The New York Islanders announced today that Eric Boguniecki has been named assistant coach of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Boguniecki, 36, begins his coaching career after completing his playing career following the 2009-10 season with the Alaska Aces of the ECHL. The West Haven, Conn., native rejoins Sound Tigers head coach Brent Thompson, who was Alaska’s head coach during Boguniecki’s time there.
Boguniecki rounds out the Sound Tigers coaching staff for the 2011-12 season, joining Thompson and assistant coach Matt Bertani.
A veteran of 13 professional seasons — including 48 games with the Sound Tigers in 2006-07 — Boguniecki was the American Hockey League’s most valuable player in 2001-02, when he set career highs with 38 goals, 46 assists and 84 points for the Worcester IceCats. He followed that with his best NHL campaign, recording 22 goals and 27 assists for 49 points as a member of the St. Louis Blues in 2002-03.
Boguniecki played 351 games in the AHL with Louisville, Worcester, Peoria, Syracuse, Bridgeport and Iowa, totaling 155 goals and 188 assists for 343 points. He was an AHL All-Star in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Originally an eighth-round selection by St. Louis in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, Boguniecki played 178 NHL games during his career, tallying 34 goals and 42 assists with Florida, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and the Islanders.