Chad Kolarik, who played for the 2018 U.S. Olympic team and in European leagues from Sweden to Switzerland, is excited to serve as an assistant coach with the 2023 U.S. U18 Worlds team.
photo: © Rena Laverty / USA Hockey
Chad Kolarik’s passport has a lot of stamps in it. The 37-year-old American’s pro career included two NHL games with the Columbus Blue Jackets (2009-10) and four games with the New York Rangers (2010-11), but also featured stops in Sweden, Russia, Switzerland, Germany, and Austria.
Now, Kolarik is looking to use the international experience he gained as a member of the 2004 U18 Worlds silver-medal team and the 2018 U.S. Olympic team to help a new generation of teenaged talents. He’s an assistant coach under head coach Dan Muse with Team USA at the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship (20 to 30 April) in Switzerland (Basel and Porrentruy).
A skillful right wing who was drafted in the seventh round by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2004, Kolarik has experienced winning at different levels. The native of Abington, Pennsylvania captured two CCHA titles with the University of Michigan (2005, 2008) and added a DEL title with Adler Mannheim in 2019. He’d love to get a taste of IIHF gold on his latest trip overseas.
IIHF.com caught up with Kolarik in a pre-tournament phone interview from his office at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.
Congratulations on getting to make your IIHF debut behind the bench. What does this opportunity mean to you, Chad?
Anytime you can represent your country, it’s an honour. I’ve worn the jersey a few times, but now I’m on the other side of it, coaching and trying to help the kids reach their goals. So I am excited.
Of course, with that excitement comes a little bit of nerves and a little uncertainty, but we’ve been working with these guys for about a year now, and we’re familiar with them for the most part. Also, as a younger coach, for someone just starting out, it’s a really unique opportunity to coach in an IIHF event overseas.
What are the assets you bring to the table as a coach?
My playing background really helps. I can relate to the players if they have questions or feel certain things. I’ve done most of the things these guys are trying to do or are currently doing. That’s my unique insight on that: I can help them through all these pains and trials and tribulations I’ve gone through myself.
Now, Kolarik is looking to use the international experience he gained as a member of the 2004 U18 Worlds silver-medal team and the 2018 U.S. Olympic team to help a new generation of teenaged talents. He’s an assistant coach under head coach Dan Muse with Team USA at the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship (20 to 30 April) in Switzerland (Basel and Porrentruy).
A skillful right wing who was drafted in the seventh round by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2004, Kolarik has experienced winning at different levels. The native of Abington, Pennsylvania captured two CCHA titles with the University of Michigan (2005, 2008) and added a DEL title with Adler Mannheim in 2019. He’d love to get a taste of IIHF gold on his latest trip overseas.
IIHF.com caught up with Kolarik in a pre-tournament phone interview from his office at the USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan.
Congratulations on getting to make your IIHF debut behind the bench. What does this opportunity mean to you, Chad?
Anytime you can represent your country, it’s an honour. I’ve worn the jersey a few times, but now I’m on the other side of it, coaching and trying to help the kids reach their goals. So I am excited.
Of course, with that excitement comes a little bit of nerves and a little uncertainty, but we’ve been working with these guys for about a year now, and we’re familiar with them for the most part. Also, as a younger coach, for someone just starting out, it’s a really unique opportunity to coach in an IIHF event overseas.
What are the assets you bring to the table as a coach?
My playing background really helps. I can relate to the players if they have questions or feel certain things. I’ve done most of the things these guys are trying to do or are currently doing. That’s my unique insight on that: I can help them through all these pains and trials and tribulations I’ve gone through myself.
What do you enjoy the most about working with Dan Muse?
Just learning from him. He’s a tireless worker. He’s at the rink all day. And he’s a good communicator, in the sense that he has a very open-door policy. I like that part. The kids are in there and he is telling the truth. That’s very important, especially in this day and age. where communication is so key for these players. Seeing his work ethic and his communication ability is something I’ll take away with me forever.
How would you describe the identity of this year’s U.S. team?
We’re fast. We’re highly skilled with a ton of offence, playing up and down. We’re a little high-risk, I’d say, but our team is trying to score. We’re high-end offensively and that’s who we are. That’s our strength and we’re going to play to that.
