While the NHL season is starting in North America, Jürgen Penker is mentally commuting between Linz and Florida every day. The former goalkeeper is not only a goalie coach at the Steinbach Black Wings Linz, but also a European goalie scout and development coach for the Florida Panthers – and he does so with impressive dedication.
“I’m already fully involved,” says Penker in an interview with LAOLA1. Thanks to the time difference, he manages to combine both jobs: in the morning he works in Linz, in the afternoon and often late into the night he works for Florida. Despite the injuries to stars like Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov, he is optimistic about the Panthers’ season: “We have a team that will be at the forefront again.”
Penker describes his tasks in Florida as varied: from pro scouting to draft observations to individual support for young goalkeepers like Olof Glifford. In Europe, he is the central contact person for all goalie issues in the Panthers system – from Russia to Scandinavia. At the same time, he runs a structured goalkeeper program in Linz that he set up with Gernot Wegerer and Thomas Schneider.
Full working week
His working week is well-planned: “In Linz I usually work from Monday to Friday, early in the morning until midday. The weekends are reserved for scouting.” There’s hardly any free time left, but Penker takes it with professionalism: “Ice hockey is eight months a year, so there’s not much time left.” Only in the summer does he allow himself short breaks between the draft, development camp and the start of training in Linz.
Since joining the Panthers in 2021, his role has expanded significantly – from a part-time video job to a permanent job in the organization. There was a three-year contract for this last year. “The fact that I made it to the NHL as a coach is unbelievable,” says Penker proudly. He was able to hold the Stanley Cup in his hands for the first time in September – an emotional moment for the 43-year-old: “My name is on the cup, I get a championship ring – these are things that as an Austrian you don’t dare to dream of.”
Black Wings Linz also benefit
Despite the differences between the NHL and ICE Hockey League – “like a small company compared to a large corporation” – Linz benefits from Penker’s international know-how. Many impressions and methods from North America flow directly into his work with the Black Wings.
Penker leaves it open whether a third Stanley Cup ring will soon be added: “We are certainly a team that can play at the top – but to win a championship title, you need quality as well as a bit of luck.” One thing is clear: Jürgen Penker lives and breathes ice hockey – on both sides of the Atlantic.
Pic: fodo.media/Harald Dostal
