AHL Bridgeport Islanders

Sound Tigers Name Keith Aldridge Captain

October 13, 2004 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Bridgeport Islanders News Release


BRIDGEPORT, CT – The American Hockey League's Bridgeport Sound Tigers, top affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, have named Defenseman Keith Aldridge team captain. The Sound Tigers have also named Center Ryan Kraft and Defenseman Jody Robinson assistant captains.

Aldridge, who won the 1994 National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship with Lake Superior State University, signed as a free agent with the Islanders this past August. The Detroit native returns to North America after spending the past four years in Germany, the last three with the Berlin Polar Bears for whom he posted eight goals, 13 assists, 21 points and 84 penalty minutes in 48 games last season.

Aldridge, 31, played four years, 1992-96, at "Lake State" appearing in the 1993 NCAA title game as a freshman before winning the championship a year later. The 5'11'' 185-pounder joined the AHL's Baltimore Bandits, then the top affiliate of the NHL's Anaheim Mighty Ducks, for the end of the 1995-96 season and all of 1996-97. He then played in his hometown with the International Hockey League's Vipers for two years posting professional-career highs of 28 assists and 43 points in 66 games in 1998-99. After splitting 1999-2000 between the NHL's Dallas Stars, appearing in four games, and IHL's Michigan K-Wings and 2000-01 between the then-IHL's Grand Rapids Griffins and Frankfurt Lions, Aldridge joined Berlin at the start of the 2001-02 campaign.

Kraft, 28, served as an assistant captain during his first season with the Sound Tigers last year. He is the team's top scorer among returning players having notched 15 goals, 21 assists and 36 points last season. The North Dakota native signed with the Islanders as a free agent in September of 2003 after five years in the system of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, for whom he played seven games in 2002-03. The 5'9'' 185-pounder was the 2000-01 AHL Rookie of the Year posting career highs of 38 goals, 50 assists and 88 points for the Kentucky Thoroughblades. Kraft played four seasons, 1994-98, at the University of Minnesota and was drafted by San Jose following his freshman year.

Robinson, 26, is in his third season with the Sound Tigers. The 6'1'' 235-pounder who was born in New Haven, Connecticut first joined the team on a tryout contract in 2003 and signed an AHL contract last season. He signed his first NHL contract, with the Islanders, this past summer. Robinson scored his first regular-season AHL goal, a game-winner, and his first playoff AHL goal last year. He played most of two years, 2001-03, with the United Hockey League's Elmira Jackals earning a berth on the All-Rookie Team in 2001-02 after four seasons, 1997-2001, at Mercyhurst College, winning the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship as a senior.

The Sound Tigers will open the 2004-05 regular season with a pair of home games at Bridgeport's Arena at Harbor Yard this weekend. They will host the Albany River Rats this Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and the Philadelphia Phantoms this Sunday at 4:05 p.m.

Information regarding Sound Tigers ticket packages and sponsorship opportunities is available by calling 203-334-GOAL or logging on to www.soundtigers.com. Groups, organizations, companies, etc. that are interested in having a member of the Sound Tigers appear at an event are invited to call 203-334-GOAL.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 13, 2004


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