The AHL is returning to Hamilton, Ontario. After an absence of professional hockey for more than a decade, the former home of the Calder Cup champion Hamilton Bullodgs will host the top farm league of the NHL once again. 

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The New York Islanders announced Thursday that it was moving its current AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, from Connecticut to Ontario. The team reached a long-term agreement with the newly-renovated TD Coliseum, an 18,000-seat venue that had undergone $300 million worth of improvements.

The Hamilton Bulldogs patrolled the ice in the former Copps Coliseum from 1996 to 2015. In 2016, the Bulldogs continued anew in the Ontario Hockey League. However, the team moved from Hamilton to Brantford in 2023 due to the renovations that the stadium underwent. The OHL Bulldogs opted to stay in Brantford long-term, paving the way for Hamilton to seek a pro hockey team once again.

Hamilton was a strong market for the AHL, first housing the AHL affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers before becoming the top affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens ahead of the 2003-04 season. The club won its first and only Calder Cup in 2007 with future Montreal superstar Carey Price putting together an historic run that saw him become the Playoffs MVP.

“We are excited to make Hamilton our primary affiliate in the American Hockey League,” said Mathieu Darche, GM of the New York Islanders. “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.”

The new name and logo has not yet been decided for the incoming team in Hamilton.

The departure of the Bridgeport Islanders will end 25 years of nearby affiliation for the New York Islanders. First known as the Sound Tigers, Bridgeport began as an AHL market in 2001 amid expansion. They retained the Sound Tigers name until 2021, when the club changed its name to the Bridgeport Islanders.

The team has not qualified for the playoffs in each of the last three seasons. Its best ever season was its first, winning the AHL regular-season title and reaching the Calder Cup Finals where they fell to the Chicago Wolves in five games.

“On behalf of the entire New York Islanders organization, I want to extend our deepest thanks to the City of Bridgeport and the incredibly loyal fans who have supported this team for the past 25 years,” said Kelly Cheeseman, President of Business Operations for the New York Islanders. “From the early days of the Sound Tigers to our time as the Bridgeport Islanders, this community has been the heart of our AHL operations. We are grateful for the memories, the partnerships, and the passion the fans in Connecticut have shown our players and staff.”

Bridgeport's final regular-season home game is slated for April 12.

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