Looking at your highly skilled forwards, there’s been a lot of talk about Will Smith as the 2023 NHL Draft gets closer. What do you see in Will’s game?
I see elusiveness, smarts, the ability one-on-one to take a defender and beat them. He knows how to break coverage. Smitty is an all-world talent. He reminds me a ton of Jack Hughes, with that skating and edge work. He has an ability to just make something out of nothing. The way he plays makes his linemates so much better.
How about Ryan Leonard?
A little different than Smitty. He’s more power. I tell everyone that I think Lenny’s probably the most the most NHL-ready player here in terms of being physically strong. He could probably play in the NHL tomorrow and contribute.
That’s not a knock on Smitty at all. It just means another season or two to develop a little bit more. Lenny is a man strength-wise. He’ll barrel down on you, take it to the net. His shot is crazy-strong. He makes his linemates better too in terms of creating space with his physicality and skating.
For you personally, how hard or easy has it been to make that transition from playing to coaching?
There’s been days, especially early on, that I’ve missed going out there and having a difference in the game. When you’re just standing there, there are only so many things you can say and help with. Things are out of your control. You’d like that chance to go out there and make those plays.
But I love the coaching aspect. I love the pay-it-forward mindset. I was afforded a lot of things in this game, and I want to give the next generation the same things, if not even more information than I received as a player.
What do you remember about wearing the USA jersey for the first time at the 2004 U18 Worlds?
We came together. Our team wasn’t all that great during the season. We were struggling. Couldn’t find wins, couldn’t get the group together. We had to bring in six or seven new kids over, including Cory Schneider, a pretty famous name as a goalie, obviously.
During the pre-camp and in the tournament, we had a little motto: “We’re climbing the mountain.” I remember we won our group, and under the old format, we didn’t have to play in the quarter-finals. We went straight to the semis.
The camaraderie was key, just being in the hotel room for 20 days, being with the guys. You remember all the extra stuff off the ice. We’d go to the Internet cafes in Belarus because there was no wifi. In terms of the tournament, I recall beating Canada [2-1] and losing to Russia [3-2] in the final. The friendships that were made were special.
Who were some of the characters that stick out in your mind from that group?
Kevin Porter was my best man at my wedding, and he is still a really good friend of mine. As a leader in that group, he was a player that just did all the right things. He kind of pushed our group to that next level, where it wasn’t about points anymore. It was more about wins and losses.
And then there was Nate Gerbe. I’ve worked with him a little bit since then. He’s a volunteer coach, working with the national team players as well. But when Nate was called up for us as a player, you saw his work ethic. He didn’t say much, obviously, as a young kid, but he showed it on the ice, and in the NHL he did the same thing. Those are the types of kids we had, and that’s why we did so well.
You’ve played with two guys who went on to be the reigning NHL ironman. First, there was Phil Kessel, who led the 2004 U18 Worlds in scoring. Then there was Andrew Cogliano with the University of Michigan. Are you shocked by how durable those guys prove to be?
Both of them are durable in their own ways. I think Kessel is probably one of the smartest players to ever play hockey. He knows what his strengths are and aren’t and doesn’t put himself in a bad position in terms of getting hurt.
Cogs is different. He was just a workhorse, man. He was always in the gym, always did well on the testing. Even when he was starting out in Edmonton, he went to his first development camp and broke all the testing records. He had to work at it, whereas Kessel’s a little bit more smart. So they were different players in that sense, but both knew how to get it done.
Michigan’s produced a lot of NHL talent over the years, people like Max Pacioretty, Quinn Hughes, and Matty Beniers. What made it the right university for you?
The offensive style and the program’s history, for sure. They won nine national championships before I went there. There was the chance to win a CCHA championship, which is now the Big 10, every year. The way they developed NHL players was very intriguing for me and I think it’s still the same way.
The coach has turned over there a couple of times, but you see Adam Fantilli as the new Hobey Baker Award winner. They continue to have a strong tradition in Michigan.
5 April, 2010 was a big day for you. You made your NHL debut with Columbus in a 2-1 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues. What do you remember about that experience?
