The Bridgeport Islanders (formerly the Bridgeport Sound Tigers) were a professional ice hockey team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They were the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who owned the franchise. The team started in 2001–02 season and was purchased by the Islanders in 2004. The team played their home games at the Total Mortgage Arena.
The team relocated to Hamilton, Ontario after the 2025–26 AHL Season and became the Hamilton Hammers.
History
thumb|The former Bridgeport Sound Tigers logo featuring Storm the Tiger (2000–2021).
The Bridgeport Sound Tigers joined the American Hockey League (AHL) as an expansion franchise in 2001 and were coached by Steve Stirling. The team's name referenced both the Long Island Sound where Bridgeport lies and the circuses of former resident P. T. Barnum, with the Sound Tigers identity being unveiled at the Barnum Museum. In their inaugural season, the team won their division and had the best regular season record to win the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy. In the playoffs, they won the Eastern Conference championship and the Richard F. Canning Trophy to advance to the Calder Cup finals against the Chicago Wolves, losing the series 4–1.
In its second season, the team finished second in the division and entered the playoffs as the fifth seed in the conference. The Sound Tigers advanced to the conference semifinals, where they lost to their division champion Binghamton Senators in six games. Stirling was promoted to head coaching position with the New York Islanders and was replaced by Greg Cronin for 2003–04. As the Sound Tigers, the team had limited success, missing the playoffs 10 times and not winning a playoff round since their second season.
On May 10, 2021, it was announced that the team would change its name to the Bridgeport Islanders beginning with the 2021–22 season.
The team is set to relocate to Hamilton, Ontario, for the 2026–27 season, and intend to play at the renovated TD Coliseum, following unanimous approval by the AHL Board of Governors. They became the Hamilton Hammers on May 21, 2026.
Team identity
Mascot
The lone mascot of the Bridgeport Islanders was an anthropomorphic blue tiger named Storm. He appeared at home games sporting a jersey with the number 01 (short for the year the team was founded). While Storm could usually be found exciting fans throughout the arena, he skated on the ice during periodic intermissions. Storm's appearance has changed since the team's inaugural season. Storm weathered the storm since the club's change to the Islanders moniker and was a regular at home games.
Rivalries
The main (and instate) rival of the Islanders were the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers (the main rival of the Bridgeport Islanders' parent club, the New York Islanders). The games became known as the Battle of Connecticut.
Season-by-season results
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!colspan=12|Regular season
! colspan="6" |Playoffs
|-
!Season
!Games
!Won
!Lost
!Tied
!OTL
!SOL
!Points
!PCT
!Goals<br>for
!Goals<br>against
!Standing
!Year
!Qual Round
!1st<br>round
!2nd<br>round
!3rd<br>round
!Finals
|-
|2001–02 || 80 || 43 || 25 || 8 || 4 ||—|| 98 || .613 || 240 || 192 || 1st, East || 2002
|—|| W, 3–1, MAN || W, 4–0 SJM || W, 4–3, HAM || L, 1–4, CHI
|-
|2002–03 || 80 || 40 || 26 || 11 || 3 ||—|| 94 || .588 || 219 || 198 || 2nd, East || 2003
|—|| W, 3–0, MAN || L, 2–4, BNG ||—||—
|-
|2003–04 || 80 || 41 || 23 || 12 || 4 ||—|| 98 || .613 || 178 || 140 || 2nd, East || 2004
