romesentinel
As the American Hockey League gears up for another season, roster turnover is a given, and the Utica Comets are no exception. When the team reconvenes in downtown Utica in late September or early October, fans will see a squad that looks vastly different from the one that last took the ice under head coach Ryan Parent.
The New Jersey Devils, the Comets' parent club, have been busy reshaping the organization ahead of their sixth year of affiliation. New Devils General Manager Sunny Mehta and Comets GM Braden Birch have prioritized improving the AHL club, which has struggled in recent seasons. Over the past three years, Utica has posted a 93-93-17-13 record (.500 points percentage) and missed the playoffs each time.
One of the most notable changes will be in goal. Jakub Malek, a 24-year-old Czech netminder, is entering his second North American pro season, while Nico Daws is expected to potentially earn a larger role with New Jersey after setting franchise records with the Comets over 142 appearances in five years. Mehta expressed optimism about Daws's future, noting that he now has a clear path to the NHL.
The Devils traded veteran Jacob Markstrom in late June to clear the way for Daws, and they also added Dave Rittich for organizational depth. How these goalies are deployed remains to be seen, with training camp decisions looming. Rittich, who turns 34 on Aug. 19, and Malek could form the Comets' tandem to start the 2026-27 season, though both Daws and Rittich require waivers to be sent down, while Malek does not.
Birch emphasized that the organization believes in its goaltenders and will let their play dictate their assignments. "We're objective," Birch said. "We don't care how you get it done. Whether you're on an NHL one-way, two-way, AHL contract, or PTO, we're objectively driven. We'll let merit speak for itself." He added that competition is welcome and that players will ultimately determine where they belong.
Key Analysis
Last season, the Comets' goals-against average of 3.06 ranked 12th in the 32-team AHL, with Daws playing a career-high 44 games and Malek appearing in 31. The Devils have also bolstered their goaltending infrastructure by hiring Leo Luongo as director of goaltending and Dan Stewart as a goaltending coach. Luongo, brother of Hall of Famer Roberto Luongo, spent a decade with Florida, while Stewart previously worked with the St. Louis Blues and AHL Springfield. Brian Eklund remains as the Comets' goaltending coach and will collaborate with Luongo, who reports to Martin Brodeur, the Devils' Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations.
Birch acknowledged the difficulty in predicting goaltending performance, citing his experience in Florida with Roberto Luongo. "Let the goalies sort out the goalies," he said, noting the influence of having two Hall of Famers in the organization. "Ultimately, I'll be the first to admit it: I can't figure it out. So, let's find someone smarter." The Comets have also re-signed Jeremy Brodeur and Seth Eisele to AHL deals, with both potentially spending time with ECHL affiliate Adirondack.
Originally reported by romesentinel.