I was called up. I was in Syracuse at the time and I had to get to the game that night. So I had to fly from Syracuse to Chicago to St. Louis. I walked in the dressing room and the guys were getting on the ice for warm-ups for the game. So that was my first time meeting all the guys. The coach introduced me quickly and I got my gear on.
Just learning from him. He’s a tireless worker. He’s at the rink all day. And he’s a good communicator, in the sense that he has a very open-door policy. I like that part. The kids are in there and he is telling the truth. That’s very important, especially in this day and age. where communication is so key for these players. Seeing his work ethic and his communication ability is something I’ll take away with me forever.
How would you describe the identity of this year’s U.S. team?
We’re fast. We’re highly skilled with a ton of offence, playing up and down. We’re a little high-risk, I’d say, but our team is trying to score. We’re high-end offensively and that’s who we are. That’s our strength and we’re going to play to that.
Looking at your highly skilled forwards, there’s been a lot of talk about Will Smith as the 2023 NHL Draft gets closer. What do you see in Will’s game?
I see elusiveness, smarts, the ability one-on-one to take a defender and beat them. He knows how to break coverage. Smitty is an all-world talent. He reminds me a ton of Jack Hughes, with that skating and edge work. He has an ability to just make something out of nothing. The way he plays makes his linemates so much better.
How about Ryan Leonard?
A little different than Smitty. He’s more power. I tell everyone that I think Lenny’s probably the most the most NHL-ready player here in terms of being physically strong. He could probably play in the NHL tomorrow and contribute.
That’s not a knock on Smitty at all. It just means another season or two to develop a little bit more. Lenny is a man strength-wise. He’ll barrel down on you, take it to the net. His shot is crazy-strong. He makes his linemates better too in terms of creating space with his physicality and skating.
For you personally, how hard or easy has it been to make that transition from playing to coaching?
There’s been days, especially early on, that I’ve missed going out there and having a difference in the game. When you’re just standing there, there are only so many things you can say and help with. Things are out of your control. You’d like that chance to go out there and make those plays.
But I love the coaching aspect. I love the pay-it-forward mindset. I was afforded a lot of things in this game, and I want to give the next generation the same things, if not even more information than I received as a player.
What do you remember about wearing the USA jersey for the first time at the 2004 U18 Worlds?
We came together. Our team wasn’t all that great during the season. We were struggling. Couldn’t find wins, couldn’t get the group together. We had to bring in six or seven new kids over, including Cory Schneider, a pretty famous name as a goalie, obviously.
During the pre-camp and in the tournament, we had a little motto: “We’re climbing the mountain.” I remember we won our group, and under the old format, we didn’t have to play in the quarter-finals. We went straight to the semis.
The camaraderie was key, just being in the hotel room for 20 days, being with the guys. You remember all the extra stuff off the ice. We’d go to the Internet cafes in Belarus because there was no wifi. In terms of the tournament, I recall beating Canada [2-1] and losing to Russia [3-2] in the final. The friendships that were made were special.
Who were some of the characters that stick out in your mind from that group?
Kevin Porter was my best man at my wedding, and he is still a really good friend of mine. As a leader in that group, he was a player that just did all the right things. He kind of pushed our group to that next level, where it wasn’t about points anymore. It was more about wins and losses.
And then there was Nate Gerbe. I’ve worked with him a little bit since then. He’s a volunteer coach, working with the national team players as well. But when Nate was called up for us as a player, you saw his work ethic. He didn’t say much, obviously, as a young kid, but he showed it on the ice, and in the NHL he did the same thing. Those are the types of kids we had, and that’s why we did so well.
You’ve played with two guys who went on to be the reigning NHL ironman. First, there was Phil Kessel, who led the 2004 U18 Worlds in scoring. Then there was Andrew Cogliano with the University of Michigan. Are you shocked by how durable those guys prove to be?
Both of them are durable in their own ways. I think Kessel is probably one of the smartest players to ever play hockey. He knows what his strengths are and aren’t and doesn’t put himself in a bad position in terms of getting hurt.
