for their time and hard work and wish them the best.”
From two years dealing with him, wouldn’t have expected Pellerin to throw any bombs on the way out the door. And he didn’t.
–I thought I’d put this somewhere, but maybe not: Jon Sim’s last game was Pierre-Marc Bouchard’s first. That was the only night Bridgeport dressed two AHL veterans. It had Sim for 14 games, Bouchard for another 19 and then Justin Mercier for four: 37 of 76 games with an AHL veteran in the lineup.
–Brent Thompson, the once and future king, the Grover Cleveland of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers: “It’s a great experience, a great challenge. I’m really looking forward to being able to work with Bridgeport and be part of the Islanders family still, to still be involved, to know Snowy values me.”
He said this wasn’t something that had come up during the season, but afterward. “Garth Snow basically thought I was suited for Bridgeport to develop, to help develop all the young defensemen down there, who are obviously a huge piece for the organization here. If Garth asks me to do it, I’ll do whatever he wants.”
The experience up there, he said, gives him a better understanding of what Jack Capuano’s doing up top; knowing both staffs as well as he does, he feels that will bring more cohesiveness for guys who go up and down.
Asked after he brought it up as part of his experience: Still got that ECHL call-up magic, if he needs it? “I’ve been disconnected from the ECHL for three years now, disconnected from seeing it every day, but I’ve still got very good connections with coaches who I value their opinion on players. … The relationship with Alaska, with those people; the connections are still going to be there. It’s a matter of doing research, and (the Islanders) have a scouting staff with that. I feel confident.”
–By a quick once-over, there are about 20 men who’ve coached an AHL team in two nonconsecutive terms, some depending on how you define “an AHL team” (Philly/Adirondack, Springfield Kings/Indians, etc.). John Paddock’s the gold standard: Two separate stints with the Maine Mariners. Two stints in Binghamton with different organizations. Overlapping that, two separate stints with the New York Rangers’ top affiliates. And jobs with the Phantoms in two different cities.