The New Jersey Devils have announced the Utica Comets complete coaching staff for the 2025-26 season, and a familiar face will serve as head coach.

Ryan Parent will be returning as Head Coach of the Comets this season, as serving as the interim head coach for part of last season. Mark Voakes was promoted to Assistant and Matt Carkner joined the organization as an Assistant. The staff is rounded out by returning Goaltending Coach Brian Eklund and Video Coach Brian Suslow.  Devils’ President/General Manager Tom Fitzgerald and Devils’ Assistant General Manager/Utica Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon made the announcement on Wednesday.

Parent, 38, was named Interim Head Coach for Utica on November 6, 2024, replacing Kevin Dineen. After Utica started the 2024-25 season 0-8-1, Parent took over responsibilities and coached the Comets to a 31-33-6-2 record. Parent enters his eighth season with the organization after being hired as an Assistant Coach for the Binghamton Devils (AHL) under Mark Dennehy on August 23, 2018. The assistant role under Dennehy was Parent’s first coaching job after retiring as an active player.

Voakes, 41, a native of St. Thomas, Ontario, played 14 seasons at the professional level. The former centerman played three seasons split between the ECHL (Cincinnati, Bakersfield, and Greenville) and AHL (Portland, Rochester) from 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Carkner, 44, spent the past three seasons from 2022-23 to 2024-25 as Head Coach of Orlando in the ECHL. He played professionally at the NHL and AHL level for 15 seasons from 2001-02 to 2015-16.

Damage from the June 22, 2025 Clark Mills Tornado

I live on Clinton Street, which was on the direct path of the Clark Mills tornado. This is what my neighbors and I woke up to on June 22, 2025.

Gallery Credit: Megan

Photos of the most severe damage in Clark Mills, NY from the Tornado on June 22, 2025

Clark Mills tornado, June 22, 2025

Gallery Credit: Nancy L. Ford

Watching the 2025 Belmont Stakes in the Front Row

There was no way I was going to miss out on watching the race from the front. It was worth standing for over 2 hours right at the fence to ensure we’d have the best “seats” in the house.

Gallery Credit: Megan