Cogs is different. He was just a workhorse, man. He was always in the gym, always did well on the testing. Even when he was starting out in Edmonton, he went to his first development camp and broke all the testing records. He had to work at it, whereas Kessel’s a little bit more smart. So they were different players in that sense, but both knew how to get it done.
Michigan’s produced a lot of NHL talent over the years, people like Max Pacioretty, Quinn Hughes, and Matty Beniers. What made it the right university for you?
The offensive style and the program’s history, for sure. They won nine national championships before I went there. There was the chance to win a CCHA championship, which is now the Big 10, every year. The way they developed NHL players was very intriguing for me and I think it’s still the same way.
The coach has turned over there a couple of times, but you see Adam Fantilli as the new Hobey Baker Award winner. They continue to have a strong tradition in Michigan.
5 April, 2010 was a big day for you. You made your NHL debut with Columbus in a 2-1 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues. What do you remember about that experience?
I was called up. I was in Syracuse at the time and I had to get to the game that night. So I had to fly from Syracuse to Chicago to St. Louis. I walked in the dressing room and the guys were getting on the ice for warm-ups for the game. So that was my first time meeting all the guys. The coach introduced me quickly and I got my gear on.
I didn’t actually know I was going to play. It was an emergency call-up. And I happened to get in. Rick Nash didn’t play – he was hurt at the time. So that was kind of my first experience. Did I play much? Probably not. Had a couple shifts. Keith Tkachuk was on the other team. That was pretty cool. It was a long day of travel just to get there. It was exciting.
You definitely had some travel in the European portion of your career. You went over to Sweden for 2013-14. What were the key factors that enabled you to lead the SHL with 30 goals in your first season with Linkoping?
Well, I think my ability to score was always there. The European game suited my style. It was kind of like the way that the NHL is now, with puck possession, an offensive style, and less physicality. It just fed right into my game.
And we had a good team at the time with some really good Swedish players. We had Jakub Vrana, who went on to play in the NHL and is now with St. Louis. It’s easier for you to have success when you’re playing with good players.
After a season in the KHL with Omsk, you moved to Kloten in Switzerland for 2015-16. How did you enjoy living and playing in the Zurich area?
My season was okay. I got injured, so I had some ups and downs there. But living in Switzerland was insane. My wife and I would take weekend trips when we didn’t play. Or if we played on a Saturday night, we’d have Sunday and Monday off. We’d go skiing. Like, where in the world can you just drive 35 or 40 minutes to the Swiss Alps? [laughs] We enjoyed it.
You know, we’ll never forget that part, just the life experiences. It’s an unbelievable place to live. Beautiful country. Memories that my wife and I will treasure forever.
You had a great experience across the border in Germany. Three seasons with Adler Mannheim, leading the team every year in goals. You also got to play with a who’s-who of the German national team, including a teenaged Moritz Seider. What impressed you the most about Seider?
Seids was a man, a 17-year-old man. I mean, his arms would scrape the ground, they were so long. Just a great stick, too. Like, if I was going on a 2-on-1 against him, there was just no way I was going to get that puck through him. He was so smart.
I don’t think he got as much playing time as he probably should have with us as a 17-year-old. Just a really good kid too. He’s always got that smile on his face. He’s just a bubbly kid. He was great for my young son Christian. Just a world class kid.
In the NHL, his success has come a little sooner than I thought. He rose to stardom. Was I surprised he’d become an NHL hockey player and a darned good one? No, not surprised at all.
Let’s go back to the moment when you found out you were going to be on the 2018 US Olympic team. Where did you get the news? And what was your reaction?
I was cooking dinner. My wife and I were in our apartment in Mannheim. I actually missed the call. I obviously wasn’t paying attention to my phone or whatever. And I look at my phone: “Oh, boy, JJ [the late Jim Johannson, GM of the 2018 Olympic team] called! I gotta call back ASAP.” Whether it was going to be “you made it” or “you didn’t make it,” I didn’t know. But I called back right away.
You definitely had some travel in the European portion of your career. You went over to Sweden for 2013-14. What were the key factors that enabled you to lead the SHL with 30 goals in your first season with Linkoping?
