Hammer Team is a team of five SPARTAN-II, Class-0 repurposed to fighting and extinguishing Human threats within the UNSC and ONI. They get their codenames from Norse Mythology and were formally known as "Lightning Squad". Hammer Team had their name changed when the previous leader, Codename: Odin, went AWOL and defected from the Trust. Hammer Team is currently stationed aboard the Ulterior Motive, held in cryostasis until the need for them arises. After the successful capture of Admiral Hoffman, Hammer Team has been thawed out and reactivated in order to squash Fireteam Harmony from becoming a potential threat to the UNSC. Hammer Team gets its name from, not only Norse mythology, but also because each team member is specialized and proficient with Brute gravity hammers, most of the team preferring to use them for close quarters combat.
And you're probably right. But I know he wasn't part of the initial sketchup, but I felt it was a good way to add more depth and to include both Hammer Team and Odin in the future together.