UPDATE: Hamilton’s TD Coliseum To Gain AHL Hockey Team Following League Approval

UPDATE: American Hockey League President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson announced that the AHL Board of Governors has unanimously approved the relocation of the franchise owned by the New York Islanders from Bridgeport, Conn., to Hamilton, Ont., beginning with the 2026-27 season. The team will play at the newly renovated TD Coliseum in Hamilton, and will be a member of the AHL’s North Division.

Previously (originally posted March 20, 9:33 a.m.)

The New York Islanders NHL team, together with Oak View Group, announced their intent to relocate the franchise’s American Hockey League affiliate from Bridgeport, Connecticut to Hamilton, Ontario, for the start of the 2026-27 season. The relocation now requires approval by the AHL Board of Governors.

The long-awaited return of professional hockey to Hamilton centers on a long-term agreement with the state-of-the-art TD Coliseum, operated by OVG. The 18,000-seat venue recently underwent a $300 million transformation. OVG is parent company to Pollstar.

“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 Islanders and UBS Arena. “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.”

The Bridgeport Islanders currently play at Total Mortgage Arena, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

“We are excited to make Hamilton our primary affiliate in the American Hockey League,” said Mathieu Darche, General Manager and Executive Vice President of the Islanders. “The support the city has shown our organization throughout this transition has been incredible.”

“Hamilton is thrilled to welcome an AHL team to our city,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “This is an exciting moment for Hamiltonians and a major step forward in building on the momentum we’re seeing in our downtown. Bringing professional hockey back to TD Coliseum means more opportunities for families to come together and increased support for local businesses. It strengthens our city’s proud hockey tradition while creating new opportunities for young players and fans alike to connect with the game.”
Pending AHL approval, the team name, official team logo and ticketing information for the Hamilton market will be announced at a later date.

TD Coliseum, which is hosting the JUNO Awards on March 29, has hosted recent concerts by Rod Stewart, Journey, TWICE, Nine INch Nails, The Offspring and more since opening with a sold-out concert by Paul McCartney in November. The venue also hosted a Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) takeover match on Jan. 3, selling 14,946 tickets.