<<Sound Tigers dip into Isles' past for new uniforms
By Michael Fornabaio
STAFF WRITER
Updated: 09/29/2009 11:45:19 PM EDT
BRIDGEPORT -- While the Bridgeport Sound Tigers develop for the New York Islanders' future, they'll look like past Islanders.
The Sound Tigers will wear uniforms this year that resemble those of the Islanders' 1980 Stanley Cup dynasty. The blue sweater is the Islanders' current, "throwback" third jersey with different crests and patches.
These sweaters don't exactly match any of the old Islanders uniforms, but the style evokes the Islanders' original colors from the 1970s and '80s, with royal blue instead of the darker blue the Islanders have worn since the mid-1990s and Bridgeport has worn since 2006.
Captain Mark Wotton modeled the blue sweater Tuesday night. Pascal Morency wore a white replica jersey; the team's home-game jerseys hadn't arrived yet.
"I won't speak for Pascal, but some of us were born in the '70s," joked Wotton, 35, whose sweater was complete with captain's 'C' in white and white block lettering for his name on the back, the same kind of trim that adorned Denis Potvin's sweaters.
"These are the colors of the Islanders that left a great tradition. It's just an honor to wear these colors."
The Islanders, limited by NHL policy on uniform changes, plan to use these styles full-time next season, but Sound Tigers president Howard Saffan said it was important for Bridgeport to establish this new-yet-old identity right away.
"The American Hockey League is more flexible in these matters," he said. The team submitted
the plan to Reebok, the AHL's equipment supplier, last October and got approval for this season.
"You'll be seeing these jerseys for a very long time."
Which 20 players will fill out those sweaters for opening night Saturday night remains to be determined.
The Islanders finished their preseason Tuesday night with a game in Newark, N.J., against the Devils; Tomas Marcinko was a late call-up to play in that game.
Several cuts are expected Wednesday. Competition appeared to get a bit tighter when the Islanders claimed skilled forward Rob Schremp off waivers from Edmonton at noon Tuesday, but Newsday reported that Jeremy Reich, one player on the bubble, suffered a broken wrist in a first-period fight Tuesday night.
Defenseman Mark Flood (lower body) has been out of practice since arriving in Bridgeport last week. Forward Greg Mauldin sat out Tuesday as a precaution after feeling a twinge in Monday's practice.
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Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since 1982.. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick
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