The Peterborough Petes have finalized their import roster for the upcoming 2025-26 season. The club will have three brand new imports who will get their first taste of CHL action in just a few weeks. And interestingly enough, all three are eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft.
On Aug. 7, the Petes organization announced the signing of Austrian forward Leon Kolarik to an OHL Standard Player Agreement. Peterborough drafted him in the second round (63rd overall) in the 2025 CHL Import Draft. He joins fellow European skaters Adam Novotny and Yanis Lutz, who both signed with the team back in July.
“We’re very happy to be able to add Leon Kolarik to our team. Leon is a player who brings experience playing at the highest professional level in Austria. We believe that his game is a great fit for the OHL, and we look forward to having him join our group,” said Peterborough Petes GM Michael Oke via the team’s press release.
Kolarik, 17, spent the majority of last season playing in the AlpsHL, a league that is focused on developing young players featuring teams from Austria, Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. In 36 games for the RB Hockey Juniors, he recorded 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists), finishing second on the team in scoring, while being one of the youngest players on the team.
Like many of these young European players, Kolarik is well-traveled, having played in multiple leagues and several international tournaments. The 5-foot-11 forward led the EC Salzburg U20 organization in goals (8) and points (14) in the Austria U20 league playoffs, en route to a championship victory.
Back home in Austria, his play stood out, and he earned seven games playing for EC Salzburg in the ICEHL, which is the top-tier league in Austria. He recorded one goal and two assists in those games and gained valuable experience playing against older competition.
“Having spent extensive time in Europe ahead of the Import Draft with Coach (Rob) Wilson, we had already identified Leon as a highly skilled and competitive player. We feel his skillset and drive will contribute well with our new look team, while we also work to continue his development ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft,” said Petes Director of Player Personnel and Assistant Coach Patrick O’Connor.
In international competition last year, Kolarik suited up for Austria’s team at the 2025 IIHF U20 Division 1 A World Championship. He recorded four assists in five games, winning a silver medal at the event and coming oh so close to helping his country earn promotion to the top U20 division.
Additionally, the Wien, Austria, native was his country's top producer (7 points in 5 games) at the 2025 IIHF U18 Division 1 A World Championship. Unfortunately, that event ended in immense disappointment for him and his nation, as they finished last and were relegated to Division 1 B.
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