UTICA — When the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) begin play this fall, it will be their first season as an affiliate of the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL). But it’s not the first time the city of Utica has had a New Jersey Devils minor-league team.

The Comets on May 6 announced a 10-year affiliation agreement with New Jersey. The 10-year deal begins a “new chapter” for the partnership between New Jersey and Utica — a pairing that previously existed from 1987-1993 when New Jersey’s AHL partner was known as the Utica Devils, per a Comets news release.

The Comets have been affiliated with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks since they began play in the 2013-14 season.

Both the Devils and Comets President Robert Esche on May 6 announced that the AHL’s Board of Governors unanimously approved the relocation of the franchise owned by the Devils from Binghamton to Utica, beginning with the 2021-22 season. 

“After multiple discussions and evaluating the options available for the future of our American Hockey League franchise, we have agreed to partner with local operating group Mohawk Valley Garden in Utica … led by Comets President Robert Esche, to relocate our AHL franchise starting with the 2021-22 season. We are pleased to announce that this is a 10-year partnership which establishes a mutual commitment between our organization and the city of Utica,” Jake Reynolds, president of the New Jersey Devils, and Tom Fitzgerald, the Devils’ executive VP/general manager, said in the release. “We look forward to creating new memories for the fans as the next generation of Devils’ stars develop their professional careers at the Adirondack Bank Center. Working with Robert and his team will be an exciting opportunity as we look to build upon the passion and enthusiasm that they’ve created in making Utica one of the top markets in the AHL.”

The organization will remain the Utica Comets, with jersey designs and colors to be revealed later this year. “Throughout the process, both parties focused on the Utica community while introducing a new NHL partner into the city; the main component to that was ensuring that the team would still be called the Utica Comets,” per the Comets.

“We could not be happier for the opportunity to partner with the New Jersey Devils, an organization with a rich history not only in the NHL but also in our own community,” Esche said. “The spirit of Comets hockey and the culture our fans have created will continue to grow as it has for decades and evolve through the next 10 years, and we are honored to be a part of that with the Devils.”

Esche also announced that, to commemorate the first day the Utica Devils took the ice in 1987, the Comets will open at home on Sunday, Oct. 17 — exactly 34 years since the Devils’ AHL hockey debut in the City of Utica.

Utica Mayor Robert Palmieri issued a May 6 statement in reaction to Comets’ announcement.

“Over the past seven years, the residents of our community demonstrated their love for hockey and made it clear Utica was a viable and appealing option to support an American Hockey League (AHL) franchise. This was evident today as the Board of Governors approved the relocation of the New Jersey Devils AHL franchise from Binghamton to Utica. We certainly thank the Vancouver Canucks for making Utica their home the past seven years and wish them every success in their new location,” Palmieri said.

The AHL franchise owned by the Vancouver Canucks will relocate from Utica to Abbotsford, British Columbia beginning with the 2021-22 AHL season, per the AHL website.