Islanders' AHL team leaving Bridgeport, reports say; Isles get Bo Horvat back

On the day the Islanders welcomed Bo Horvat back into the fold, the organization might be preparing to bid adieu to Bridgeport.

According to a tweet from NHL Insider Frank Seravalli on Thursday night, the Islanders are going to relocate their AHL affiliate from Bridgeport to Hamilton, Ontario, and will begin play there next season.

Although the Islanders would not comment on the report when asked by Newsday after practice Friday morning at Northwell Health Ice Center, there had been reports circulating about a potential move since the offseason, and organizational staffers have understood that the team could relocate.

It is believed that the AHL Islanders will play in the recently refurbished TD Coliseum after a $300 million overhaul.

“They are moving to Hamilton,” Seravalli posted on X in response to a question from a user of the platform. “It’s happening.”

The Islanders have been in Bridgeport since the 2001-02 season and have qualified for the AHL playoffs 10 times, the last time in 2021-22. Entering play Friday night, the Islanders were in sixth place in the AHL’s Atlantic Division.

A number of current Islanders apprenticed at Bridgeport, including Anders Lee, Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Casey Cizikas, Simon Holmstrom and Cal Ritchie.

“It’s kind of where I learned to play pro hockey,” Mayfield told Newsday. “Look at me, [Pelech and Pulock], we all came together. Anders is there. [Anders and I] played a little bit together there. [Cizikas] was up right when I got there .  .  . Obviously, you know it is a feeder league. It’s to develop players, and that’s exactly what they use it for.

“Me, [Pelech and Pulock], Casey, Anders, we all spent some time there. Think I spent a little bit more time, but it’s a good place.”

The phrase “a good place” also describes the Islanders’ outlook with the apparent return of Horvat, who missed the previous nine games with a lower-body injury suffered in the third period of a 7-2 loss to the Mammoth on New Year’s Day.

Horvat, who has 21 goals and 12 assists in 36 games this season, centered the top line with Jonathan Drouin on his left side and Emil Heineman at right wing during practice. According to coach Patrick Roy, the plan is for Horvat to play Saturday afternoon against the Sabres.

“It felt really good, obviously, to be back with the guys and back in a regular routine practice,” said Horvat, who did not join the Islanders at any point on their just-completed seven-game, 16-day road trip. Instead, he stayed back to rehab for the stretch run and the Olympics, where he will play for Canada.

“[Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche] I think has been in contact with [Team Canada GM Doug Armstrong] and their staff and just kind of [kept] them updated [on] my status,” Horvat said. “But it’s in your mind that hopefully it’s not too bad.

“Once I found out, and the way I was healing and stuff like that, that it was going to be in a good timeline, I was pretty confident that I’d be back before that and be ready to go for Milan.”