Hamilton Hammers sign veteran Matthew Highmore as first player
Hamilton’s first player is a veteran with 301 AHL games, 187 NHL appearances and a clear job: help set the room’s standards from day one.
Matthew Highmore is the first clue to what the Hamilton Hammers want to be.
Hamilton made its first official player signing in franchise history on June 1, adding the veteran forward on an AHL contract and choosing experience over splash for the opening move of a brand-new era. For a first-year club trying to build a room, not just a roster, that matters. Highmore arrives with more than 300 AHL games, 187 NHL appearances and two AHL All-Star selections, the kind of résumé that tells younger players what the league takes, and what it gives back.
The Hammers are not starting from zero by accident. The New York Islanders and Oak View Group announced on March 19 that the AHL affiliate would relocate from Bridgeport, Connecticut, to Hamilton, Ontario, for the 2026-27 season, and the AHL Board of Governors unanimously approved the move on March 31. The team will play in the renovated TD Coliseum and compete in the North Division. Hamilton unveiled its brand on May 21, then named Jay McKee head coach on May 29. Highmore is the first player added to that structure, and the choice says plenty about the identity McKee and the organization are trying to build.
Highmore’s value goes beyond the numbers, but the numbers still jump off the page. The AHL profile lists him at 301 regular-season games, 76 goals, 130 assists and 206 points. Last season with Bridgeport, he played 70 games and posted 15 goals and 25 assists for 40 points. That is a solid scoring line from a player who has also built a reputation as a dependable two-way forward, the kind of pro coaches trust because he can skate, defend, produce and still handle the work that does not show up in a highlight package.
That is exactly why a franchise in Hamilton starts here. A new team can chase talent later. It needs standards immediately. Highmore gives the Hammers a player who can help set them. He has already been viewed as the sort of stabilizing presence that helps younger teammates adjust to the pro game, and that becomes even more important in a new market where every practice, every shift and every room meeting helps define the culture.
Hamilton’s first signing is not a headline built on novelty. It is a statement about seriousness. The Hammers opened by adding a player who knows how to play, how to lead and how to make a new locker room feel like a real hockey team.
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