A new team interview explores the New Hartford native’s move from Comets player to assistant coach.
UTICA, N.Y. Mike Zalewski has already experienced the roar of a hometown crowd as a Comets player. Now, in his first season as an assistant coach, the New Hartford native is learning what it means to help the team from behind the bench.
In an interview published by the Comets on October 14, Zalewski reflected on the path that brought him home and the pull of coaching a club he once represented on the ice.
The interview follows a decision made during the summer. The Comets announced his appointment on August 18, adding him to head coach Ryan Parent’s staff for the 2026-27 season.
A local start and a long road back
Zalewski’s junior career began close to home with the Syracuse Stars in 2009-10, according to the Comets’ August announcement. He later played at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, scoring 21 goals and adding 26 assists in 71 college games from 2012 to 2014.
His path also reached the NHL, where he appeared in six games with the Vancouver Canucks and recorded two assists.
Much of his North American professional career unfolded in Utica. The Comets’ current hockey operations biography lists 167 regular-season appearances from 2014-15 through 2016-17, with 24 goals and 39 assists. His strongest scoring season came in 2015-16, when he finished with 33 points.
He also played in 27 Calder Cup playoff games and was part of Utica’s run to the 2015 final, according to the appointment announcement. In this week’s interview, he recalled how much it meant to have friends and relatives share that experience, describing the playoff crowd as the loudest he had heard.
Mentoring comes into focus
Zalewski said he had thought about coaching during his playing career and enjoyed helping younger teammates. His playing years included six seasons in Germany and Austria before the opportunity to return to Utica as a coach arrived.
“Every day feels special here,” he told the Comets.
The team’s August release identified the job as his first coaching position since finishing his playing career in Austria in 2022-23. He joined a staff that includes fellow assistant Matt Carkner and goaltending coach Brian Eklund.
Fans can find upcoming games and ticket information on the Comets’ official schedule. The club’s current listing has Utica hosting Laval at NBT Bank Arena at 6 p.m. Saturday, October 17.
This story draws on the Comets’ October 14 interview, August 18 appointment announcement and current team listings. Sources checked October 16, 2026.