Utica Comets Director of Hockey Operations Pat Conacher announced today that the club has signed forward Mike Zalewski to an American Hockey League contract for the 2015-16 season.
A native of nearby New Hartford, NY, Zalewski spent last season with the Comets and collected 12 points (3-9-12), and 18 penalty minutes in 55 games through the course of the regular season. The 22-year-old rookie also appeared in all 23 Calder Cup Playoff games and recorded three points (1-2-3) and 14 penalty minutes.
He made his professional hockey debut with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks during the 2013-14 season, where he collected an assist and a +2 rating in two games played.
Prior to joining the Canucks, he collected 26 points (9-17-26) in 35 games with the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) Engineers in 2013-14 to rank fourth on the team in scoring. The 6’2”, 210 pound forward finished tied for first on the team in shorthanded goals with two. In 75 career NCAA games, Zalewski has compiled 47 points (21-26-47) and 75 penalty minutes.
Zalewski played two seasons with the Vernon Vipers of the BCHL where he was an assistant captain and led the team in scoring in the 2011-12 season with 75 points (38-37-75) in 60 games. He collected 12 points (6-6-12) in 23 playoff games in 2010-11 to help the Vipers win the Mowat Cup and Doyle Cup and also reach the Royal Bank Cup Final.
While growing up in Central NY, Zalewski played three seasons at New Hartford High School and was named the 2009 New York State Player of the Year. He led the Spartans to the 2009 New York Division 2 state hockey championship which was clinched at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
