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The path to the NHL has required more than a few stops for Juraj Kolnik, but he may have found some permanence with the Florida Panthers.  

Once a 100-point scorer in the QMJHL, Kolnik struggled for recognition among a newly-built Islanders squad that boasted superstars Michael Peca and Alexei Yashin.  He excelled with Bridgeport of the AHL, scoring 18 goals and 30 assists in 67 games, then added seven goals and 14 assists in 20 playoff contests.  The Islanders traded the winger to Florida in October 2002.

Kolnik experienced a difficult, yet eventually rewarding season that year.  Kolnik's girlfriend, Karine Levesque, gave birth to their son, Samuel, in August.  Two weeks later, the newborn experienced several episodes where he would stop breathing.  Doctors determined Samuel suffered from laryngomalacia, a condition where the larynx flops over the airway because it was too soft.

Once Samuel left the hospital in January, a relieved Kolnik saw his game improve.  He finished with his best minor-pro season, scoring a career-high 25 goals.

This season, Kolnik has continued to excel.  Before his last call-up, Kolnik ranked second on San Antonio in points with 14 in 15 games.  In 17 games Florida, he has chipped in three goals and two assists.

Hockey's Future recently caught up with Kolnik to talk about his most recent stint in the NHL.

HF: It must be nice to be back in the NHL again.

Juraj Kolnik: It feels good.  Finally I'm getting an opportunity to play some games and more than 10, 11 minutes.

HF: During the preseason, you were sent down to San Antonio, but both (former Panthers Coach) Mike Keenan and (General Manager) Rick Dudley commented on how you had a good attitude about the situation.  Can you take us through that?

JK: We've got a lot of young guys. Even now, we still have too many forwards here. We had too many forwards in training camp. I'm a young guy with a two way contract, so it worked out (that I was sent down). It isn't because I had a bad training camp. It was easier for them to send me down. They told me I would get my chance and finally the chance came. Hopefully I am going to use that chance and do everything to stay up here for the rest of the season.

HF: Do you think a lot of young players don't take into consideration that a good attitude can be helpful?

JK: You've got to keep your head up all the time. You have to be ready every game, work hard every practice, show the coaches you're ready to play.

HF: Was there anything the Panthers wanted you to work on in San Antonio? Any aspect of your game that needed fine tuning?

JK: No, they just sent me down and told me 'play your game, do your best down there and you're going to be the first call-up.'

HF: How would you describe your game? It seems like you're very much a two-way player.

JK: Yeah, it's all part of the game. The forecheck, hitting, and of course the chance to score some goals.  I don't mind putting the puck in the net.

HF: How about the team in San Antonio?  They've done very well this year.

JK: There are a bunch of great guys, a couple of leaders, too.  (Goaltender) Travis Scott is outstanding. They've done good so far.

HF: You've been on some pretty good AHL teams -- Bridgeport went to the finals a few years ago. Could you compare San Antonio to any of those teams?

JK: That was a couple of years ago. We went to the championship and we lost to Chicago. You can't compare it.  You can't compare Bridgeport against San Antonio because the Islanders they used to have the guys together for a long time. Last year was the first year for San Antonio. There were a bunch of guys (Panthers prospects) playing everywhere, but now they're together in San Antonio.

HF: Having played together for a while now, do you see the team forming though?

JK: Every team was playing a different system. For example, you had four guys in Chicago, five in Bridgeport.  It's a lot easier to play (with other prospects) when you have your own system.  All 22 guys play the same system now.  It's a lot easier.

HF: Did loss of Steve Ludzik hurt the team at all? How did the team react to that?

JK: Not really. The new coach, Scotty Allen, is doing very good. Actually, he's doing the same exact thing Ludzik was doing.  It doesn't seem different because the team keeps doing well. They keep winning, so...

HF: I noticed there was a week in November where you were called up, sent down and called up again in a matter of a week.  Kind of a wild travel schedule, don't you think?

JK: The first time I was called up we were playing in Grand Rapids. I flew from Grand Rapids to... where was that?  Washington? No, Atlanta. But I didn't get a chance to play and was sent down the next day.  I travelled back to San Antonio and then they called me like five days later.

HF: How do you deal with that?  Doesn't it wear on you?

JK: It's all part of hockey. You just have to be ready for it. It's not easy because my girl is waiting with our baby.  She keeps asking, 'What's going to happen?' And I say that I don't know, it's just part of hockey.

HF: How do you adjust to the change of speed of the game between the AHL and the NHL?

JK: The NHL is a lot faster. You just have to work hard every day, work after practice, ride a bike, do exercises to keep yourself in shape.

HF: What has your role been with Florida since coming up?

JK: It's been getting experience. Everything is faster. Even the practices are faster than San Antonio.

HF: Do you enjoy playing on such a young team?  Or do you prefer a more veteran lineup?

JK: For me, it's better to play on a younger team. It gives me a better chance to play than on a veteran team. For example, I was with the Islanders. I had a chance to play about 30 games a season because we had a young team. The second year, they got Peca, Yashin, so the young guys got sent down to Bridgeport.

HF: How about the European makeup of the team?

JK: I don't even know how many Europeans we have down here. But it's fun. It's a more European style of play on the team. You can see the guys don't shoot the puck, they like to pass the puck. We bring some European style down here.

HF: You and (Tampa Bay Lightning forward) Brad Richards are good friends from juniors. Have you talked to him recently?

JK: I haven't heard from Brad in a while. I phoned him twice and left a message. Hopefully if I stay up here, I'll get to play him at some point. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see him.

HF: Are you going to put a hit on him?

JK: (laughing) Yeah. I'll give him something, a push from behind, tell him 'Heads up!'

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