Chad Kolarik was named Associate Head Coach for the Minnesota State men's hockey team in June, 2026.
A native of Abington, Pennsylvania, Kolarik arrives in Mankato with an extensive background in player development, international competition, professional hockey, and coaching at the highest levels of the game. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach with the Bridgeport Islanders of the American Hockey League, the top affiliate of the New York Islanders. During the 2025-26 season, Bridgeport posted a 34-30-3 record and advanced to the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Prior to joining Bridgeport, Kolarik spent three seasons with the United States National Team Development Program, serving as an assistant coach for the NTDP Junior Team. During that time, he played a key role in the development of many of the nation’s top prospects while also serving on Team USA staffs internationally.
Kolarik was an assistant coach for the United States Under-18 National Team in both 2023 and 2025 and for the Under-17 National Team in 2024. He also worked alongside Strand as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2023 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where the Americans earned a bronze medal.
As a player, Kolarik enjoyed a distinguished collegiate career at the University of Michigan from 2004-08. Over 163 career games, he recorded 30 goals and 96 assists for 126 points while helping the Wolverines remain among the nation's premier programs.
Kolarik went on to play professionally for 16 seasons, including National Hockey League appearances with the Columbus Blue Jackets and the New York Rangers. His professional career also included extensive time in the American Hockey League with San Antonio, Syracuse, Springfield, Connecticut, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Internationally, Kolarik represented the United States at the 2018 Winter Olympics and appeared in two Olympic games. He also enjoyed a highly successful European career from 2013-20, competing in some of the world's top professional leagues.
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