The Utica Comets are a professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two o ...
team based in
Utica, New York
Utica () is a city in the Mohawk Valley and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The tenth-most-populous city in New York State, its population was 65,283 in the 2020 U.S. Census. Located on the Mohawk River at the foot ...
, with home games at the
Adirondack Bank Center. They are members of the North Division in the Eastern Conference of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) and affiliated with the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
's (NHL)
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The club was founded as the Kans ...
. The team was established when the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
relocated their AHL franchise to Utica for the
2013–14 season and remained until the
2020–21 season. The Devils then agreed to lease their franchise to the Comets after the Canucks moved their AHL franchise to
Abbotsford.
The Comets are the second AHL team to call Utica home; another New Jersey Devils affiliated team, the
Utica Devils
The Utica Devils were a professional ice hockey team of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was based in Utica, New York, and played its home games at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
History
The Utica Devils were AHL affiliate of the Natio ...
played in the city from
1987
File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airpor ...
until
1993
File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
. Before the
2021–22 AHL season
The 2021–22 AHL season is the 86th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 15, 2021, and is scheduled to end on April 30, 2022. The regular season is typically followed by the Calder Cup playoffs, which has n ...
, the Canucks relocated the franchise used by the Comets to
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a city located in British Columbia, adjacent to the Canada–United States border, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser River. With an estimated population of 153,524 people it is the largest municipality in the province outside metro ...
, and the Devils relocated their franchise, the then-
Binghamton Devils, to Utica to play as the Comets.
History
Establishment of the Comets
On March 29, 2013, a deal was announced for the
Peoria Rivermen franchise to be purchased by
Canucks Sports & Entertainment (CS&E), owners of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
's (NHL)
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
. The deal was later approved by the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) on April 18. The Canucks-owned franchise is one of the oldest professional hockey franchises in existence, dating back to 1932, when the team was known as the
Quebec Beavers The Quebec Castors or Quebec Beavers were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec from 1926 until 1935. They were members of the Canadian–American Hockey League (CAHL).
History
The team first played in the 1926–27 season. Th ...
. In 1935, the franchise moved to Springfield and became the
Indians
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
, reviving the name after the original Indians franchise ceased operations during the 1932–33
Canadian-American Hockey League
Canadian Americans is a term that can be applied to American citizens whose ancestry is wholly or partly Canadian, or citizens of either country that hold dual citizenship.
The term ''Canadian'' can mean a nationality or an ethnicity. Canadian ...
season. In addition to the Indians, the team has been known as the
Syracuse Warriors
The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existen ...
,
Springfield Kings,
Worcester IceCats
The Worcester IceCats were a US ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Worcester, Massachusetts, at the Worcester Centrum. In 2005 the team was renamed the Peoria Rivermen and moved to Peoria, Illinois.
History
The IceCat ...
and then the Rivermen.
After purchasing the franchise, CS&E intended to have the franchise located in a market close to
Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
. Their initial preference was
Abbotsford,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...
, which was home to the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey tea ...
' AHL farm club, the
Abbotsford Heat. The Heat had been rumored to have plans to relocate to Utica at the time. Negotiations between the Canucks and Abbotsford broke down by April 22, ensuring the Heat would remain in the city. Media reports speculated that the Canucks would move the team to Vancouver and share
Rogers Arena
Rogers Arena is a multi-purpose arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, the arena was known as General Motors Place (GM Place) from its opening until July 6, 2010, when G ...
, which is also owned by CS&E, with the Canucks. This proved impossible as Vancouver is within Abbotsford's 50-mile territorial radius provided by the AHL. A reported plan to have the team play in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
's
KeyArena was disallowed by the NHL, as Seattle was reportedly a candidate to land the troubled
Phoenix Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mu ...
franchise. However, the Coyotes eventually found a new owner with intentions to keep the franchise in Arizona and Seattle eventually received an expansion team in the
Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...
to play in the arena.
By May 2013, CS&E's options for the franchise were dwindling; it did consider keeping the franchise in Peoria,
but notified the city on May 13 it would not operate in that city, and the Rivermen were replaced by a
Southern Professional Hockey League
The Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league based in Huntersville, North Carolina, with teams located primarily in the southeastern United States as well as Illinois and Indiana in the midw ...
team of the same name. CS&E did consider placing the franchise in dormancy for the
2013–14 season, with the Canucks loaning their AHL prospects to other teams. Facing an extended deadline by the AHL to find a new home, CS&E agreed to a deal with Utica, New York, to relocate the franchise to the city's soon-to-be-renovated
Memorial Auditorium. The deal was confirmed on June 14 with an official announcement revealing the Utica Comets name and affiliation, along with logo and jerseys patterned after the Canucks' blue, green and silver color scheme. The Comets' nickname honors several prior professional hockey teams in the Mohawk Valley, most notably the
Clinton
Clinton is an English toponymic surname, indicating one's ancestors came from English places called Glympton or Glinton.Hanks, P. & Hodges, F. ''A Dictionary of Surnames''. Oxford University Press, 1988 Clinton has frequently been used as a given ...
and
Mohawk Valley Comets
They Mohawk Valley Comets are a former professional ice hockey team based in Utica, New York. They were a member of the North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the ...
