Dineen out, Parent in as Comets head coach
UTICA, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — Kevin Dineen is out as the Utica Comets' head coach after one point in the first nine games of the 2024-25 season.
The New Jersey Devils made the announcement Thursday afternoon, November 6.
"Unfortunately, after the start we had to this season, the organization felt it was time to make a change while the season is still young," Devils Assistant General Manager and Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon said in a statement. "We thank Kevin for his time with Utica and wish him and his family all the best moving forward."
This was Dineen's fourth head coaching job in the NHL and AHL. Since taking over in 2021, Dineen has amassed an AHL record of 110-84-31. His overall AHL record sits at 322-191-37-31 with the Comets, the Portland Pirates and the San Diego Gulls.
Ryan Parent will take over as interim head coach. He has been with the Devils' organization since the 2018-19 season when the team was in Binghamton.
"In his seven years with our AHL affiliate, Ryan Parent has established a track record of transparently communicating with young players and teaching good habits, while drawing on his own playing experiences," MacKinnon said in a statement. "Those characteristics will serve him well in this new role where he will need to develop, lead, and relate to players at all different stages of their pro hockey careers."
A former member of the Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins, Parent was part of two gold-medal-winning Canadian teams at the 2006 and 2007 World Junior Championships. He has prior head coaching experience at the junior level, with the Lloydminster Bobcats of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, as well as the Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League.
In addition, the Devils have announced that Eric Weinrich has been named an interim Assistant Coach for the Comets. Weinrich was previously a Player Development Coach with the Devils' organization.
Weinrich has some experience at the Adirondack Bank Center, playing with the Utica Devils for two seasons, in 1988-89 and 1989-90. He scored 104 points in 137 games for the Devils before a 17-season career in the NHL.
Both Parent and Weinrich will start their tenure with the Comets at Thursday's practice. Their first game as coaches will be on Friday, November 8 at the Adirondack Bank Center against the Cleveland Monsters.
