Are They Still The Islanders?

It seemed like the only thing holding up the decision by the New York Islanders to move the Bridgeport Islanders to Hamilton, Ontario was the AHL Board of Governors. It was rumoured for a while before the announcement finally came that this would be the reality for 2026-27, but it still needed the rubber stamp from the league's membership. That vote took place today, and AHL President and CEO Scott Howson made it official by announcing that the Islanders would move into the renovated TD Coliseum in Hamilton where they would shift from the Atlantic Division to the North Division next season.

This feels like the wrong move by the Islanders' franchise to make considering that the Bridgeport Sound Tigers had a solid following in Bridgeport for years since they began play in 2001-02 as an expansion team. Head coach Steve Stirling took them to the Calder Cup Final in their first season of existence before falling in the second round one year later, but Stirling was promoted to head coach of the New York Islanders in June 2003 after Peter Laviolette was fired.

From that point on, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers never won a playoff round again, missing the playoffs in nine of sixteen seasons prior to the pandemic. After the AHL returned to play a full season in 2021, the Islanders had decided to rename the team in its own image where it has continued to struggle. In four seasons, the Islanders missed the playoffs three times. They're in a battle with four teams this season for play-in game berths in the Atlantic Division standings.

In short, the Islanders are leaving Bridgeport, Connecticut without having seen a ton of success for their 25 seasons. Perhaps a fresh start with a clean slate in Hamilton, Ontario is what they need?

The last time that the AHL was in Hamilton, that franchise found success. The Hamilton Bulldogs called the southern Ontario city home from 1996 until 2015 where they won the 2007 Calder Cup, lost in the Calder Cup Final in 1997, and lost in the third round of the playoffs three times. They averaged slightly more fans that what Bridgeport has seen over the years, but moving into a renovated building within a hockey-ready market should be good for the franchise's health.

What may hurt the Islanders is the fact that they're not very good. With their current point total, they'd be in sixth-place in the North Division and would sit one point back of Rochester who has two games in-hand and holds the final play-in game berth in the division. Needless to say, moving into a more competitive division will mean that the Islanders need to improve their roster. Putting a winner on the ice would help both walk-up and season ticket sales immediately.

The other thing that could really get the people of Hamilton interested is the name chosen for the team. Despite the branding strategy used by the Islanders, the team moving to Hamilton needs to abandon the "Islanders" moniker as soon as possible for something better. If you recall, this franchise used to be the Bridgeport Sound Tigers while the city of Hamilton had an NHL team named the Hamilton Tigers from 1920-25. Might we see the return of the Tigers?

What sucks in this whole situation is that there are hockey fans in Bridgeport who are losing their team with no way of preventing it. These fans did nothing to deserve this fate, but it seems that a fresh coat of paint and some new luxury suites were all that the Islanders needed to pull their AHL franchise from Bridgeport. My hope is that hockey fans in Bridgeport can get another team shortly. They have shown they'll support hockey even if the team on the ice is bad.

Roadtrips for AHL teams can now flow through Belleville-Toronto-Hamilton or teams can play the corner of Lake Ontario with games in Toronto and Hamilton. It's a longer commute for AHL Islanders to get to the big club when recalled, but the New York Islanders won't complain if their AHL affiliate is playing winning hockey. I don't think Hamilton hockey fans will complain about that either.

Please, I beg you, just don't call them the Hamilton Islanders.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!