Well, I think my ability to score was always there. The European game suited my style. It was kind of like the way that the NHL is now, with puck possession, an offensive style, and less physicality. It just fed right into my game.
And we had a good team at the time with some really good Swedish players. We had Jakub Vrana, who went on to play in the NHL and is now with St. Louis. It’s easier for you to have success when you’re playing with good players.
After a season in the KHL with Omsk, you moved to Kloten in Switzerland for 2015-16. How did you enjoy living and playing in the Zurich area?
My season was okay. I got injured, so I had some ups and downs there. But living in Switzerland was insane. My wife and I would take weekend trips when we didn’t play. Or if we played on a Saturday night, we’d have Sunday and Monday off. We’d go skiing. Like, where in the world can you just drive 35 or 40 minutes to the Swiss Alps? [laughs] We enjoyed it.
You know, we’ll never forget that part, just the life experiences. It’s an unbelievable place to live. Beautiful country. Memories that my wife and I will treasure forever.
You had a great experience across the border in Germany. Three seasons with Adler Mannheim, leading the team every year in goals. You also got to play with a who’s-who of the German national team, including a teenaged Moritz Seider. What impressed you the most about Seider?
Seids was a man, a 17-year-old man. I mean, his arms would scrape the ground, they were so long. Just a great stick, too. Like, if I was going on a 2-on-1 against him, there was just no way I was going to get that puck through him. He was so smart.
I don’t think he got as much playing time as he probably should have with us as a 17-year-old. Just a really good kid too. He’s always got that smile on his face. He’s just a bubbly kid. He was great for my young son Christian. Just a world class kid.
In the NHL, his success has come a little sooner than I thought. He rose to stardom. Was I surprised he’d become an NHL hockey player and a darned good one? No, not surprised at all.
Let’s go back to the moment when you found out you were going to be on the 2018 US Olympic team. Where did you get the news? And what was your reaction?
I was cooking dinner. My wife and I were in our apartment in Mannheim. I actually missed the call. I obviously wasn’t paying attention to my phone or whatever. And I look at my phone: “Oh, boy, JJ [the late Jim Johannson, GM of the 2018 Olympic team] called! I gotta call back ASAP.” Whether it was going to be “you made it” or “you didn’t make it,” I didn’t know. But I called back right away.
JJ talked about how he wanted the 2018 team to really represent USA Hockey, with guys who have had big-time ties to USA Hockey. Obviously I had been part of the national program and played in Deutschland Cups and stuff like that. But when he told me I made the team, I didn’t think it was real. Lots of emotion. I think I started crying. One of the most important moments in my hockey career. I’ll never forget that call from JJ.
What comes to mind for you from the PyeongChang Olympics?
I think the playoff game against Slovakia. It was packed. A lot of USA chants. A really good game, and we won [5-1]. Obviously, we lost to the Czechs in the shootout [3-2 in the quarter-final]. But that game against Slovakia stands out.
Just being part of the Olympics and getting to watch events was special. I paid $500 – I’ll never forget this – for a ticket to short-track speed skating. But it was the best sporting event I’ve ever seen. We were front row. These women and men were so fast. To see the intensity that goes with it – the crashes, the pulling, the grabbing, the fight for that last spot – it was amazing to see.
During the Olympics, was there anybody you met that was a thrill for you?
Our team met [snowboarder] Shaun White and [Alpine skier] Lindsey Vonn. Those are the two big ones that we met that were very friendly to us. They were talking to us. And they didn’t have to, right? Those two are all-world and notable people outside of their sports. We’re just European-based hockey players trying to make it, and they went out of their way to be extra-accommodating. They were asking about us, our sport, where we came from. So it was really cool to be a part of it as an American.
You finished up your playing career with a year in Austria. Let’s say somebody asks you, “Hey, can you compare and contrast the different European leagues? Which ones are the toughest? What are the stylistic differences?” How would you break that down for them?
The KHL is more like the NHL in terms of the grind. You’re flying and the travel’s hard. You’re playing back-to-backs. They’re grown men over there in that league. With the SHL, it’s gotten a ton better after I left. A lot faster, a lot younger. More prospects-style, obviously a really great league.
