JR. COMET ALUM CAM WHITEHEAD PREPARES FOR FIRST USHL SEASON

The blue paint at the Adirondack Bank Center has been owned by many great goaltenders at the amateur and professional level. Cameron Whitehead is primed to be the next one on that list.

Whitehead, 18, came to the Utica Jr. Comets NCDC team for the 2020-21 season and has now moved on to the Lincoln Stars in the USHL. He was the 30^th ranked North American goalie on the NHL Central Scouting list in May.

“Utica opened a lot of doors for me,” Whitehead said. “It really gave me an opportunity to make a name for myself. Before getting drafted to Utica I was not even sure if I really wanted to go, but it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me. Rob Esche really helped me a lot with my game on the ice and made me a better person off the ice. He was a big part of my success when I was there.”

Whitehead spent 29 games in Utica and trained with Esche, a former NHL goalie and olympian, outside of practices.

“Cam has been a very dedicated athlete focused on getting better each and every day and he’s an even better person,” Esche said about the young netminder. “Continuing with that type of focus and determination will take him far and we have only just seen the beginning. I’m genuinely looking forward to watching him in future.”

Cam said he loved his time in Utica, “I had a lot of great memories throughout the year. I got to spend a lot of time at the rink and with the team and just got to know everyone really well. Especially off the ice with my billets I had a lot of great memories with them and created a lifelong friendship.”

He was drafted by the Lincoln Stars in the 2021 USHL Draft and is ready to make the leap to the next level.

“So far it’s been great in Lincoln. The team and coaching staff have been very good and it's going to be a really good year. My goal right now is just to do my job in the USHL and try to win a Clark cup.”

The Lincoln Stars season stars September 23^rd against Youngstown.