Utica Comets
The Utica Comets are an American professional ice hockey team. They began playing in 2021. The team plays in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play their home games in Utica, New York at the Adirondack Bank Center. They are the AHL affiliate for the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (AHL). Their ECHL affiliate is the Adirondack Thunder.
| Utica Comets | |
|---|---|
| City | Utica, New York |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | North |
| Founded | 1932 (first team) 1998 (second team) |
| Home arena | Adirondack Bank Center |
| Colours | Red, black, white |
| General manager | Dan MacKinnon |
| Head coach | Kevin Dineen |
| Affiliate(s) | New Jersey Devils (NHL) Adirondack Thunder (ECHL) |
Website Official website | |
| Franchise history | |
| First franchise | |
| 1932–1935 1935–1951 | Quebec Beavers Springfield Indians |
| 1951–1954 1954–1967 | Syracuse Warriors Springfield Indians |
| 1967–1974 1974–1994 | Springfield Kings Springfield Indians |
| 1994–2005 2005–2013 | Worcester IceCats Peoria Rivermen |
| 2013–2021 | Utica Comets |
| 2021–present | Abbotsford Canucks |
| Second franchise | |
| 1998–2006 2006–2010 | Lowell Lock Monsters Lowell Devils |
| 2010–2017 | Albany Devils |
The team originally played in Peoria, Illinois as the Peoria Rivermen from 2005 to 2013. On March 29, 2013, the Vancouver Canucks bought the Rivermen.[1] On June 14, 2013, it was announced that the team would be moving to Utica, New York and would become the Utica Comets.[2]
On October 11, 2013, the team would play their first game as the Utica Comets. They would be defeated by the Rochester Americans 4–1.[3] In the 2019–20 season, the Comets would finish the season with 47 wins, 20 losses, and 103 points. In the playoffs, they would win the North Division and Eastern Conference championship. They would make it to the Calder Cup Finals but lost to the Manchester Monarchs four games to one.[4]
On May 6, 2021, the Canucks announced that they were going to relocate the team to Abbotsford, British Columbia to become the Abbotsford Canucks. On the same day, the league approved the relocation of the Binghamton Devils to Utica to become the new Utica Comets. The same day, the new Comets announced they had signed a ten-year deal to become the affiliates of the New Jersey Devils.[5][6]
References
- ↑ "Canadiens moving AHL affiliate to Laval in 17-18". American Hockey League. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ↑ "Utica Comets to join AHL in 2013–14". American Hockey League. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ↑ "Utica Comets @ Rochester Americans Friday, October 11, 2013". American Hockey League. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ↑ "Comets Season Ends in Calder Cup Finals". Utica Comets. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ↑ "Canucks to move American Hockey League affiliate to Abbotsford". The Province. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ↑ "Board of Governors Approves Franchise Relocations". American Hockey League. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
