NEW YORK, January 24, 2013 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has acquired forward Benn Ferriero from Pittsburgh in exchange for forward Chad Kolarik.
Ferriero, 25, has registered four goals and 14 assists for 18 points, along with 14 penalty minutes in 34 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. He ranks third on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in assists, is tied for fifth on the team in points and ranks second in shots on goal (97). The Boston, Massachusetts native tallied six assists in a seven-game span from October 19 at Springfield to November 2 at Manchester, and registered 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in a 10-game span from November 10 against Portland to December 7 against Hershey.
The 5-11, 195-pounder has skated in 155 career AHL contests over four seasons with the Worcester Sharks and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, registering 48 goals and 73 assists for 121 points, along with 68 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in games played (58), goals (19), assists (31), points (50), shots on goal (164) and penalty minutes (20) as a rookie during the 2009-10 season.
Originally selected by the Phoenix Coyotes as a seventh round choice (196th overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Ferriero signed as a free agent with the San Jose Sharks on August 23, 2009. He has registered 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points in 92 career NHL contests over three seasons with San Jose. He established a career-high with seven goals in 35 games last season. He made his NHL debut with San Jose on October 1, 2009, at Colorado, and registered his first career point with a goal two days later at Anaheim. Ferriero has also notched one goal in eight career playoff contests with the Sharks.
Kolarik, 26, has registered 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points, along with 38 penalty minutes in 41 games with the Connecticut Whale (AHL) this season. The Abington, Pennsylvania native was acquired by the Rangers from Columbus in exchange for forward Dane Byers on November 11, 2010. He was originally selected by the Phoenix Coyotes as a seventh round choice (199th overall) in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
