On Friday night, the Utica Comets will host the Cleveland Monsters at Adirondack Bank Center, kicking off the 2025-26 season.
With plenty of notable New Jersey Devils prospects on their roster, including Shane Lachance, Lenni Hämeenaho, Ethan Edwards, and Jakub Malek, it is an exciting time for the Devils organization.
On paper, there should be a noticeable improvement of an on-ice product that has been dwindling over the past couple of seasons.
"We have been in Utica for four full seasons," Utica Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon told The Hockey News. "Our first season, which seems like a lifetime ago, we had a great roster. I think we counted up to eight of those players who went on to what we call legit NHL careers, whether with the Devils or elsewhere.
"We won the North Division that year," he continued. "Then, it has been a steady, I will use the word decline, since then."
In an exclusive interview, MacKinnon spoke on a variety of topics, from the development of Lachance and Hämeenaho to clarity on their goaltending tandem.
Let's get into it.
MacKinnon On Comets' Blended Roster
"To be competitive, the recipe you need is a good group of young prospects, sort of pushing up with their play, demanding more ice time and bigger roles," he said. "You also need, just as critically, a solid group of what we call impact-type AHL veteran players who do two things: stabilize the group, and help drive the competitive success. If they are doing their job well enough, they make themselves available for plug-and-play call-up games with the big roster.
"I feel like since year one, we have the best blend of those two groups of players in Utica," he continued. "The young guys, bona fide prospects, and really good older guys who are pushing for NHL games themselves."
The Comets will start the season with eight players with more than 200 games of AHL experience to balance the youngsters of Mikael Diotte, Edwards, and Matyas Melovsky.
MacKinnon On The Right Type of Veterans In Utica
Captain Ryan Schmelzer will continue to lead the Comets along with defenseman Colton White, who served as an alternate captain in 2024-25.
White is in his second stint with the Devils and, at 28 years old, has taken on a bigger role in the Comets' locker room, earning praise from younger players like Seamus Casey.
"What a great example of the right type of person and player," MacKinnon said. "We have a long history with Colton, and when (his contract with the Anaheim Ducks expired) he reached back out to us, expressing interest in signing with our organization, which I was really impressed with."
The conversation between MacKinnon and the blueliner was simple: if he was going to be with the Comets, he needed to take hold and own that leadership and mentor role, not just for the younger defensemen, but for every player in that room.
"He has done it so well and is an important part of our organization right now."
MacKinnon On Goaltending
The Comets will enter the season with a goaltending tandem of Nico Daws and Jakub Malek.
On Oct. 6, Daws cleared waivers to be assigned to Utica. MacKinnon confirmed that the 24-year-old is the organization's third goaltender behind veterans Jacob Markstrom and Jake Allen.
"He is going to own the number one role in Utica and the number three role in terms of our goaltending group," he said. "We are developing Jakub Malek as well. He is an important prospect for us."
It is worth noting that once a player clears waivers, they don't have to clear again if they get called back up again, unless the player plays 10 games or is up for 30 days.
"I think any time (Daws) can get up and get NHL time without waivers exposure will be the objective," he said.
MacKinnon On Lenni Hämeenaho & Shane Lachance
"As we move forward here, you are going to see those two players get sort of a combination development path in Utica and New Jersey. Probably more Utica in the earlier part of the season."
Lachance made his Comets debut last season, earning two points in two games. Hämeenaho will make his AHL debut, wearing no. 29.
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MacKinnon On Cam Squires
To the surprise of some, Devils prospect Cam Squires will begin the season in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder.
"Cam is a young guy," he said. "A very young, pro at 20 years old. Not overly physically developed coming out of Junior. If he is not getting regular games right away in Utica, he is a player we feel very comfortable sending for game exposure down in Adirondack, like we did with Josh Filmon. It is so important these guys don't just sit and get stale in the press box; they actually play pro games against men and try to get to their game.
"We are so fortunate to have a great development affiliation with Adirondack," he continued. "It is two hours away from Utica so that we can send guys up and down."
Squires signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the Devils on July 19, 2024. He made his AHL debut on Apr. 16, 2025, against the Toronto Marlies. Through three games with the Comets, he has four points (one goal, three assists).
MacKinnon On The Balance Of Being Competitive vs. Developing Players In Specific Roles
"That has always been the nature of the American Hockey League," he said. "You are projecting prospects down there to potentially grow into a certain role at the NHL level, and that doesn't always completely align with what they are asked to do in the American Hockey League.
"A bona fide future third or fourth line NHLer is probably, after an initial adjustment period, going to be at least a middle-six or top line AHL player. That is just the nature of the beast.
"We believe as an organization that the best development happens when you are part of a competitive team that is getting its fair share of wins," he continued. "You want Brian Halonen to score, and I think he can this year, 30 to 40 goals in the AHL, but the job he is competing for at the NHL level is a fourth line role where, if he ever has it full-time, and gets eight to 10 goals, I think the organization would be thrilled."
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