AHL’s Hamilton Hammers unveil jerseys, introduce Jay McKee as head coach

Hamilton’s AHL team, the Hammers introduce a new head coach, Jay McKee, and unveil their new sweaters for the team’s inaugural season.

McKee says he wants to bring a relentless style of play that he believes will resonate with hockey fans in Hamilton.

New York Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche and the Hammers new head coach Jay McKee had the honours – showing off the new home and away jerseys – matching the NHL Islanders’ colours.

McKee himself was being shown off too, in his first official appearance since being named the inaugural coach of this new team just over a month ago.

“I’m very excited to be here, this arena holds some special memories, some core memories,” says McKee.

The former NHL defenseman spent his last five years as head coach of the OHL’s Bulldogs including in 2021-22 when the team was still playing in Hamilton – at this very arena.

That year McKee coached the team to an OHL championship and an appearance in the Memorial Cup.

That year the Bulldogs posted the club’s best ever single season record.

“We want to have a brand of hockey that the Hamilton fans saw when we were here just a few years back, a real relentless team,” says McKee.

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“It’s a bit of a comeback for me too,” says Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche.

Darche also has a connection to the city – playing for the Bulldogs in 2009-10 – when they were the Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate.

He calls McKee’s previous experience in steel town an added bonus and not the reason he was picked to coach.

“Nothing to do with the decision but he did win in Hamilton which is just an extra layer to his resume,” says Darche.

Darche instead points to McKee’s track record as a coach.

“You see with Hamilton and with Brantford the number of high-end prospects he’s coached, and he was able to win with them and have a lot of success,” says Darche.

Despite all the anticipation about the return of hockey to the downtown arena – with the PWHL bringing a new team, and the Hammers first game in just over three months – McKee says he’s not feeling any pressure.

“When your philosophy is to be a good person and work harder than everybody else, pressure goes away … I’m just excited, I’m excited to get things going, to build bonds with the players,” says McKee.

The puck drops on the Hammers first season Friday, October 9 at TD Coliseum.

The sweater can be pre-ordered now on the team’s website – or if you’ve already decided you want to go watch a game, the club is accepting deposits on tickets.

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