The new American Hockey League (AHL) team coming to Hamilton will practice at the Harry Howell Twin-Pad Arena, in Flamborough, the city says.
Construction at the arena is set to begin soon, the city said. The arena is named after NHL Hall of Fame defenceman Harry Howell, a seven-time All-Star who played 1,160 games for the New York Rangers from 1952-69 and had his No. 3 retired by the team.
“Through partnerships such as this, we see Hamilton continue to grow into a vibrant community where youth, residents and members of our community thrive,” said Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath.
On Tuesday, the AHL said its board of governors unanimously approved the Bridgeport Islanders move to Hamilton. The initial announcement was March 19.
The team is owned by the NHL’s New York Islanders. Each NHL team has an affiliate — or farm team — that develops player prospects. The AHL says nearly 90 per cent of NHL players came up through its league.
According to the city, the Harry Howell arena “will undergo a transformation, including the construction of a two-level AHL-exclusive training facility integrated into the existing arena.”
The city said current service levels will not be affected for users of the arena.
The arena is also set to host open practices, developmental clinics and other community-focused opportunities, “creating a valuable opportunity for the public to connect with the team and the sport,” the city said.
The Islanders have been based in Connecticut since 2001. In a post on social media Tuesday afternoon, the organization thanked the city and its fans for “an incredible 25 years.” Their rising star, the Calder Trophy favourite as rookie of the year, is Hamilton’s Matthew Schaefer.
Hamilton last had an AHL team in 2015, when the Hamilton Bulldogs were the Montreal Canadiens’ farm team. Many former AHL Hamilton Bulldogs played in the NHL with the Canadiens including Brendan Gallagher, P.K. Subban, Carey Price and Max Pacioretty.
An Ontario Hockey League team, also called the Hamilton Bulldogs, played in the city from 2015-2023 before moving to Brantford after the Hamilton arena began renovations.
The arena is advertising that it will start taking deposits for private suites and “premium” seats on April 6. It’s also advertising season seat memberships.
