Rest easy, Abbotsford Heat fans – Krys Kolanos has a new contract to keep him in Heat colours for the rest of the season.
The 30-year-old winger had watched the Heat's Saturday game against the Texas Stars from the press box, after his initial professional tryout (PTO) contract with the team expired the previous day. That caused consternation among Heat fans, who were concerned the dynamic scorer might elect to sign elsewhere.
But on Monday, the Heat announced that Kolanos had put pen to paper on a new AHL standard players' contract with the local club.
Coming into this season, Kolanos hadn't seen game action since January of 2010 with the Adirondack Phantoms, having been sidelined by microfracture hip surgery in the interim. He attended Heat training camp on a tryout basis, and signed a PTO on Oct. 12.
Kolanos's debut was delayed by lingering lower-body issues, but he made an instant impact upon being inserted into the lineup, notching a hat trick and an assist in a 5-1 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins on Oct. 28.
In just seven games with the Heat, the former Phoenix Coyotes first-round draft pick has piled up 13 points (seven goals, six assists) to move into a tie for the team lead in scoring with Jon Rheault and Greg Nemisz, both of whom have played 15 games. Kolanos also picked up an AHL player of the week award along the way.
Kolanos and the Heat face the San Antonio Rampage on the road on Tuesday.
HAGMAN CLAIMED BY DUCKS
The Calgary Flames had assigned veteran forward Niklas Hagman to the Heat last Friday, but he wasn't around long enough to play a game for the AHL club.
On Saturday, the Flames placed Hagman on re-entry waivers, and he was claimed by the Anaheim Ducks. The Flames will cover half of what's remaining on his $3 million salary this season, while the Ducks will pay the other half.