Coach Al Sims and captain Colin Chaulk retired, and now so has the goaltender who backstopped them to four championships between 2008 and 2012.Colin Chaulk, disgruntled with issues both on and off the ice with HC Alleghe in Italy, has left that team.
That could be clearing the way for his return to the Komets, for whom he starred from 2002 to 2006 and 2007 to 2010.
In an e-mail to The Journal Gazette, he wrote simply: "I an leaving Italy. The (family) and I are heading home to Toronto. Nothing has been finalized (beyond that)."
Chaulk, a center, led the Komets to four championships in the United and International Hockey leagues, and he was selected as MVP by his teammates four times.
Chaulk, 33, aspires to be a coach someday and left the Komets last summer because it enabled him to move back to Toronto, where there are more teaching opportunities, and to play in the abridged European season.
He skated for Alleghe in 2006-07.
However, he was saddled with off-ice issues that left his family disgruntled this season, and his role with Alleghe was not what he envisioned.
"Not even close," wrote Chaulk recently, after scoring four goals and 16 points in 24 games, only seven of which were won by Alleghe. "This would be the most frustrating part, at this time. Kind of feel like I'm wasting a year ... but I am well rested. This was not my understanding when I came to terms with the organization. However, it was obvious from the first game that I was misled on the role I would play with the organization."
The Komets, who are in the their first Central Hockey League season, are a league-worst 6-15-1 and have won 1 of 8 heading into today's game at Dayton.
The Komets have kept in contact with Chaulk and have said they would be interested in having him return, if possible.
I will try to get more on this later today, however, it's my feeling he'll be back in Fort Wayne ... soon.
