New York Islanders plan to move Bridgeport AHL affiliate to Hamilton, Ontario
The New York Islanders plan on moving their American Hockey League affiliate from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Hamilton, Ontario, for next season, the franchise announced on Thursday.
The relocation requires approval by the AHL Board of Governors.
Should the move be permitted, the team currently known as the Bridgeport Islanders will play at TD Coliseum in Hamilton, which completed major renovations last fall.
A team name, logo, and ticketing information for the Hamilton market will be announced at a later date, pending AHL approval, the franchise said.
“We are excited to make Hamilton our primary affiliate in the American Hockey League,” Islanders general manager and executive vice president 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.”
The Islanders’ top minor-league affiliate has played in Bridgeport for the past 25 years.
“I am committed to working with our state partners on a public process that will reimagine what this facility can be, and how we can continue to foster Bridgeport’s arts and entertainment identity,” Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim said in part following the announcement.
Since the first game in 2001, when the Bridgeport Islanders were called the Sound Tigers, Laurie Uilecan has been a fan and leads the Bridgeport Hockey Booster Club.
She didn’t think that this season would be the end of games at the Total Mortgage arena.
“The players are like a second family,” Uilecan said. “You embrace them, you want nothing but the best for them.”
The booster club has grown to 66 members, all of whom are season-ticket holders. Even casual fans say the move is disappointing.
“I just like hockey, and like it being so close to home,” Islanders fan Randy Shapiro said. “It takes five minutes to get here and five minutes to get home.”
Fans said they’ll make their way to see the New York Islanders play, but it’s not the same as the home team they’ve supported for years. They hope another professional hockey team moves into the arena.
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