The New Jersey Devils have announced the Utica Comets coaching staff for the 2025-26 season. Ryan Parent, who served as interim head coach last season, has been appointed as the official Head Coach. Mark Voakes has been promoted to assistant coach after three seasons as a player development coach within the organization. Joining them is Matt Carkner as an assistant coach, while Brian Eklund returns as goaltending coach. The announcement was made by Tom Fitzgerald, President/General Manager of the Devils, and Dan MacKinnon, Assistant General Manager of the Devils and General Manager of the Utica Comets.
Ryan Parent, 38, took on the role of interim head coach for Utica on November 6, 2024, succeeding Kevin Dineen. After a challenging start to the 2024-25 season with a record of 0-8-1, Parent led the team to finish with a record of 31-33-6-2. This marks his eighth season with the organization since being hired as an assistant coach for Binghamton Devils in August 2018 under Mark Dennehy.
Mark Voakes, aged 41, previously worked closely with Meghan Duggan in player development for New Jersey. He engaged extensively with Utica’s coaching staff and players over recent seasons. Voakes’ professional playing career spanned across various leagues including ECHL and AHL from 2009 to 2012 and later in Germany’s DEL until 2021.
Matt Carkner joins after serving three years as head coach in Orlando’s ECHL team where he achieved a record of 105-82-29 and secured postseason berths twice consecutively. His coaching career began as an assistant at Bridgeport in AHL from 2016 until mid-2021 following his retirement from a professional playing career spanning NHL and AHL.
Brian Eklund continues his role as goaltending coach rounding out this newly structured coaching lineup aimed at enhancing Utica’s performance in upcoming competitions.
