Chad Kolarik Explained

Birth Date:26 January 1986
Birth Place:Abington, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:185
Position:Center
Shoots:Right
Ntl Team:USA
Played For:Columbus Blue Jackets
New York Rangers
Linköpings HC
Avangard Omsk
Kloten Flyers
Adler Mannheim
EC Red Bull Salzburg
Draft:199th overall
Draft Year:2004
Draft Team:Phoenix Coyotes
Career Start:2008
Career End:2020

Chad E. Kolarik (born January 26, 1986) is an American former professional ice hockey right wing. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers.

Playing career

As a youth, Kolarik played in the 2000 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Philadelphia Flyers minor ice hockey team.[1]

Kolarik was drafted 199th overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes while he was playing for the University of Michigan. After completing his senior year with the Wolverines in the 2007–08 season, Chad signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Coyotes on April 13, 2008.[2] He was then assigned to their affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL, for the Calder Cup playoffs.

On March 3, 2010, Kolarik was traded from the Coyotes to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Alexandre Picard.[3] He made his NHL debut for the Blue Jackets on April 5, 2010 against the St. Louis Blues.

On November 11, 2010, Kolarik was traded from the Blue Jackets to the New York Rangers in exchange for Dane Byers.[4] He earned his first NHL point for the Rangers with an assist on a goal by Brandon Prust against the Carolina Hurricanes on January 20, 2011.[5] [6]

There was speculation that Kolarik would make the New York Rangers squad in the 2011–12 season, but he missed the entire year after he tore his ACL in training camp.

On January 24, 2013, Kolarik was traded from the Rangers to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Benn Ferriero.[7]

After a strong ending of the 2012–13 season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Kolarik chose to move overseas, signing a two-year deal with Linköpings HC of the Swedish Hockey League.[8] During the final season of his contract in Sweden, Kolarik sought a release in October, 2014, to sign a contract with Russian club, Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League.

On April 30, 2015, he agreed to a one-year contract with the Kloten Flyers of the Swiss NLA.[9] Kolarik made 38 NLA appearances for the Kloten squad, scoring 16 goals and assisting on twelve more. He left the team after the 2015–16 season and moved to Germany, signing with Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).[10]

Helping Adler Mannheim claim the DEL championship in the 2018–19 season, Kolarik left as a free agent for neighbouring league, the EBEL, signing a one-year deal with Austrian outfit, EC Red Bull Salzburg, on May 1, 2019.[11] In his lone season in the EBEL, Kolarik posted 43 points in 48 games as the team's second leading scorer. He collected 4 playoff points in 3 games before the season was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On July 2, 2020, Kolarik ended his tenure with Red Bull Salzburg by announcing his retirement from professional hockey after 12 years.[12]

Personal life

He married University of Michigan gymnastic Kylee Botterman in August 2011 in Botterman's hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Kolarik proposed to Botterman in December 2010 after a three-year, long-distance relationship.[13] Together they have one son, Christian.[14]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2002–03U.S. NTDP U17USDP211410244
2002–03U.S. NTDP U18NAHL4416223843
2003–04U.S. NTDP U18NAHL103474
2003–04U.S. NTDP U18USDP4518203816
2004–05University of MichiganCCHA4218173553
2005–06University of MichiganCCHA4112263830
2006–07University of MichiganCCHA4118274524
2007–08University of MichiganCCHA3930265624
2007–08San Antonio RampageAHL74260
2008–09San Antonio RampageAHL7620305047
2009–10San Antonio RampageAHL5917183541
2009–10Syracuse CrunchAHL17961514
2009–10Columbus Blue JacketsNHL20000
2010–11Springfield FalconsAHL13461018
2010–11Hartford Wolf Pack/CT WhaleAHL361714313633250
2010–11New York RangersNHL40112
2012–13Connecticut WhaleAHL4116193538
2012–13Wilkes–Barre/Scranton PenguinsAHL351518331715561117
2013–14Linköpings HCSHL533018486414641016
2014–15Linköpings HCSHL114374
2014–15Avangard OmskKHL29791610124488
2015–16Kloten FlyersNLA361512271421010
2016–17Adler MannheimDEL502516413873692
2017–18Adler MannheimDEL4723234614100888
2018–19Adler MannheimDEL4621274861438118
2019–20EC Red Bull SalzburgEBEL482023431631340
AHL totals 277981112092112512102217
NHL totals 60112
DEL totals 143696613558316222818

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2004United StatesWJC1861342
2018United StatesOG7th20000
Junior totals 61342
Senior totals 20000

Awards and honors

AwardYear
College
All-CCHA First Team2008
AHCA West Second-Team All-American2008
AHL
All-Star Game2013
DEL
Champion (Adler Mannheim)2019[15]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2019-02-14. March 6, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  2. Web site: Coyotes sign Chad Kolarik to entry level contract . . 2008-04-13 . 2010-03-28.
  3. Web site: Blue Jackets acquire Matt Rust and Chad Kolarik in a pair of deals . . 2010-03-03 . 2010-03-28.
  4. Web site: Rangers obtain Kolarik from Jackets. New York Rangers. 2011-01-20.
  5. Web site: Rangers Ward-ed off by a hot goalie. newyorkrangers.com. 2011-01-21.
  6. Web site: Carolina 4, NY Rangers 1. Yahoo!. 2011-01-20.
  7. Web site: Penguins acquire forward Kolarik from Rangers . . 2013-01-24 . 2013-01-24.
  8. Web site: 27-årig amerikan klar för Linköping . . 2013-06-28 . 2013-06-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130701231601/http://www2.lhc.eu/artikel/38360 . July 1, 2013 . dead .
  9. Web site: Chad Kolarik and Patrick Obrist to the Kloten Flyers . . 2015-04-30 . 2015-04-30 .
  10. Web site: ADLER Mannheim. www.adler-mannheim.de. 2016-05-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20160511094125/http://www.adler-mannheim.de/topstories.php?d%5Bnr%5D=4985. May 11, 2016. dead. mdy-all.
  11. Web site: First new arrival announced from German champions . . 2019-05-01 . 2019-05-01 . German . May 1, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190501183847/https://ecrbs.redbulls.com/erster-neuzugang-der-red-bulls-kommt-vom-deutschen-meister . dead .
  12. Web site: Chad Kolarik draws a line . . July 2, 2020 . July 2, 2020 . German . July 2, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200702125317/https://ecrbs.redbulls.com/chad-kolarik-zieht-einen-schlussstrich . dead .
  13. News: Spelich. Matt. Botterman juggles wedding plans, gymnastics amid solid season. May 21, 2018. The Michigan Daily. January 29, 2011.
  14. Web site: Santoliquito. Joseph. Former La Salle hockey player gets shot to represent U.S. at Winter Olympics. phillyvoice.com. January 30, 2018. June 11, 2018.
  15. Web site: Adler Mannheim wins DEL . . 2019-04-27 . 2019-04-27.