Sound Tigers Name Captains for 2017-18 Season
October 6, 2017 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release
SOUND TIGERS NAME CAPTAINS FOR 2017-18 SEASONBen Holmstrom returns for his third season as team captain, while Steve Bernier and Seth Helgeson have been tabbed as alternates BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The Bridgeport Sound Tigers announced today their primary leadership group for the 2017-18 season. Veteran forward Ben Holmstrom will serve as team captain for the third consecutive year, while winger Steve Bernier and defenseman Seth Helgeson have been tabbed as alternate captains.
Holmstrom, 30, agreed to terms on an American Hockey League contract with the Sound Tigers on Wednesday after attending the majority of training camp on a tryout deal. He notched 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) and 91 penalty minutes in 76 games with Bridgeport last season and is the only Sound Tigers player who has appeared in every game over the last two years.
A native of Colorado Springs, Colo., Holmstrom has played 470 AHL games with the Sound Tigers, Adirondack Phantoms and Charlotte Checkers since his debut in 2010, recording 182 points (65 goals, 117 assists) and 714 penalty minutes. He served as Adirondack's captain from 2011-14 and was an alternate captain with Charlotte in 2014-15. In addition, Holmstrom has played seven games with the Philadelphia Flyers, including his NHL debut on March 3, 2011.
Prior to turning pro, the 6'1, 201-pound center spent four seasons at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell from 2006-10. He compiled 84 points (26 goals, 58 assists) and 201 penalty minutes in 144 games with the River Hawks.
Bernier, 32, enters his second season as an alternate captain after recording 26 points (16 goals, 10 assists) in 33 games while wearing an "A" with the Sound Tigers in 2016-17.
A native of Quebec City, Quebec, Bernier has spent the majority of his professional career in the NHL, playing a combined 633 games with the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks. He registered 230 points (105 goals, 125 assists) in regular-season play as well as 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 74 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests. Bernier helped the Devils win the Eastern Conference Championship and reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2012.
In addition, the 13th-year pro has appeared in 118 AHL games with the Sound Tigers, Albany Devils, Worcester Sharks and Cleveland Barons, totaling 87 points (43 goals, 44 assists). San Jose originally drafted Bernier in the first round (#16 overall) of the 2003 NHL Draft.
Helgeson, 26, agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way deal with the Islanders on July 1, 2017 after spending the majority of last season with the Albany Devils, where he also served as an alternate captain. He collected nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 48 games with Albany and also scored one goal and posted 15 penalty minutes in nine games with New Jersey last season.
A native of Faribault, Minn., the fifth-year pro has registered four points (one goal, three assists) and a plus-1 rating in 50 career NHL games with New Jersey and added 38 points (seven goals, 31 assists) and a plus-43 rating in 218 AHL games with Albany.
Prior to his professional career, the 6'4, 209-pound defenseman played four seasons of college hockey at the University of Minnesota. He posted 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 150 games with the Golden Gophers. Helgeson was initially selected by New Jersey in the fourth round (#114 overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft.
Season Opener: The Sound Tigers begin their 17th season in the American Hockey League on the road tomorrow with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop against the Binghamton Devils at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. Fans can follow all of the live action via 13c5d58b3538a6a7c0a9f AHL Live or the 8c36ddd60c28f39a79317 Sound Tigers Radio Network, beginning with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m.
Hottest Tickets in Town: The Sound Tigers will boast one of their most extensive and exciting promotional lineups in team history this season. This year's calendar will feature the return of Star Wars Night (Dec. 2), meet-and-greets with the Justice League (Nov. 11) and Marvel (Jan. 27) superheroes, and all-new promotions like a camouflage baseball cap (Jan. 13) and a kid's lunch box giveaway (Feb. 11). The promotional lineup kicks off with Opening Night on Oct. 21, featuring a Sound Tigers backpack giveaway to the first 3,000 kids courtesy of All Electric Construction and Communication. 0356a746094ca5c4aae81 Click here to tickets. Guarantee Your Seats: 84e613ae2664940f929bc Season tickets and f1c462b5a69a2d5798b5f flex plans are on sale now for the 2017-18 campaign, offering the greatest savings and ultimate flexibility of all ticket packages. Pick between a full-season, 20-game, 15-game or 10-game plan and you'll also be entitled to exclusive benefits, including the ticket holder exchange policy, which means any unused tickets can be traded for future games. Seating options are broken down into six different pricing sections, giving you the flexibility to fit Sound Tigers' hockey into any kind of budget. Please contact Brad Dworin at 203-345-4813 or via mailto:brad.dworin@harboryardse.com brad.dworin@harboryardse.com with questions or to guarantee your seats.
About the Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Founded in 2001, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Hockey Club is the top minor league affiliate of the New York Islanders. Don't miss your chance to take part in the family fun that occurs during home games at Webster Bank Arena. For further information on ticket or sponsorship opportunities, call our office at (203) 345-2300 or e-mail mailto:info@soundtigers.com info@soundtigers.com. For more team information, log on to 4029fe54abec836b10db3 soundtigers.com.
Contact: Alan Fuehring (203) 345-4824, mailto:alan.fuehring@harboryardse.com'subject=Alan Fuehring alan.fuehring@harboryardse.com
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