Mitchell Chaffee’s Hat Trick Powers Hamilton Hammers To Historic First Win

The Hamilton Hammers finally hit the ice Friday night after much anticipation and dispatched the Belleville Senators 5-2 in CIBC Place, home of the AHL Senators.

The game was the first-ever in franchise history for the Hammers, and they made sure the history books recorded it as a Hamilton victory.

Pregame, the Hammers announced Matthew Highmore as the team's first-ever captain, with Daylan Kueffler (2022 sixth-round NYI draft pick) serving as a permanent alternate captain.

Mitchell Chaffee, one of the tough, final waiver-requiring cuts for the New York Islanders, starred in the win. The veteran forward potted a hat trick, with two goals coming on the man advantage.

Cole Eiserman, the Islanders' 2024 first-round pick, plated two power-play assists, as did AHL veteran Liam Foudy, who provided three apples in the victory.

Foudy also celebrated his 200th-career AHL game on Friday night, an impressive milestone. 

Pierre Engvall and Joey Larson provided the other two goals for the Hammers, with Larson's coming with the net empty.

Kashawn Aitcheson (2025 NYI first-round pick) posted his first-career professional point, a power-play assist on Engvall's goal.

In net, Vitek Vanecek made just his third AHL start since the 2019-20 season and was outstanding, making Herculean saves.

Vanecek might've made the saves of the season on opening night:

All told, Vanecek finished with 25 saves in the victory. 

Hamilton Head Coach Jay McKee earned his first win as an AHL bench boss, just another milestone achieved on an outstanding night for the franchise.

Breaking Down Chaffee's Hat Trick:

When the Islanders and General Manager Mathieu Darche signed Chaffee to a one-year deal, there was no downside for the Islanders.

Chaffee is as good as it gets for a veteran forward. Not only has he proven he can be an effective bottom-six player at the NHL level, but he's also proven to be an elite AHL player. 

Chaffee is a perfect veteran mentor for a younger, still-learning Hamilton forward group.

It took one game for Chaffee to prove it with an impressive hat trick:

Chaffee's first goal came after a slick drop pass from Foudy:

The next two goals both came on the man advantage, in a game where Hamilton scored not one, not two, but three goals on the power play.

The first of those two comes on a bang-bang play. Eiserman uncorks a howitzer of a shot that banks off the end wall, caroms off a defender's skate, and finds Chaffee's stick.

Chaffee made no mistake.

Some might call it luck, and while luck plays a role, Chaffee's positioning is outstanding.

He consistently keeps himself in the soft spot of the defenders, keeping himself as an option for a pass, or just waiting to pounce for any rebounds or loose pucks that squirt free.

When a guy like Eiserman's shooting, it's a pretty decent bet the puck's gonna either score, or become a juicy rebound. Chaffee took advantage that time.

The third goal is an incredible tic-tac-toe passing play with Eiserman, Foudy, and Chaffee.

Not only are the passes from Eiserman and Foudy just terrific, the positioning is terrific. That's a credit not only to the players, but to McKee and his staff.

Chaffee again holds his soft spot on the far side and just waits for the puck to find him. Once it does, he lets rip for the road hat trick.

Chaffee's debut in the Islanders' organization should turn plenty of heads. He's a strong candidate to be the team's first call up in a given situatioon.

Next up for the Hammers is a late-afternoon puck drop against the Toronto Marlies, scheduled for just after 4 PM ET on Saturday.