Utica Comets The Utica Comets are a professional ice hockey team based in Utica , New York . They are members of the North Division , of the Western Conference of the American Hockey League ( AHL ) . Beginning play in the 2013 – 14 season , the team plays at the Utica Memorial Auditorium , as the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League ' s Vancouver Canucks . The Comets are the second AHL team to call Utica home ; the Utica Devils played in the city from 1987 until 1993 and were affiliated with the New Jersey Devils . History . The Comets ' franchise , one of the oldest professional hockey teams in existence , dates back to 1932 , when the team was known as the Quebec Beavers . In 1935 , the franchise moved to Springfield and became the Indians , reviving the name after the original Indians franchise ceased operations during the 1932 - 33 Canadian - American Hockey League season . In addition to the Indians , the team has been known as the Syracuse Warriors , Springfield Kings , Worcester IceCats and was most recently known as the Peoria Rivermen . The Rivermen franchise was purchased by Canucks Sports & Entertainment ( CS & E ) , owners of the National Hockey League ' s ( NHL ) Vancouver Canucks , in a deal announced on March 29 , 2013 and approved by the American Hockey League ( AHL ) on April 18 . After purchasing the Rivermen franchise , CS & E made intentions to have the franchise located in a market close to Vancouver . Their initial preference was Abbotsford , British Columbia , which was home to the Calgary Flames ' AHL farm club , the Abbotsford Heat . The Heat had been rumored to relocate to Utica , New York at the time . Negotiations between the Canucks and Abbotsford broke down by April 22 , ensuring the Heat would remain in the city . Media reports speculated that Canucks would move the team to Vancouver and share Rogers Arena , which is also owned by CS & E , with the Canucks . This proved impossible as Vancouver is within Abbotsford ' s 50 - mile territorial radius provided by the AHL . A reported plan to have the team play in Seattle ' s KeyArena was disallowed by the NHL as Seattle was reportedly a candidate to land the troubled Phoenix Coyotes franchise ; however , the Coyotes have since found a new owner who intends to keep the franchise in Arizona . By mid - May 2013 , CS & E ' s options for the franchise were dwindling ; they did consider keeping the franchise in Peoria , but notified the city on May 13 that it would not operate in that city and the Rivermen were replaced by a Southern Professional Hockey League team of the same name . CS & E did consider placing the franchise in dormancy for the 2013 – 14 season , with the Canucks loaning their AHL prospects to other teams . Facing an extended deadline by the AHL to find a new home , CS & E agreed to a deal with Utica , New York to relocate the franchise to the city ' s soon - to - be - renovated Memorial Auditorium . The deal was confirmed on June 14 with an official announcement revealing the Utica Comets name and affiliation , along with logo and jerseys patterned after the Canucks ' blue , green , and silver color scheme . The Comets ' nickname honors several prior professional hockey teams in the Mohawk Valley , most notably the Clinton and Mohawk Valley Comets which played from 1927 until 1977 ( as the Mohawk Valley Comets , they called the Memorial Auditorium home ) ; the Atlantic Coast Hockey League ' s Mohawk Valley Comets , which played from 1985 until 1987 ; and a third team of the same name , which played in the North Eastern Hockey League during the 2003 – 04 season . After the founding CS & E began hiring personnel to run the team . Travis Green became the first head coach in team history , Paul Jerrard and Nolan Baumgartner were named assistant coaches and Pat Conacher was hired as the director of hockey operations . Utica played its first game on October 11 , 2013 , a 4 – 1 loss to the Rochester Americans . In the game Pascal Pelletier scored the first goal in Comets history . Utica lost two more games before making their home debut . Before the game the Comets celebrated the regions hockey history with a slide show , Gordie Howe dropped the ceremonial puck and the Hanson Brothers from the movie " Slap Shot " made an appearance . Utica lost the game 4 – 1 to the Albany Devils . A week after their home opener Colin Stuart was named team captain . The Comets finished their debut season with 35 victories and 79 points , just four behind the last spot of the playoffs . 17 of the team ' s 38 home games were sold out . Before the 2014 - 15 season begun , Cal O ' Reilly was named the team ' s new captain . The Comets saw much improvement in their sophomore season , and after Sven Baertschi and Cory Conacher were acquired in trades , the team soon dominated the Western Conference , finishing the regular season as the top seed . During the playoffs , the Comets won the Robert W . Clarke Trophy as Western Conference champions , advancing to the Calder Cup finals against the Manchester Monarchs ; the Comets would fall to the Monarchs in five games .