OTTAWA, Ontario – The Islanders confirmed long-standing rumors on Thursday by stating their plans to shift their AHL affiliate from Bridgeport, Connecticut to Hamilton, Ontario for the 2026-27 season.
The move only requires the go-ahead from the AHL Board of Governors, which is anticipated.
“On behalf of the entire New York Islanders organization, I want to extend our deepest thanks to the City of Bridgeport and the incredibly loyal fans who have supported this team for the past 25 years,” Kelly Cheeseman, the president of business operations for the Islanders and UBS Arena, said in a statement. “From the early days of the Sound Tigers to our time as the Bridgeport Islanders, this community has been the heart of our AHL operations. We are grateful for the memories, the partnerships, and the passion that fans in Connecticut have shown our players and staff.”
Current Islanders Anders Lee, Casey Cizikas, Cal Ritchie, Simon Holmstrom, Kyle Mac Lean, Marc Gatcomb and defensemen Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield all spent time in Bridgeport.
However, the affiliate plans to transition from the 10,000-seat Total Mortgage Arena to the 18,000-seat TD Coliseum in Hamilton, which recently went through a $300 million renovation. That facility is managed by Oak View Group, which also developed and built UBS Arena.
“We are excited to make Hamilton our primary affiliate in the American Hockey League,” Islanders executive vice president and general manager Mathieu Darche said in a statement. “The support that this 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.”
The Islanders also mentioned they “remain committed to working with the City of Bridgeport on a successful transition for Total Mortgage Arena,” though what that entails remains uncertain.
The Islanders have had their AHL affiliate based in Bridgeport since 2001 when they were granted an expansion team by the AHL. The team was called Sound Tigers until 2021 when it was rebranded as Islanders. The Islanders acquired ownership of Bridgeport’s club back in 2004.
Bridgeport was their seventh city for an AHL affiliate-and it’s served them longest-since joining NHL in 1972.
The Islanders also stated that a team name and logo for Hamilton’s franchise would be revealed once relocation gets formal approval.
Hamilton has previously hosted two other AHL teams: Canucks from 1992-94 and Bulldogs from 1996-2015.
“Hamilton is thrilled to welcome an AHL team to our city,” Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath said in a statement. “This is an exciting moment for Hamiltonians and a major step forward in building on momentum we’re seeing downtown. Bringing professional hockey back to TD Coliseum means more opportunities for families together while boosting support for local businesses. It strengthens our city’s proud hockey tradition while creating new chances for young players and fans alike to connect with this game.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 as an Islander reporter. He started covering NHL back in 2003 after previously reporting on Rangers and Devils. Other assignments included Jets as well as MLB.
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