What happened: Jay McKee is headed to the New York Islanders' AHL affiliate as its new head coach, according to Yahoo NHL. The move ends speculation that he was a candidate to coach in Belleville within the Ottawa Senators organization. A Belleville hire would have reunited McKee with Senators executives Steve Staios and Michael Andlauer.

Why it matters: The appointment locks in a key bench role on the Islanders' development side as the organization shapes its prospect pipeline heading into the 2025-26 season. It also closes the door on the rumored Ottawa reunion, settling one of the offseason's lingering AHL coaching questions.

What to watch: Watch for the Islanders to formalize the appointment and for McKee to round out his AHL coaching staff.