The new era of hockey in Hamilton begins with optimism as the New York Islanders bring a revamped farm system and winning culture to the market. They’ll hope it translates to success for the Hamilton Hammers.
It’s amazing how much has changed in one year. The Bridgeport Islanders were coming off a historically bad 2024-25 season and entered last season looking like a mess with a lot of cleanup needed. Now, they head into the season with plenty of optimism. And by the way, they aren’t the Bridgeport Islanders anymore. They are the Hamilton Hammers.
After the impressive season in Bridgeport, the Hammers are a team on the rise. They have a strong core of veterans, a good farm system, and hired one of the best coaches from the Ontario Hockey League, Jay McKee.
It speaks to the job New York Islanders general manager (GM) Mathieu Darche has done. He’s changed the culture, especially with the American Hockey League affiliate. Hiring Evan Gold to run the Hammers was another step in the right direction and shifted the conversation around this team.
Stats from 2025-26:
Record: 34-30-3-5 (4th in the Atlantic Division*, 8th in the Eastern Conference & 20th in the AHL)
Offense: 3.04 goals per game (19th in the AHL)
Defense: 3.08 goals per game (14th in the AHL)
* It’s worth adding that the Hammers are moving from the Atlantic Division to the North.
The Burning Question: Will Hockey In Hamilton Work?
The Hammers are the only team with a bigger off-the-ice question than an on-the-ice one. The team is expected to be great, one of the best in the North Division. The logistics around a team in Hamilton are what everyone wants answers to, especially in the first season.
Hamilton hosted AHL teams in the past, and it was a matter of time before they would get another team. Plus, the Professional Women's Hockey League is adding a team to the market. The Islanders must prove they can make this work with a team across the border and 450 miles away from the NHL team.
The logistics are particularly an issue. For one, Hamilton doesn’t have direct flights to New York. So, when a player is called up, they must either take a flight from Hamilton to Buffalo or Toronto, then to New York before joining the team (conversely, a player being sent down to the AHL will have a long and miserable trip back).
This isn’t a new problem for NHL teams and their AHL affiliates. It bucks the trend, since teams prefer to keep their prospects closer, even if it means more travel at the AHL level (a big plus is having the player participate in the morning skate and play that night).
There are plenty of benefits as well. The Hammers are well-located for the North Division and will play in front of a fanbase eager for hockey. Plus, the move made it easier to hire an up-and-coming coach like McKee, as well as other coaches from the OHL. The questions are about the short- and long-term sustainability, specifically with the Islanders affiliation. Fans will find out a lot this season.
Why The Hammers Are Optimistic
Gold is a GM who is poised to run an NHL team someday. McKee is a head coach on track to be in the NHL. Sure, there are questions about how McKee will adapt from coaching the Brantford Bulldogs to the AHL, where he has less control over the roster and must manage an age gap. That said, he built up a reputation in the OHL coaching and developing star players and will do the same in Hamilton.
Speaking of stars and prospects, the Islanders have plenty in the AHL. By the end of last season, many of them were on full display and proving they belong in the NHL. One or two will make the Islanders out of camp. The rest will be high-impact players on the Hammers.
The Hammers also put together an impressive offseason. Mitchell Chaffee, Brandon Scanlin, and Ryan Fanti strengthened all three units and give the Hammers a reliable veteran presence. Plus, they re-signed Daylan Kuefler, Ethan Bear, and Matt Luff early on in the offseason, keeping the core that carried them last season intact.
The Hammers are picking up where they left off. Better yet, they don’t have a glaring weakness. The only question is whether the Islanders are patient with their prospects and keep them in Hamilton for the full season. If they do, there’s a chance this team is competing for the Calder Cup.
Prospects To Watch
Victor Eklund joined the team late last season yet proved why he was a first round pick in the 2025 draft. In nine games, he had 10 points and was a highlight waiting to happen every time he took the ice. Eklund has the inside track to make the NHL team out of training camp, and it would be a surprise if he starts the season in Hamilton (or spends much time there either).
Cole Eiserman, meanwhile, needs more time to develop. Like Eklund, he’s an exciting winger with plenty of skill on the offensive end, but he still has work to do before he’s in the NHL. After scoring nine points in 12 games in the AHL, Eiserman will likely start the season with the Hammers with a good chance to be a call-up by midseason.
If there’s one prospect who will likely spend the entire season with the Hammers, it’s Kashawn Aitcheson. The defenseman is a star in the making and stood out in the OHL, but, like many defensemen, he'll need to adjust from junior hockey to the NHL, and he’ll likely spend the season in the AHL before he’s a regular on the Islanders.
Speaking of defensemen, there are a few to watch as borderline NHLers who might go up and down between the leagues throughout the season (and rack up plenty of miles). Isaiah George has been that prospect for years, while Jesse Pulkkinen looks to be that player this season as he joins the team as a regular.
