A former Edmonton Oilers defenceman will be part of a historic season in Hamilton.
Ethan Bear, who was drafted by the Oilers in the 2015 NHL Draft, was recently named to the Hamilton Hammers' inaugural training camp roster.
Bear played just shy of 150 career games with the Oilers, recording 33 points (eight goals and 25 assists) over that span. He helped guide the Oilers to the playoffs in 2020 and 2021, both of which saw the Oilers exit after four games (the Oilers were eliminated by the Chicago Blackhawks during the one-off Stanley Cup Qualifiers in 2020). Bear also spent time with the Oilers' AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, recording 49 points (12 goals and 37 assists) through 89 games played at that level.
Since leaving the Oilers organization, Bear spent time with the Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, and Washington Capitals before signing with the New York Islanders ahead of the 2025-26 season. He was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, for their final season of play; the Islanders relocated to Hamilton to become the Hammers ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Bear recorded 27 points in 40 games played with Bridgeport during the 2025-26 campaign. He played in both of their playoff games that spring.
No matter what happens with the Hammers, Bear will be part of Hamilton's sports history
While Hamilton is already home to the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the CPL's consistently successful Forge FC, hockey has seen its fair share of success in the city. But even then, the sport is looking for another life in the city.
The city had previously been home to an NHL team (way back in the day) and two AHL franchises; most recently, the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs relocated to St John's, Newfoundland, after the 2014-15 season. The OHL's Hamilton Bulldogs were then moved from Belleville prior to the start of the 2015-16 OHL season, though they would face another relocation eight years later, this time to Brantford.
This fall, not only will the Hammers represent the return of professional/major junior hockey to the city of Hamilton, but the professional women's game will also mark its inaugural season in the city. The PWHL previously announced that Hamilton would be one of four North American cities - the other three are San Jose, Las Vegas, and Detroit - to join the league ahead of its fourth season of play.
With both cases in mind, Hamilton is in for a big 2026-27 hockey season, one that finally puts the city back on the map in a big way. No matter what kind of statistical season Bear puts together for his second campaign in the Islanders' organization, he can easily say that he was a part of a special hockey moment for a city that has been begging for one for so long.
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