Colin Chaulk and his family are in Venice, Italy waiting on their long plane ride home to Toronto, and they'll be in Fort Wayne likely later this week. The veteran center has agreed to terms on a contract with the Komets for the rest of the season.
Chaulk, who turns 34 on Jan. 7, has been playing with Alleghe HC in Italy where he had four goals and 19 points in 26 games. Last year the center was the Komets' most valuable player with 27 goals and 85 points in 71 games. He also scored four goals and 11 points in 12 playoff games.
Does he regret leaving the Komets?
``I made the best decision at the time for my family and regretfully things did not go as planned,'' Chaulk said. ``I was excited about the possibilities the move could provide me with, but for many reason it turned out to be a mistake. I needed to make things right for my family and my career. It just didn't work out for my family and I.''
Asked what changed in Fort Wayne to lead to his return, Chaulk said, ``Nothing has changed with the Komets. Many other factors were considered when I made the decision to leave Fort Wayne, and it was the right decision for me at that time.''
The Chaulks will arrive in their hometown of Toronto Monday and will coordinate with the Komets on when is best for him to return to Fort Wayne. He said it will likely take him a few days to adjust to the six-hour time difference from Italy.
Chaulk said he checked up on the Komets weekly by talking with general manager David Franke and some of his former teammates.
``I feel like I have been given a fresh start and I am ready for the challenge,'' he said. ``I feel great, the schedule (in Italy) is more conducive to the longevity of my career. I plan to be the same player I have always been.''
Asked if he's learned to shoot more yet, because that seems to be the Komets' biggest problem so far, Chaulk said, ``Still working on it. haha.''
