The Rangers made a minor move today, sending center Chad Kolarik to the Penguins in exchange for right wing Benn Ferriero. The 25 year old Massachusetts native was a seventh round draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes back in 2006, and appeared in 92 NHL games with the San Jose Sharks over the previous three seasons after signing on as a free agent. He recorded 14 goals and 8 assists, and was a +12 in his three seasons with the Sharks.
Pittsburgh signed him as a free agent over the summer, and he has recorded 4 goals and 14 assists in 34 appearances with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins in the AHL.
The soon to be 27 year old (on Saturday) Kolarik was acquired from Colorado back in November of 2010, in exchange for then Connecticut captain Dane Byers, and played four of his six NHL games with the Rangers.
The Rangers liked what they saw from Kolarik and resigned him to a two year contract, only to see the entire 2011-12 season wiped out due a knee injury suffered in the Rangers training camp before the season started.
The move does not at this stage appear to be anything more than a rearrangement of resources. Kolarik has performed better this year in the NHL, with 15 goals and 15 assists to earn an All-Star selection, but at 27 looks to be destined to be no more than a role-player at the AHL level.
Ferriero for his part is a couple of years younger, has appeared in more NHL games, but has not performed as well in the AHL this year.
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