Hamilton Hammers
| Hamilton Hammers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| City | Hamilton, Ontario |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | North |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Home arena | TD Coliseum |
| Colours | Blue, orange, white[1] |
| Owner | Jon Ledecky |
| General manager | Evan Gold [2] |
| Head coach | Jay McKee |
| Captain | Matthew Highmore |
| Media | Cable 14 AHL.TV |
| Affiliates | New York Islanders (NHL) Trenton Ironhawks (ECHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 2001–2021 | Bridgeport Sound Tigers |
| 2021–2026 | Bridgeport Islanders |
| 2026–present | Hamilton Hammers |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles | 0 |
| Division titles | 0 |
| Conference titles | 0 |
| Calder Cups | 0 |
The Hamilton Hammers are a professional ice hockey team based in Hamilton, Ontario. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's New York Islanders, who own the franchise. The team was created after the relocation of the Bridgeport Islanders to Hamilton for the 2026–27 season.[3] The Hammers play their home games at TD Coliseum.
History
[edit]The Hammers trace their history to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who joined the American Hockey League (AHL) as an expansion franchise in 2001.
The Bridgeport Islanders team relocated to Hamilton, Ontario, for the 2026–27 season, and play at the renovated TD Coliseum, following unanimous approval by the AHL Board of Governors.[4][5]
Jay McKee was named as head coach on May 29, 2026. On June 18, Vince Laise was brought in as assistant coach, and Kain Tisi as goalie coach. [6][7][8]
On June 1, 2026, the Hammers signed their first player, forward Matthew Highmore, to a two-year contract.[9]
The Hamilton Hammers played their first regular-season home game at TD Coliseum on October 9, 2026[10] in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Toronto Marlies.[11]. The team's first win on home ice came on October 30 in a 5–4 overtime win against the Hartford Wolf Pack.[12]
Team identity
[edit]Name, logo and colours
[edit]On May 21, 2026, the Hamilton Hammers name, logo and colours were officially unveiled. The name and logo is a reference to Hamilton's heritage as a major steel production city, and the colour scheme is that of the Islanders.[1]
Players
[edit]Current roster
[edit]Updated October 6, 2026.
Team captains
[edit]- Matthew Highmore, 2026–present
Staff
[edit]| Name | Nat. | Title | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jay McKee |  Canada |
Head coach | 2026 |
| Vince Laise | Canada |
Assistant coach | 2026 |
| Kain Tisi | Canada |
Goaltending coach | 2026 |
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "It's Hammer time in Hamilton". American Hockey League (Press release). May 21, 2026. Retrieved May 21, 2026.
Subtle hockey puck details on the hammer knobs pay homage to the iconic puck in the New York Islanders logo, linking the sport's identity with the craftsmanship of the tools and nodding to the franchise's origins, including the fisherman logo era. The orange-and-blue color palette is also drawn from the Islanders' classic team colors, reinforcing the connection to the club's history and evolution. The logo was created by the New York Islanders, while the broader brand identity was developed by Canadian creative agency Recess Creative.
- ↑ "Gold Hired As Assistant General Manager And General Manager Of Hamilton Hammers". NHL.com. August 3, 2026. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
- ↑ "AHL officially approves move of New York Islanders' affiliate to Hamilton". CHCH. March 31, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ "New York Islanders to Relocate AHL Affiliate to Hamilton, Ontario". Bridgeport Islanders. March 19, 2026. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
- ↑ "Islanders to move AHL affiliate to Hamilton". American Hockey League. March 31, 2026. Retrieved April 4, 2026.
- ↑ "JAY McKEE NAMED HAMILTON HAMMERS HEAD COACH". www.hamiltonhammers.com. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Bulldogs' Vince Laise joins Hamilton Hammers coaching staff – Ontario Hockey League". June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ "Hamilton Hammers Announce Coaching Staff Additions". www.thehockeynews.com. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
- ↑ "NY Islanders new AHL affiliate in Hamilton makes their first official signing". Eyes On Isles. June 1, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ Knox, Shelby (June 17, 2026). "Hamilton Hammers' home opener set for early October". CTVNews. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ↑ Baulcomb, Andrew (October 10, 2026). "Hammers draw huge crowd in hockey's triumphant return to Hamilton, but drop two games to visiting Marlies". The Hamilton Spectator. ISSN 1189-9417. Retrieved October 13, 2026.
- ↑ "RECAP: CAPTAIN HIGHMORE LIFTS HAMMERS OVER WOLF PACK IN OVERTIME". www.hamiltonhammers.com. October 29, 2026. Retrieved October 30, 2026.
External links
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