As is often the case in the American Hockey League (AHL), the team reflects the style and system of the NHL affiliate. The Belleville Senators are a good explainer for the Ottawa Senators’ struggles. They’ve played better lately but seeing them up close shows the shortcomings and an organizational approach that isn’t working.
The AHL team allows its players to tap into their skills. They let them cook, certainly the star players. Arthur Kaliyev has a league-leading 26 goals and 46 points while top defense prospect, Carter Yakemchuk, has three goals and 16 assists. The problem is that it costs them on defense, as the Senators allow 3.52 goals per game. They lack the structure on the defensive side, even with interim head coach Andrew Campbell trying to bring it.
Campbell has a background on the defensive side and was promoted to improve the Senators on that end. The problem is he’s a players-friendly coach who went from the assistant role to the head coaching role, and with that, he’s allowed them to remain an offense-minded team. Things are slowly improving, with the Senators allowing only four goals in their last three games. Yet, it’s hard to change something that’s been part of the team from the top down.
The NHL team is fascinating because many people around the league have noted that they are a good team and will be fine despite the struggles. It’s part of the disconnect because they have the star players and the talent to be a good team but not the discipline or structure to win games. It explains how the Senators, who have a handful of the game’s best players, are sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.
Bridgeport (ahem) Hamilton Sound Tiger-Cats?
The Bridgeport Islanders are leaving after the season for Hamilton, Ontario. It’s one of the worst-kept secrets in the AHL and something many fans knew months back but now have more clarity about following the recent reports. Nothing is official, at least not yet; however, it’s a matter of when things are announced, specifically by the Hamilton side. Presumably, the official announcement happens in February after the All-Star break (it’s hard to imagine the league wants players to answer questions about the move).
Many fans wonder why this happened. How could the Islanders, who have a great setup in Bridgeport, leave for Hamilton? It doesn’t make sense, and with the call-up rules that require players to play in at least one game before being sent back, it’s ideal to have the AHL team near the NHL one. It makes more sense considering the history of the NHL team in the city and the GM running the Islanders.
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The Islanders didn’t have a great start in the area, playing home games in enemy territory. The Islanders should have found a way to place their AHL team on Long Island, where their fanbase is strongest. Instead, they were in Fairfield County, Connecticut, which has a stronger New York Rangers base. It’s one of the reasons why when they host the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ affiliate, they look like home games for the road side. This barrier prevented the Islanders from building up a big fanbase from the start.
The relationship with the city was never great, and the ballpark, Harbor Yards, became a concert venue (now called the Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater). That was the beginning of the end. The Islanders ideally would use the space in some capacity, and instead, the city hosts concerts and other events there (it’s easy to see how this can frustrate an AHL team that has an arena capable of hosting those events)
Then came the losing, and how Lou and Chris Lamoriello ran the team. A longtime AHL writer once remarked that “Nobody runs AHL teams into the ground like the Lamoriellos do,” and it’s hard to argue with that. Yes, Lou won a Calder Cup with the Albany River Rats in 1995 (the same year the New Jersey Devils won a Stanley Cup) but it was all downhill from there with his teams constantly relocating and folding throughout the New England region. Bridgeport was his final stop, and he made a strong final impression.
Most AHL teams focus on winning while developing. The Islanders only cared about development. It culminated in a historically bad 2024-25 season, one where they won four home games and only 15 games all season. By the time fans were starting to follow the team again and believe in something that Rocky Thompson was building, they were out the door.
So, what comes next?
Bridgeport is one of those spots that the AHL will return to whenever the Islanders leave. The only question is which team moves in from another New England-based team to an AHL expansion franchise?
The Rangers make the most sense, especially since their practice facilities are in nearby Westchester County. They have the fanbase in place as well to make it an ideal move. Yes, they play in Hartford but Bridgeport is closer and has better facilities (something many players have noted about the Total Mortgage Arena).
The Rangers can also have their ECHL affiliate move into Hartford if they move the AHL team into Bridgeport, putting all three teams within a 90-mile radius. Otherwise, they can always have a handful of weekend home games in Hartford the same way that UConn Basketball hosts an occasional home game there.
Even if the Rangers don’t move into Bridgeport, another team will. The New Jersey Devils, for example, would eye the facilities, which are almost 150 miles closer to their NHL team than Utica. Ultimately, the spot is ideal for the AHL and a team in the New York area. It’s close to the city and also within an hour of three divisional teams. So, if hockey leaves Bridgeport after this season, don’t expect a long absence.
Other AHL Notes
The Springfield Thunderbirds fired Steve Konowalchuk this week and replaced him with Steve Ott. They split their first two games with the new coach, and taking a step back, they look like a different team, playing better defensively and a well-rounded game. Some say that going from an NHL assistant to an AHL head coach isn’t a step up but for Ott, this move can ensure that he is capable of being a great coach at the NHL level someday, as he can succeed in every league.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms had a five-game losing streak, capped off with an 8-5 loss at home to the Charlotte Checkers. They’ve been a streaky team of late, so the 4-3 overtime win over the Hershey Bears was a big one. Maybe it helps them turn a corner.
The Bears lost two games in overtime over the weekend but their Sunday game was postponed because of the snow. For Charlotte, it’s the second time this season they’ve had a game postponed for snow (the first time being their return from the holiday break, where they couldn’t get flights into Allentown). It’s part of life in the AHL where dodging snowstorms is as much a part of the game as the game itself.
The Providence Bruins had a three-in-three this weekend and won all three games in overtime. Talk about a taxing weekend for the best team in the Atlantic Division. Head coach Ryan Mougenel is looking forward to the All-Star break, although ironically, he’s coaching in the event.
