Trades mark end of freeze

The Washington Capitals have re-acquired left wing Colin Forbes from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for right wing Stephen Peat.

Forbes will be assigned to the Hershey Bears, while Peat has been assigned to the Lowell Lock Monsters.

Forbes, 29, was signed by Carolina as a free agent on Aug. 11, 2004. He is currently second on the Lock Monsters in scoring with 28 points (10g, 18a) in 34 games.

A native of New Westminster, B.C., Forbes spent three seasons in the Capitals organization from 2001-04, skating in 45 games for Washington in that time. He has appeared in 302 career NHL games since his debut in 1996-97, totaling 33 goals and 28 assists for 61 points.

Forbes, who set career highs with 27 goals and 64 points for the Lock Monsters last season, has registered 108 goals and 162 assists for 270 points in 355 career AHL games with Lowell, Portland, Utah, Philadelphia and Hershey.

Peat, 25, has split the 2005-06 season between Washington and Hershey. He appeared in one game with the Capitals before missing 21 contests with a hand injury. The Princeton, B.C., native was assigned to Hershey on Dec. 18 and has registered one assist, seven penalty minutes and a plus-3 rating in five games with the Bears.

A second-round draft pick of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1998, Peat has totaled 10 points (8g, 2a) and 234 PIM in 130 career NHL games, all with Washington. He has five points (2g, 3a) and 125 penalty minutes in 46 career AHL games with Portland and Hershey.


The Phoenix Coyotes have acquired center Eric Chouinard from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for center Kiel McLeod.

Chouinard, 25, registered seven goals and seven assists for 14 points in 24 games with the AHL’s Philadelphia Phantoms this season. He has also played in one game with the Flyers this season.

A 2001 AHL All-Star, Chouinard has appeared in 90 career NHL games with Philadelphia, Minnesota and Montreal. He has registered 50 goals and 63 assists for 113 points in 170 career AHL contests with Philadelphia, Utah and Quebec.

Chouinard was a first-round draft pick by Montreal (16th overall) in 1998. He has been assigned to the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage.

McLeod recorded one assist and 33 penalty minutes in 28 games with San Antonio this season. McLeod, who will turn 23 on Friday, has collected 20 goals and 24 assists for 44 points, along with 211 PIM, in 178 AHL games over his three-year pro career.

McLeod, a second-round pick by Columbus in the 2001 draft, will report to the AHL Phantoms.


Late Wednesday, the Carolina Huuricanes announced they have acquired forward Krys Kolanos from the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for right wing Pavel Brendl.

Kolanos will be assigned to the Hurricanes’ top affiliate, the AHL’s Lowell Lock Monsters, while Brendl has been assigned to the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage.

Kolanos, 24, has split this season between Phoenix and Edmonton of the NHL and San Antonio of the AHL. He registered three points (2g, 1a) in nine games with the Coyotes before being claimed off waivers by Edmonton on Nov. 11. He played six games with the Oilers before being re-claimed by Phoenix and reassigned to San Antonio. He notched one assist in three games with San Antonio.

Kolanos, a first-round pick (19th overall) of the Coyotes at the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, has scored 35 points (17g, 18a) in 115 career NHL games. Prior to beginning his professional career, Kolanos was a standout player for Boston College, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to give the Eagles the 2001 NCAA Championship, their first title in 52 years.

Brendl, 24, has played for Lowell all of the 2005-06 season, notching 13 points (6g, 7a) in 25 games. In 122 career AHL games for Lowell, Philadelphia and Hartford, Brendl has tallied 38 goals and 45 assists for 83 points.

In 76 NHL games during his career, Brendl has tallied 22 points (11g, 11a). He was the fourth overall pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft by the N.Y. Rangers, and made his pro debut with Hartford during the Wolf Pack’s run to the 2000 Calder Cup championship.