A CHAT WITH COMETS' CAPTAIN, RYAN SCHMELZER
Sep 15, 2025Utica, NY – Another summer in the books and another season of hockey right around the corner. For Ryan Schmelzer, it was a summer of attending six weddings, spending some family time in Buffalo, NY and Burlington, ON, and entertaining his three young kids. School is in session, training camp is upon us, and the Comets’ captain is set to begin the eighth season of his professional hockey career.
The 32-year-old Buffalo native has been fortunate enough to play in his home state his entire career. He made his pro debut with the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL) after graduating from Canisius College in 2018, spent three seasons with the Binghamton Devils (AHL) from 2018 to 2021, and has played in Utica the last four seasons, having donned the ‘C’ his entire tenure as a Comet. “It’s an honor to be captain and being a New York native, playing somewhat close to home is pretty cool. (It’s important) to hold up my end of the bargain (as captain) and it’s something I’ve really enjoyed and appreciate,” said Schmelzer.
After addressing some lingering late-season injuries over the summer, the Utica captain is feeling good and is excited for a fresh start with the new season quickly approaching. While it’s important not to dwell on the past, Schmelzer said the team can learn from last season. “When we had some momentum later on in the year, guys were accepting roles and we played a more complete team game. It’s something that you could feel and see as the season went on, so our emphasis is going to be how quickly we can get into that mindset.”
The Comets’ roster saw a lot of fluctuation over the course of last season and lending a hand, particularly to new players, is part and parcel to his role as captain. “It’s a total whirlwind (for new players). There’s so many things off the ice they have to worry about as well as what’s happening on the ice… Helping them find a place to live and get settled in is a big part of it, but then on the ice, (encouraging them) to be themselves… Trusting your instincts is the advice that I give them. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to speak up. That’s all part of the process of becoming a pro,” Schmelzer stated.
To go along with having a strong voice in the locker room, Schmelzer has recorded an impressive stat sheet in his career, particularly the past two seasons. He has been Utica’s top point-getter two years running, with 44 points last season and 52 the year prior. With 65 goals as a Comet, Schmelzer is just two shy of becoming the franchise's leading scorer in the era of the affiliation with the New Jersey Devils. “I guess that just means I’ve played a lot of games,” he joked, but went on to say, “it’s not something I think about too often, but (having) your name up there with that honor is something that’s pretty cool.” When asked what he attributes his success to, Schmelzer noted, “It(can take) a little bit to adjust and figure out how the league works. (Over time) you pick up on certain things and you just find your way. That’s how the past two years have been for me. Just (learning) from what I’ve dealt with in the past and trying to apply that every day seems to be going well.”
Schmelzer says that the true sense of community in Utica is one of the things that he appreciates most about being a Comet. When asked about some of his favorite moments, he recalled meeting his neighbor for the first time and the relationship that has followed. “After a few weeks (of living in the neighborhood) we finally introduced ourselves to one another and after a few seconds of talking, he stops and goes ‘Holy crap you’re Ryan Schmelzer.’ Turns out the family (has) season tickets and just like the rest of the Utica community, they’re awesome people and have helped my family out a lot…They cut our lawn all summer while we were gone, they (told us about) and invited us to sit with them at the New Hartford Memorial Day Parade, and their daughter is really good with our kids. Anything we need they’re always lending a hand.”
Also high on his list is the passion of the Comets’ fan base. “Nothing’s better than when we’re playing well and the energy and confidence (the fans) give us… Our rink is something that we cherish, so we really want to impress (the fans) and we love their support no matter what. We want to use them to our advantage and make our building as tough a place to play as possible and it starts with (our fans),” Schmelzer said when asked about what it’s like playing in front of the home crowd.
The first opponent to enter the Adirondack Bank Center this season is the Cleveland Monsters. Come watch Ryan Schmelzer and the Comets take on their North Division foe on October 10th at 7 PM.
For tickets, please visit uticacomets.com/tickets or call 315-790-9070.