The German league is really good. Very comparable with the AHL, a lot of older veterans. It’s really physical. Maybe not as fast as the SHL. But it’s a tough league to score in, very defensive. In Switzerland, the Swiss are very good at speed and skill. If you can’t skate there, you’ve got no chance to stay in that league.
What comes to mind for you from the PyeongChang Olympics?
I think the playoff game against Slovakia. It was packed. A lot of USA chants. A really good game, and we won [5-1]. Obviously, we lost to the Czechs in the shootout [3-2 in the quarter-final]. But that game against Slovakia stands out.
Just being part of the Olympics and getting to watch events was special. I paid $500 – I’ll never forget this – for a ticket to short-track speed skating. But it was the best sporting event I’ve ever seen. We were front row. These women and men were so fast. To see the intensity that goes with it – the crashes, the pulling, the grabbing, the fight for that last spot – it was amazing to see.
During the Olympics, was there anybody you met that was a thrill for you?
Our team met [snowboarder] Shaun White and [Alpine skier] Lindsey Vonn. Those are the two big ones that we met that were very friendly to us. They were talking to us. And they didn’t have to, right? Those two are all-world and notable people outside of their sports. We’re just European-based hockey players trying to make it, and they went out of their way to be extra-accommodating. They were asking about us, our sport, where we came from. So it was really cool to be a part of it as an American.
You finished up your playing career with a year in Austria. Let’s say somebody asks you, “Hey, can you compare and contrast the different European leagues? Which ones are the toughest? What are the stylistic differences?” How would you break that down for them?
The KHL is more like the NHL in terms of the grind. You’re flying and the travel’s hard. You’re playing back-to-backs. They’re grown men over there in that league. With the SHL, it’s gotten a ton better after I left. A lot faster, a lot younger. More prospects-style, obviously a really great league.
The German league is really good. Very comparable with the AHL, a lot of older veterans. It’s really physical. Maybe not as fast as the SHL. But it’s a tough league to score in, very defensive. In Switzerland, the Swiss are very good at speed and skill. If you can’t skate there, you’ve got no chance to stay in that league.
In Austria, I think it was more like a lower-level German league. If you take the top teams in Salzburg or Vienna or Bolzano, those teams could play in the top German league. Not knocking anyone, but those are the tiers.
Getting back to your coaching mission at the U18 Worlds, what kind of tone do you guys want to establish in your opener against Latvia on April 20?
Just playing fast, playing loose, being excited to be there. After coming together for a year or two, you can get in lost in just, “Here’s another game.” Well, it isn’t just another game. It’s exciting to play in an IIHF event, a lot of firsts. To be on national TV is something special for these kids. You tell them: “Play fast, play north, play offensive, go score, and show what kind of talent you guys have got.”
The U.S. has dominated this tournament with 10 gold medals all-time, but hasn’t won since 2017. What would it mean to get it done this year?
That’s what the number one goal is, right? You want to win? I think realistically, we have a good chance. But there’s probably about five other teams that have a realistic chance as well.
We know the Swedes are great. The Finns are great. Canada’s going to have a really good team. We know the Czechs are good. Slovakia has a really good birth year. So it’s a tough tournament, but that’s our goal, to win the championship.
Getting back to your coaching mission at the U18 Worlds, what kind of tone do you guys want to establish in your opener against Latvia on April 20?
Just playing fast, playing loose, being excited to be there. After coming together for a year or two, you can get in lost in just, “Here’s another game.” Well, it isn’t just another game. It’s exciting to play in an IIHF event, a lot of firsts. To be on national TV is something special for these kids. You tell them: “Play fast, play north, play offensive, go score, and show what kind of talent you guys have got.”
The U.S. has dominated this tournament with 10 gold medals all-time, but hasn’t won since 2017. What would it mean to get it done this year?
That’s what the number one goal is, right? You want to win? I think realistically, we have a good chance. But there’s probably about five other teams that have a realistic chance as well.
We know the Swedes are great. The Finns are great. Canada’s going to have a really good team. We know the Czechs are good. Slovakia has a really good birth year. So it’s a tough tournament, but that’s our goal, to win the championship.