New Hartford native Mike Zalewski has signed to the play for the Straubing Tigers in Germany. Straubing plays in the country's top hockey league, the DEL.

Mike Zalewski will play for a new team next season.

The New Hartford native, who turns 25 in mid-August, will also be playing in a different country.

Zalewski, a former New York State Player of the Year at New Hartford High School, has signed to the play for the Straubing Tigers in Germany. Straubing, which first announced Zalewski's signing on its website, plays in the country's top hockey league, the DEL.

"I'm really excited about it," Zalewski said during a phone interview Monday afternoon. "I think just a fresh start with new opportunities will be good. It's new everything. It's a new country. ... I'm excited for the new opportunities that it brings."

The move comes after Zalewski, a forward who is known for his aggressive and determined style on both sides of the ice, played the majority of the last three seasons with the Utica Comets.

Zalewski became an unrestricted free agent this summer after he wasn't given a qualifying offers from Utica's parent team, the Vancouver Canucks, who are adding a large share of young talent to the organization.

The move overseas also reunites him with 30-year-old brother, Steven, who is set to return to Straubing for a third consecutive season. Steven Zalewski has played in 102 regular-season games with Straubing.

"It's an added bonus," Mike Zalewski of playing with his brother. "He obviously played a factor (in signing with Straubing). ... I'm excited to play with him."

In three seasons, Mike Zalewski played a total of 167 regular-season games with the Comets accumulating 24 goals and 39 assists. Zalewski also played a key role on Utica's special teams, including the Comets' penalty kill unit the last few seasons. Mike Zalewski also played in 27 postseason games for the Comets.

Two of arguably the biggest moments of his young pro career came during the 2015-16 season. He earned a rare midseason NHL contract with the Canucks and appeared in three games with the Canucks.

Later that season, he had one of the his biggest on-ice moments. That came when he had the primary assist on Alex Grenier's game-winner in and exciting Game 3 playoff series against Albany in the Calder Cup playoffs in 2016.

Last season, his third full professional campaign was slowed after being injured in November when his upper body collided with the net trying to break up a play against Hartford early in the season. The injury caused him to missed more than a month of action.

Mike Zalewski is the latest player to spend time with the Comets to sign with a different team as the Vancouver organization boasts a plethora of players at forward. Mike Zalewski joins forwards Alex Grenier, Curtis Valk and Derek Hulak who have each signed elsewhere.

Mike Zalewski led New Harford to the state Division 2 championship in 2009. After high school, he scored 21 goals and added 26 assists in 75 games during two collegiate seasons at RPI.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Mike Zalewski, who went undrafted, began his pro career near the end of the 2013-14 season, when he played two games for the Canucks. In all, he's played in six NHL games registering two assists.

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New Hartford's Mike Zalewski signs to play in Germany - Utica Observer Dispatch