The New York Islanders’ AHL affiliate has moved from Bridgeport to Hamilton, Ontario, and adopted the Hamilton Hammers name. Jay McKee was announced as the inaugural head coach. McKee played 802 NHL games after being drafted by the Buffalo Sabres in 1995, recording 21 goals and 104 assists. After retiring, he transitioned into coaching, first serving as an assistant and then leading the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL. He later coached the Hamilton Bulldogs, achieving strong results, winning the Robertson Cup in 2021-22, and reaching the Memorial Cup Championship game. His familiarity with the Hamilton market and fan expectations is expected to support the team’s new identity and prospects’ development.
"After 25 years in Bridgeport, the team has left "The Park City" and has moved to Hamilton, Ontario. Last week, the team announced its new name as the Hamilton Hammers. On Friday, May 29th, they took another step toward establishing their new identity by announcing that Jay McKee will become the team's inaugural head coach."
"If McKee's name sounds familiar, it's because he was a 13-year veteran of the NHL. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres with the 14th overall pick of the 1995 NHL Draft. It did not take him long to make it to the NHL, as he debuted on April 10th, 1996, logging an assist. For the next few seasons, he bounced between the NHL and AHL. He played his first full NHL season in 1998-99."
"After retiring from hockey, he went right into coaching, bouncing around as an assistant for years. He got his first shot at being a head coach with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL. In four season with the Rangers he had a record of 120-88-17. After being fired during 2019-20 season, he would be named the Hamilton Bulldog head coach for the 2021-22 season. This is where he found the most success as head coach, having a record of 213-91-36 over five season. He also won the Robertson Cup in 2021-22 and guided the team to the Memorial Cup Championship game."
"With the Hammers needing to build a relationship with the people of Hamilton, McKee helps in a big way. While the Bulldogs moved to Brantford halfway through his tenure, he spent two seasons with Hamilton. He understands the market and what the fans want to see from their hockey team. He can help the team play a style of hockey that will resonate with the p"
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