QMJHL: Baby Jagr Returns Home

Michael Frolik will celebrate the holidays in his homeland, as he returns to the Czech Republic for the 2008 World Junior Championships, which are being held in Pardubice and Liberec. Frolik and his teammates, which includes fellow QMJHLer Jakub Voracek, will try to capture the Czech Republic's first gold since 2001.

As a young boy growing up in Kladno, Frolik was seen as a great hockey talent. He went through the hockey levels as only the gifted players do.

"I played one year at every level before joining the Extraliga. So, it was one year of atom, midget and junior. Then I played in the senior league a couple of seasons."

Kladno has had the fortune of producing at least one NHL superstar, Jaromir Jagr and since Frolik was from the same town, had similar facial features and could dangle the puck with the best of them, he was dubbed "Baby Jagr" by the Republic's media and fans.

"Well, before they used to call me like that but it has changed. Jagr is an amazing player and nobody can be like him. He is from my hometown and he is a hero of mine. I try to be like him but it's impossible to do what he does."

Nonetheless, during the NHL lockout, Jagr returned to his hometown to play a couple of games with the team and knew about the Kladno kid. One day, during a game, Jagr walked up to the coach and asked him if he could play on the same line as Frolik.

"It was unbelievable!" says Frolik." It was very fun to watch him, to see what he does during practice, the way he talks in a room and to hear what he has to say. It was a great experience for me."

In his final season with the seniors in 2005-2006, Frolik amassed two goals and seven assists in 48 games with his team. However, after two seasons in the greatest league in his country, the young Czech decided to pack his bags and came to play in North America for a variety of reasons.

"After talking it over with my agent, we thought it was best for me after the draft to come to North America to play hockey. I thought it was better to learn English, to learn the style of hockey practiced here since my dream is to play in the NHL."

After being chosen 38th overall in 2005, he played his first year in the QMJHL with Rimouski in 2006, a team that knows a lot about young up and comers; having had the likes of Brad Richards, Vincent Lecavalier and Sidney Crosby in their ranks. Unfortunately, the team was in rebuilding mode, not to mention Frolik had suffered a shoulder injury during the season. Still, he was one of the top rookies in points-per-game and had 31goals and 42 assists by season's end despite playing only 52 games.

"Rimouski is a great hockey town. We had a young team last season and we didn't make the playoffs, which was hard to accept. But I had a good season even if I was hurt for part of it."

It was déja vu all over again this season for the all-star Q rookie, whose team is still in the bottom part of the standings, as he was injured in identical fashion but this time he hurt his other shoulder early in the season. Nevertheless, he is not deterred in any way, shape, or form and now has 10 goals and 21 assists in 20 games.

"I was hurt to my other shoulder but at least it was only bone, it was not tissue or anything. I'm fine now and I can play, so I'm happy I can help the team. We had a lot of injuries to start the season but now we are healthy and we can make a push to make the playoffs."

One of the knocks on "Baby Jagr" has always been that he was not willing to pay the price by going into high-traffic areas to make plays. That was confirmed once more when Frolik, selected 10th overall in 2006 by Florida, returned from Panther's camp with a list of things to work on.

"They told me I have go in the slot more, improve my game without the puck and finish my checks. The game is faster and more physical at that level, so I must adapt and improve my play. I try to practice some things during practice and then I bring them into the games."

For the past few seasons, Frolik has been part of the U20 Czech team going to the WJC. Last year, he had six points (4g-2a) in six games, which led him to be 13th overall in points. The Czech team however, has been less than brilliant over the past six championships only capturing bronze in 2005 during that particular span. Things are not looking much better this year either.

"We have good forwards with Voracek and a few others, but we lack defensemen depth. We will have a good goalie but if we have a weakness, it's our defense. I have played in a lot of these tournaments so I can share my experience with the team. Plus, with the home crowd cheering us on we never know what can happen."