, which played from 1927 until 1977 (as the Mohawk Valley Comets, they called the Memorial Auditorium home); the
Atlantic Coast Hockey League's
Mohawk Valley Comets
They Mohawk Valley Comets are a former professional ice hockey team based in Utica, New York. They were a member of the North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the ...
, which played from 1985 until 1987; and a third team of the same name, which played in the
North Eastern Hockey League during the 2003–04 season.
Vancouver Canucks affiliation (2013–2021)
After establishing the team, CS&E began hiring operations personnel.
Travis Green became the first head coach, while
Paul Jerrard
Paul C. Jerrard (April 20, 1965 – February 15, 2023) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played five games in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota North Stars.
Jerrard was an assistant coach for the Omaha Mavericks of ...
and
Nolan Baumgartner
Nolan Baumgartner (born March 23, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He was formerly an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). Baumgartner was selected by the Washington Capita ...
were named assistant coaches, and
Pat Conacher
Patrick John Conacher (born May 1, 1959) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward. He last played with the Canada men's national ice hockey team during the 1997-98 season. He is currently a scout of amateur hockey for the Vancouver Canucks.
Conac ...
was hired as the director of hockey operations. Utica played its first game on October 11, 2013, a 4–1 loss to the
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, ...
. In the game,
Pascal Pelletier scored the first goal in Comets' history. Utica lost two more games before making their home debut. Before the game, the Comets celebrated the region's hockey history with a slide show,
Gordie Howe
Gordon Howe (March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) and six seasons in the World Hockey Association (WHA); his first 25 seaso ...
dropped the ceremonial puck and the
Hanson Brothers
The Hanson Brothers are fictional characters in the 1977 movie ''Slap Shot''. The characters are based on the Carlson brothers, who were actual hockey players.
The movie, which stars Paul Newman, was written by Nancy Dowd. The story was based ...
from the movie ''
Slap Shot
''Slap Shot'' is a 1977 American sports film directed by George Roy Hill, written by Nancy Dowd and starring Paul Newman and Michael Ontkean. It depicts a minor league ice hockey team that resorts to violent play to gain popularity in a declin ...
'' made an appearance. Utica lost the game 4–1 to the
Albany Devils. One week after their home opener,
Colin Stuart was named team
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
. The Comets finished their debut season with 35 victories and 79 points, four points behind the last spot of the playoffs. Seventeen of the team's thirty-eight home games were sold out.
Before the
2014–15 season,
Cal O'Reilly was named the team's new captain. The Comets saw much improvement in their second season, and after
Sven Baertschi and
Cory Conacher
Cory Conacher (born December 14, 1989) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Playing career
Growin ...
were acquired in trades, the team soon dominated the Western Conference, finishing the regular season as the top seed. During the playoffs, the Comets won the
Robert W. Clarke Trophy The Robert W. Clarke Trophy is presented annually to the AHL's champion of the Western Conference during the playoffs. Prior to 1998, it was given to the champion of the Southern Conference/Division.
The award is named after former AHL Chairman o ...
as Western Conference champions, advancing to the
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is the trophy awarded annually to the playoff champions of the American Hockey League. It was first presented in 1937 to the Syracuse Stars.
The cup is made of sterling silver mounted on a base of Brazilian mahogany. In its cur ...
finals against the
Manchester Monarchs Manchester Monarchs may refer to:
*Manchester Monarchs (AHL) (2001–2015)
*Manchester Monarchs (ECHL)
The Manchester Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL which began play in the 2015–16 season. Based in Manchester, New ...
; the Comets would fall to the Monarchs in five games. Following the season, O'Reilly joined his brother
Ryan
Ryan may refer to:
People and fictional characters
*Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)
*Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name)
Places Australia
* Division of Ryan, an elector ...
with the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conf ...
.
The
2015–16 season saw the departure of many Comets players.
Jacob Markstrom
Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Isla ...
became the backup goaltender for the Canucks,
Brendan Gaunce and newly-named captain
Alex Biega also spent significant time with the Canucks, while
Nicklas Jensen and
Hunter Shinkaruk were traded mid-season to the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its ho ...
and
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey tea ...
, respectively. The Comets placed third in the North Division, which was moved to the Eastern Conference at the start of the season. They were eliminated in the first round of the 2016 playoffs, losing the series 3–1 to the Albany Devils.
