UTICA COMETS ANNOUNCE SIGNINGS OF BRODEUR, OSIPOV, STRAND AND VAN DE LEEST
Jul 11, 2025Utica, NY. – The Utica Comets General Manager, Dan MacKinnon, announced today that the team has signed goaltender Jeremy Brodeur along with defensemen Dmitry Osipov, Austin Strand, and Jackson van de Leest to AHL contracts for the 2024-25 season. Brodeur, Osipov and Strand signed AHL one-way contracts, and van de Leest signed an AHL two-way contract.
Brodeur, 28, is a native of Essex Fells, New Jersey. He skated in five games for the Comets last season, posting a 2.16 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. He also appeared in 24 games with the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL, recording a 2.89 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage. Brodeur made his AHL debut during the 2023-24 season and enters his seventh year of professional hockey.
Strand, 27, joined the Comets midway through last season via trade and registered 2 goals and 12 assists in 39 games on Utica’s blue line. The Calgary, Alberta native brings a wealth of experience to the team, entering his eighth professional season. Strand has suited up for six different AHL teams, including Rockford, Chicago, Ontario, San Diego, Rochester, and Utica. He also has 26 games of NHL experience with the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks between 2020-21 and 2022-23.
Osipov, 28, played 39 games with the Comets last season, adding 1 goal and 5 assists. He previously appeared in three playoff games with the Hershey Bears during the 2023 Calder Cup Finals, helping the Bears capture their league-record 13th championship. The Moscow, Russia native has played in 231 career AHL games with Utica, Hershey, Chicago, Rockford, and San Diego.
van de Leest, 23, played in six games for Utica last season while spending most of the year with Adirondack, where he appeared in 40 contests, tallying 2 goals and 10 assists. The Kelowna, British Columbia native began the season at Dalhousie University, where he registered 3 goals and 6 assists in 30 games. Prior to his collegiate career, the 6-foot-7, 238-pound defenseman played 255 games in the WHL for Calgary and Red Deer, notching 88 points and 280 penalty minutes. He served as captain of the Calgary Hitmen during the 2021-22 season.
Season tickets are now on sale, and the full 2024-25 AHL schedule is available at uticacomets.com. The Comets’ Home Opener is set for Friday, October 10th against the Cleveland Monsters. For more information, visit uticacomets.com.