The New York Islanders have named Jay McKee head coach of the Hamilton Hammers, the Islanders’ new American Hockey League affiliate.
McKee, 48, spent the past five years as head coach of the Hamilton and Brantford Bulldogs of the Ontario Hockey League. Last season, McKee led the Brantford to the best record in the OHL (48-10-8-2), and in 2021-22 he coached Hamilton to a league championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup tournament.
McKee previously served as head coach of the Kitchener Rangers from 2016 to 2020, and was an assistant in Kitchener and Erie. He spent the 2011-12 season as an assistant coach with the AHL’s Rochester Americans.
McKee’s professional playing career spanned 14 seasons, including 802 games in the NHL with Buffalo, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. The defenseman also played 24 games in the AHL with Rochester after being selected by the Sabres in the first round of the 1995 NHL Draft.
