Penguins acquire All-Star Kolarik

The Pittsburgh Penguins, parent club of the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, have acquired forward Chad Kolarik from the New York Rangers, parent club of the AHL’s Connecticut Whale, in exchange for Benn Ferriero.

Kolarik, 26, has been one of the top players in the AHL while playing for the Connecticut Whale this season, earning a berth in this weekend’s 2013 Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic in Providence, R.I.

The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Kolarik has notched 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points in 41 games with Connecticut this season, leading the team in goals and power-play goals (seven).

Kolarik, who hails from Abington, Pa., has totaled 83 goals and 93 assists for 176 points in 242 career AHL games with Connecticut, Springfield, Syracuse and San Antonio, as well as one assist in six NHL games between Columbus and the Rangers.

A former seventh-round draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes in 2004, Kolarik missed the entire 2011-12 season following a knee injury in training camp.

Ferriero, 25, has four goals and 14 assists for 18 points in 34 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, his fourth pro campaign. In 155 career AHL games with Wilkes-Barre and Worcester, Ferriero has registered 48 goals and 73 assists for 121 points, including career highs of 19 goals, 31 assists and 50 points as a rookie in 2009-10.

Ferriero has skated in 92 National Hockey League games with San Jose, totaling 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points.