Islanders announce Trenton Ironhawks as ECHL affiliate for 2026-27

A relocated franchise will have a new parent club.

On Wednesday, the New York Islanders announced that the Trenton Ironhawks will be the team’s ECHL affiliate for the 2026-27 season. The Ironhawks will also serve as an affiliate of the Islanders’ American Hockey League affiliate in Hamilton, Ont.

Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said the team is excited to partner with the nearby team.

“We are excited to partner with Trenton as our new ECHL affiliate and bring professional hockey back to New Jersey’s capital city,” Darche said in a release. “Trenton has a great organization, led by Bob Ohrablo, and has set a platform for our prospects to develop both on and off the ice.  We’ve had several members of the current and past Islanders teams play games in the ECHL and look forward to continuing that trend in Trenton.” 

The announcement spells the end of the Isles’ affiliation with the Worcester Railers, who had been partnered with the team from Long Island since its inception in 2017.

The Ironhawks are relocating to the Garden State from West Valley City, Utah, where the team was known as the Utah Grizzlies from 2005 through this past season. It ends an over-three-decade tenure of pro hockey in Utah, as the Grizzlies had been in operation since 1994, playing in both the International Hockey League and AHL.

At the time of the announcement, the moving franchise was partnered with the Colorado Avalanche. However, with the team moving across the country, the Avs signed a multi-year deal with the expansion New Mexico Goatheads, who are scheduled to start play next season as well.

The Ironhawks will be the first professional team in Trenton, N.J. since the Titans (also known as the Devils for two seasons) were in the ECHL from 1999 to 2013. The team made it to the Kelly Cup Finals twice, winning it all in 2005. The Ironhawks will be playing at the CURE Insurance Arena next fall.