November 21st 2025: Bridgeport Islanders coach Rocky Thompson looks on in the third period in a game against the Rochester Americans. The Rochester Americans hosted the Bridgeport Islanders in an American Hockey League game at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York. (Jonathan Tenca/CSM/Sipa USA) (Credit Image: © Jonathan Tenca/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA)
The New York Islanders have promoted Rocky Thompson to an assistant coach under Pete DeBoer, the team announced Tuesday.
Thompson, 48, spent the 2025-26 season as the head coach of the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, leading the franchise to its first playoff appearance since 2021-22. It was also the team’s final year in Bridgeport before moving to Hamilton, Ontario.
It is the first significant addition to DeBoer’s coaching staff after taking over for Patrick Roy with four games left in the regular season. Roy’s lead assistant, Benoit Desrosiers, was relieved of his duties by general manager Mathieu Darche last week.
Before joining the Islanders organization, Thompson spent three seasons as an assistant with the Philadelphia Flyers. He worked with the San Jose Sharks during the 2020-21 season as an associate coach under then-head coach Bob Boughner, who is now an assistant in New York.
The Islanders are coming off a disappointing season in which they lost 10 of their last 14 games to narrowly miss the playoffs.
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