|—|| L, 3–4, WBS ||—||—||—
|-
|2004–05 || 80 || 37 || 38 ||—|| 1 || 4 || 79 || .494 || 192 || 222 || 6th, East || 2005
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2005–06 || 80 || 38 || 33 ||—|| 6 || 3 || 85 || .531 || 246 || 253 || 4th, East || 2006
|N/A|| L, 3–4, WBS ||—||—||—
|-
|2006–07 || 80 || 36 || 37 ||—|| 1 || 6 || 79 || .494 || 229 || 267 || 5th, East || 2007
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2007–08 || 80 || 40 || 36 ||—|| 1 || 3 || 84 || .525 || 225 || 240 || 5th, East || 2008
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2008–09 || 80 || 49 || 23 ||—|| 3 || 5 || 106 || .663 || 241 || 212 || 2nd, East || 2009
|N/A|| L, 1–4, WBS ||—||—||—
|-
|2009–10 || 80 || 38 || 32 ||—|| 4 || 6 || 86 || .538 || 201 || 220 || 5th, Atlantic || 2010
|N/A|| L, 1–4, HER ||—||—||—
|-
|2010–11 || 80 || 30 || 39 ||—|| 4 || 7 || 67 || .444 || 209 || 256 || 7th, Atlantic || 2011
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2011–12 || 76 || 41 || 26 ||—|| 3 || 6 || 91 || .599 || 233 || 219 || 1st, Northeast || 2012
|N/A|| L, 0–3, CON ||—||—||—
|-
|2012–13 || 76 || 32 || 32 ||—|| 7 || 5 || 76 || .449 || 218 || 242 || 3rd, Northeast || 2013
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2013–14 || 76 || 28 || 40 ||—|| 2 || 6 || 64 || .421 || 183 || 238 || 5th, Northeast || 2014
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2014–15 || 76 || 28 || 40 ||—|| 7 || 1 || 64 || .421 || 213 || 246 || 5th, Northeast || 2015
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2015–16 || 76 || 40 || 29 ||—|| 4 || 3 || 87 || .572 || 209 || 220 || 5th, Atlantic || 2016
|N/A|| L, 0–3, TOR ||—||—||—
|-
|2016–17 || 76 || 44 || 28 ||—|| 3 || 1 || 92 || .605 || 220 || 212 || 5th, Atlantic || 2017
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2017–18 || 76 || 36 || 32 ||—|| 5 || 3 || 80 || .526 || 206 || 214 || 5th, Atlantic || 2018
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2018–19 || 76 || 43 || 24 ||—|| 6 || 3 || 95 || .625 || 233 || 228 || 2nd, Atlantic || 2019
|N/A|| L, 2–3, HER || — || — || —
|-
|2019–20 || 63 || 23 || 33 || — || 5 || 2 || 53 || .421 || 152 || 206 || 8th, Atlantic || 2020
| colspan="5" |Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
|-
|2020–21 || 24 || 8 || 14 || — || 2 || 0 || 18 || .375 || 59 || 81 || 3rd, Atlantic || 2021
| colspan="5" |No playoffs
|-
|2021–22 || 72 || 31 || 30 ||—|| 7 || 4 || 73 || .507 || 213 || 226 || 6th, Atlantic || 2022
|W, 2–0, PRO|| L, 1–3, CLT || — || — || —
|-
|2022–23 || 72 || 34 || 30 ||—|| 7 || 1 || 76 || .528 || 238 || 248 || 7th, Atlantic || 2023
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2023–24 || 72 || 25 || 38 ||—|| 7 || 2 || 59 || .410 || 162 || 222 || 8th, Atlantic || 2024
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2024–25 || 72 || 15 || 50 ||—|| 4 || 3 || 37 || .257 || 181 || 294 || 8th, Atlantic || 2025
| colspan="5" |Did not qualify
|-
|2025–26 || 72 || 34 || 30 ||—|| 3 || 5 || 76 || .528 || 219 || 222 || 4th, Atlantic || 2026
|L, 0–2, HER|| — || — || — || —
|}
Team records
;Single season
- Goals: Jeff Hamilton, 43, (2003–04)
- Assists: Chris Terry, 51, (2022–23)
- Points: Chris Terry, 78, (2022–23)
- Penalty minutes: Eric Godard, 295, (2004–05)
- GAA: Wade Dubielewicz, 1.38, (2003–04)
- SV%: Wade Dubielewicz, .946, (2003–04)
;Career
- Career goals: Jeff Hamilton, 89
- Career assists: Chris Terry, 129
- Career points: Chris Terry, 205
- Career penalty minutes: Brett Gallant, 857
- Career goaltending wins: Wade Dubielewicz, 81
- Career shutouts: Wade Dubielewicz, 15
- Career games: Seth Helgeson, 454