Bridgeport Islanders News: September 2023

September ended in a blink of an eye.

Below is all the Bridgeport Islanders news from last month you may have missed.

Signings

Forward Tanner Fritz returns to the organization after spending the past two seasons with the Hartford Wolf Pack. During his first stint with Bridgeport (2015-21), Fritz scored 135 points over 198 games. Currently, he holds 12^th place on the team’s all-scoring list and sixth in assists (89).

While with the Wolf Pack, Fritz notched 23 goals and 56 assists over 129 regular-season games. He was also an alternate captain during the 2022-23 season, where he scored above a point-per-game during the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.

The New York Islanders signed defender Isaiah George to a three-year, entry-level contract. In 121 games with the London Knights (OHL), George has 13 goals, 32 assists, and a +46 rating. Since George will not be 20 by December 31^st and has not played four seasons in the CHL, Islanders fans will have to wait until the Knights’ season ends to see him in a Bridgeport sweater.

New Coaches

On September 1^st, the Islanders named Matt Macdonald and Pascal Rheaume as assistant coaches.

MacDonald comes to Bridgeport from the Grand Rapids Griffins where he spent five seasons as assistant coach. While behind the bench, the Griffins went 144-137-38 in 319 games. Before his time at Grand Rapids, MacDonald spent four years (2014-18) as the Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations for the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL).

Rheaume has a coaching career which spans 12 years and four leagues. He spent the past two seasons as assistant coach of the Trois-Rivieres Lions (ECHL) where the team had a record of 63-69-9 over 141 games.

Promos

Bridgeport announced their packed lineup up promotions for the season featuring a youth jersey giveaway, bobbleheads, and replica lightsabers.

You can find the complete promo schedule for the 2023-24 season here.

Post-Game autograph sessions are returning for the 2023-24 season. Below is the list of four games where there will be player appearances after the game:

Sunday, Oct. 22^nd – 3pm vs Hershey
Saturday, Dec. 2^nd – 7pm vs Providence
Sunday, Feb. 18^th  – 3pm vs Laval
Sunday, Apr 7^th – 3pm vs Rochester