Jay Mc Kee, who has been coaching the Brantford Bulldogs since 2021, will now be the head coach for the newly rebranded Hamilton Hammers in the American Hockey League (AHL), with their season kicking off this October.
The Bulldogs brought Mc Kee on board in July 2021, and according to a Friday news release from the team, he had a “stellar” regular season record, which included three East Division titles and an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) championship in 2022.
“His record for development in that time is second to none,” said the team, highlighting his success in nurturing four NHL first-round draft picks and 31 players who were either drafted or signed at a professional level.
The Bulldogs played at Hamilton’s arena from 2015 until 2023 before relocating to Brantford due to $300-million renovations at their previous venue. In January 2025, team owners Zach Hyman of the Edmonton Oilers and his family announced that the Bulldogs would remain in nearby Brantford, Ont.
During his time with the team, Mc Kee “helped build a culture rooted in professionalism, accountability, toughness, and genuine care for people,” stated Bulldogs general manager Spencer Hyman in the news release. “While this is an emotional day because of how much he means to our team and Brantford, there is nobody more deserving of this opportunity.”
“I’m beyond grateful for my time as head coach of the Brantford Bulldogs and for the great relationships that were built over the years,” Mc Kee, age 48, expressed.
An AHL news release mentions that Mc Kee coached the Kitchener Rangers from 2016 to 2020. He spent 14 seasons as an NHL defenceman with teams like the Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
In the mid-’90s, he was part of the Niagara Falls Thunder OHL team.
Mc Kee hails from Kingston, Ont.
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Pittsburgh Penguins defenceman Jay Mc Kee (74) tries to clear Nashville Predators right wing Patric Hörnqvist (27) during an NHL hockey game in 2010. (Don Wright/The Associated Press)
In late March, members of the American Hockey League board unanimously agreed on moving the Bridgeport Islanders from Connecticut – where they had been since 2001 – to Hamilton.
The AHL consists of affiliates or farm teams for each NHL organization that focus on developing player prospects. The New York Islanders own the Hammers. Earlier this month their new star player Matthew Schaefer from Hamilton won the Calder Memorial Trophy as this year’s top rookie – making him its youngest recipient ever.
On May 21st, it was announced by Islanders officials that they revealed their team’s new name at TD Coliseum where they’ll play starting this fall alongside another new yet-to-be-named PWHL team.
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