The American Hockey League is returning to Hamilton, Ont.
The New York Islanders announced plans to relocate its affiliate, currently located in Bridgeport, CT, to the newly renovated TD Coliseum in time for the 2026-2027 season.
“We are excited to make Hamilton our primary affiliate in the American Hockey League,” said Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said in a statement. “The support the 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.”
Opened as Copps Coliseum in 1985, the arena recently underwent a $300-million renovation and reopened last November. It currently has a capacity of 18,000.
The return of the AHL to Hamilton will mark the third franchise to play out of the city. The Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate, the Hamilton Canucks played out of the arena from 1992 to 1994 before relocating to Syracuse, NY. The Hamilton Bulldogs competed in the NHL from 1996 to 2015, first as an Edmonton Oilers affiliate (1996 to 2003) and then as a Montreal Canadiens affiliate (2002 to 2015). The team won the Calder Cup in 2007.
The Islander say more information about the move and the team will be forthcoming at a later date.