Hockey appears set to return to Hamilton, with the New York Islanders of the NHL announcing on Mar. 19 that they intend to relocate their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate team to the city.
The New York Islanders’ affiliate team currently plays in Bridgeport, Connecticut, but will relocate to Hamilton for the start of the 2026-27 season, subject to approval by the AHL Board of Governors.
The move means that professional hockey is set to return to Hamilton.
The Hamilton Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) played in Hamilton from 2015 to 2023, but left the city for Brantford, Ont., due to the $300-million renovations planned for the TD Coliseum (then called the FirstOntario Centre).
The move to Brantford was originally supposed to be temporary, but was then made permanent, leaving Hamilton without a hockey team.
The permanent move to Brantford was controversial, with then-Bulldogs owner Michael Andlauer claiming that the team was “kicked out” of Hamilton.
AHL hockey has not been played in Hamilton since 2015, when the Hamilton Bulldogs were the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens.
That team moved to St. John’s, Newfoundland, which is when the Belleville Bulls OHL franchise moved to Hamilton under the same Bulldogs name.
The New York Islanders and Oak View Group, which operates Hamilton’s TD Coliseum, say that they have entered a “long-term agreement” for hockey to be played at the newly renovated arena, which seats 18,000 people.
The official team name, team logo, and ticketing information will be announced after the AHL Board of Governors gives final approval to the relocation plan.
Mathieu Darche, General Manager and Executive Vice President of the New York Islanders, commented, “We are excited to make Hamilton our primary affiliate in the American Hockey League. The support the city has shown our organization throughout this transition has been incredible. We look forward to having our top young talent play in front of such a strong fanbase inside the newly renovated, world-class TD Coliseum, and we are committed to establishing ourselves in the community to engage a new generation of hockey fans.”
Nick DeLuco, Senior Vice President and General Manager of TD Coliseum, added, “The return of professional hockey to Hamilton marks an exciting new chapter for our city and sports fans across the region. TD Coliseum is proud to play a role in energizing downtown, supporting a passionate fan base and strengthening our connection to the community.”
The Bridgeport Islanders are currently in fifth place out of eight in the AHL’s Atlantic Division and are just outside of a playoff spot with 26 wins, 27 losses, and eight overtime/shootout losses.
Right-winger Matt Luff leads the team in points, followed by left-winger Adam Beckman and forward Liam Foudy.
Leading defencemen in points are Marshall Warren, Cole McWard, and Ethan Bear.
Goalkeeping duties have been split between Henrik Tikkanen and Marcus Hogberg.
The team has gone three straight seasons without making the playoffs.
Hockey has already been played once at the newly renovated TD Coliseum, with the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) takeover tour stopping at the arena on Jan. 3.
In that game, the Seattle Torrent defeated the Toronto Sceptres in front of over 16,000 fans.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
