Chad Kolarik will be out for the remainder of the regular season and likely longer, Michigan coach Red Berenson said yesterday.
Kolarik suffered a hamstring injury in the third period of Saturday night’s 4-2 win over Lake Superior State.
“He’s out indefinitely,” Berenson said. “It’s week-to-week rather than day-to-day.”
Berenson later offered a four-to-five week time frame for Kolarik’s return to the ice.
If that holds, the senior alternate captain would be back for the CCHA semifinals at Joe Louis Arena on March 21, should Michigan make it that far in the conference playoffs.
Berenson said the coaches haven’t decided who will fill in for Kolarik on Michigan’s top line, but he said many forwards would be considered.
Freshman Aaron Palushaj, who joined the first line after Kolarik left the game Saturday, is a likely candidate.
“It’s a big loss for our team,” Berenson said. “We have to have a lot of players, not just the guy who takes his spot, pick up the slack. You just can’t replace a player like that.”