Hamilton Hammers Expand Coaching Staff Ahead of Inaugural AHL Season

The Hamilton Hammers, the newest AHL affiliate of the New York Islanders, have made significant strides in their preparations for the upcoming season by adding two key figures to their coaching staff. On Thursday, the team proudly announced the hiring of Vince Laise as Assistant Coach and Kain Tisi as Goalie Coach, marking a pivotal step in building a competitive roster.

Head coach Jay McKee, who took the helm in May, is bringing in Laise, a familiar face from McKee’s previous coaching staff with the Brantford Bulldogs. Laise’s experience and understanding of McKee’s coaching philosophy are expected to contribute positively to the Hammers’ development as they embark on their inaugural season.

Joining Laise is Kain Tisi, who steps into the role of goalie coach. Tisi comes to Hamilton after a successful two-year stint with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and he previously served as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ developmental goalie coach for four years. His extensive background working with goaltenders makes him an asset as the Hammers look to refine their netminding skills.

The need for a new goalie coach arose after Sergei Naumovs took over as the Islanders’ goalie coach on October 22, leaving a vacancy within the AHL ranks. Former Islanders goaltender and current analyst for MSG and NHL Network has been temporarily assisting the AHL goaltenders during this transition period.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.