At the start of the
2016–17 season,
Carter Bancks was named team captain, replacing Alex Biega, who became a full-time player for the Canucks. The Comets were unable to clinch a playoff berth, falling four points short. However, the team managed to sellout every home game, extending their sellout streak.
On April 26, 2017, the Canucks hired Green as their new head coach after leading the Comets to a 155–110–39 record through their first four seasons. He was replaced by
Trent Cull as head coach of the Comets. The Comets continued their sellout streak through the
2017–18 season. They qualified for the 2018 playoffs as the fourth seed in the North Division. They lost the opening round in five games to the
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies is owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, a ...
, the eventual Calder Cup champions.
On October 19, 2018, the Utica Comets sold out their 121st consecutive regular season game, establishing a new AHL record. They also sold out all of their 17 playoff games hosted during this span, for a combined streak of 138 consecutive sellouts. They reached 200 consecutive regular season sellouts on February 29, 2020.
On December 29, 2018, during the final season of their initial six-year affiliation agreement, the Canucks and Comets extended their affiliation agreement for up to an additional six years, with potential opt outs every two seasons.
The Comets played their first 61 games of the
2019–20 season, but the last 15 games of the season were postponed on March 12, 2020, due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
and then cancelled entirely. The start of the
2020–21 season was also pushed back to February 2021. The Comets also agreed to a one-year dual affiliation with the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
after the
Springfield Thunderbirds opted out of the 2020–21 season. Prior to the pandemic-related schedule changes, the Comets planned to host the
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Syracuse, New York, at the Upstate Medical University Arena. They are the primary development affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tam ...
in an outdoor game at the Griffiss Business and Technology Park in
Rome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States, located in the central part of the state. The population was 32,127 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Rome is one of two principal cities in the Utica–Rome Metropolitan ...
, on February 13, 2021, however, the game was not held as the season had not started.
New Jersey Devils affiliation (2021)
In April 2021, a new trademark was filed for the brand "
Utica Devils
The Utica Devils were a professional ice hockey team of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team was based in Utica, New York, and played its home games at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
History
The Utica Devils were AHL affiliate of the Natio ...
" by
Robert Esche
Robert L. Esche (born January 22, 1978) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who is the current president of the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Utica City FC of the Major Arena Soccer League (MAS ...
, the operator of the Utica Comets, for a potential relocation of the
Binghamton Devils. On May 4, the Canucks announced that they plan to relocate the Comets' franchise to
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Abbotsford is a city located in British Columbia, adjacent to the Canada–United States border, Greater Vancouver and the Fraser River. With an estimated population of 153,524 people it is the largest municipality in the province outside metro ...
, pending final discussions with the city of Abbotsford and league approval. On May 6, the league approved of both relocations while the Comets and the Devils announced a ten-year affiliation agreement for the Comets to operate the Devils' AHL franchise. The Utica team remained branded as the Comets but changed their team colors to match the Devils.
Kevin Dineen
Kevin William Dineen (born October 28, 1963) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. , Dineen is the head coach of the Utica Comets in the American Hockey League (AHL). Dineen previously served as the head coach for the Fl ...
was brought on as the first head coach under the Devils' affiliation.
The Comets started the
2021–22 AHL season
The 2021–22 AHL season is the 86th season of the American Hockey League. The regular season began on October 15, 2021, and is scheduled to end on April 30, 2022. The regular season is typically followed by the Calder Cup playoffs, which has n ...
with an 11–game winning streak, tying the
1984–85 Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, ...
for the most consecutive wins to start a season by an AHL team. They would win their next game against the
Charlotte Checkers
The Charlotte Checkers are a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affi ...
to break the previous record, with a 12–0–0–0 record to start the regular season. The Comets would use this winning streak to help them finish with a North division regular season championship, and with the best points percentage in the Eastern Conference. They would have a bye in the first round, but would lose in five games to the
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, ...
in the North Division Semifinals.
Season-by-season results
Players
Current roster
Updated December 23, 2022.
Team captains
There have been four players who have served as the
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
in the first franchise, and one in the second.
Colin Stuart was the first franchise's first captain, who was appointed until he left the team as a free agent in 2014, while Ryan Schmelzer is the first and current captain of the second franchise, holding the position since his appointment in 2021.
Carter Bancks was the longest-tenured captain of either franchise, holding the position from 2016 until his retirement after the 2019–20 season.
First Franchise
*
Colin Stuart, 2013–2014
*
Cal O'Reilly, 2014–2015
*
Alex Biega, 2015–2016
*
Carter Bancks, 2016–2020
Second Franchise
* Ryan Schmelzer, 2021–present
References
External links
Utica Comets official website
{{Abbotsford Canucks
Utica Comets
New Jersey Devils minor league affiliates
Vancouver Canucks minor league affiliates
Ice hockey teams in New York (state)
Ice hockey clubs established in 2013
2013 establishments in New York (state)