cant make this up Russian team says Jagr signed

gtc08 · Jul 4, 2008

Russian hockey club Avangard Omsk said on its website Friday that it had signed Jaromir Jagr for the upcoming season, just one day after the New York Rangers said they were moving ahead without the superstar.
The club in the Continental Hockey League announced the signing on its website but did not disclose the terms of the contract. Jagr played for Avangard during the NHL's lockout season in 2004-05.
Jagr has spent the last four years of his NHL career with the Rangers.
New York on Thursday signed longtime Vancouver Canucks captain Markus Naslund to a two-year, $8-million US deal. Rangers general manager Glen Sather said he couldn't wait any longer for Jagr to commit to the team for next season.
"Jagr was very respectful when I talked to him and gave him the information that we're going to move on," Sather said.
"I kind of always got the feeling that maybe there was something in Russia that is really looking at him," Sather added. "We never got to that situation where I knew exactly what he was looking for, whether it was a one-year or a two-year [offer]…. It's pretty tough to negotiate with yourself."
Jagr, 36, had completed the final season of his seven-year, $78-million US contract.
Jagr led the Rangers with 71 points in the regular season but it was his lowest total in 16 seasons.
The Kladno, Czech Republic, native has scored 646 goals and 953 assists in 1,273 NHL games with New York, Washington and Pittsburgh.
He ranks 12th all-time in goals and ninth overall with 1,599 points. The right-winger has added 181 playoff points in his career, good for 11th on the all-time list.
Jagr won the Art Ross Trophy as top scorer in the NHL five times and captured the Hart Trophy in 1999 as most valuable player in the league.
He won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins.
Sather said on Thursday we would be willing to talk with Jagr again "if things don't work out for him in Russia."

this league cant even keep its own players. what a joke.

MattRain · Jul 4, 2008

Did the NHL kill your dog?

It does suck and it does reflect quite poorly on the NHL... I'm sure it'll be a trend over the coming months/years. I just don't understand why you and a bunch of Americans sound so bitter. You're supposed not to care at all.

OTK · Jul 4, 2008

I don't even understand how this reflects poorly on the NHL. He SHOULD go to the Russian league. He's getting paid more money and is home. He'd be stupid not to go, just like I think Malkin is stupid for not leaving for twice the money.

I'm sure if Europe really cared about football or baseball they could start a league and take some top players by offering big money, but they don't. It doesn't mean the NHL is a bad product or a bad league, it just means there is more competition out there for the NHL than there is for the MLB or NFL.

gtc08 · Jul 4, 2008

OTK said:
I don't even understand how this reflects poorly on the NHL. He SHOULD go to the Russian league. He's getting paid more money and is home. He'd be stupid not to go, just like I think Malkin is stupid for not leaving for twice the money.

I'm sure if Europe really cared about football or baseball they could start a league and take some top players by offering big money, but they don't. It doesn't mean the NHL is a bad product or a bad league, it just means there is more competition out there for the NHL than there is for the MLB or NFL.

reflects poorly because supposed superior leagues should not be losing talent to supposedly smaller leagues like this one. you ever see the NBA lose a big name to a euro league? id argue that these other leagues are equal to the nhl but hockey guys say they arnt.

lapdance · Jul 4, 2008

didn't the nfl lose players to the WFL?

don't mlb players go to japan to play?

bookie · Jul 4, 2008

If I was a Russian player I would be extremely hesitant of going there. There has been rumblings from the past of extortion and kidnapping of Russian players and their families by the Russian mob.

bigtendominator · Jul 4, 2008

bookie said:
If I was a Russian player I would be extremely hesitant of going there. There has been rumblings from the past of extortion and kidnapping of Russian players and their families by the Russian mob.

I still believe this a major problem and part of the reason that Malkin turned the offer down.

TheFunkMonkey · Jul 4, 2008

lapdance said:
didn't the nfl lose players to the WFL?

don't mlb players go to japan to play?

So you're comparing a star like Jagr to Tuffy Rhodes and Gabe Kapler?

FairWarning · Jul 4, 2008

Matt Rain said:
Did the NHL kill your dog?

It does suck and it does reflect quite poorly on the NHL... I'm sure it'll be a trend over the coming months/years. I just don't understand why you and a bunch of Americans sound so bitter. You're supposed not to care at all.

Matt, I believe it reflects favorable on the league. Who would commit huge money to a 36-year-old for 4-5 years when his skiils will be diminishing rapidly over the same time? With the salary cap, teams have to make tough decisions, and kudos to the Rangers here. Money will be better spent elsewhere. Now if Jagr wanted a year or two, thats different.

GTC08 - The NHL last many stars to the WHA in the early 70's. Bobby Hull, Gerry Cheevers, Paul Henderson were some of the big names that jumped. Cheevers was the Stanley Cup goalie for the Bruins the season before he left. Didn't hurt the NHL. Doubt the loss of Jagr will either.

Vancouverfan · Jul 4, 2008

Jagr is very much on the downside of his career now and is not nearly the same player he was a few seasons ago. Not a big shock that an aging Czech who is finishing out his career accepts a big payday in Europe from a league desperate to get a big name.

gtc08 · Jul 4, 2008

FairWarning said:
Matt, I believe it reflects favorable on the league. Who would commit huge money to a 36-year-old for 4-5 years when his skiils will be diminishing rapidly over the same time? With the salary cap, teams have to make tough decisions, and kudos to the Rangers here. Money will be better spent elsewhere. Now if Jagr wanted a year or two, thats different.

GTC08 - The NHL last many stars to the WHA in the early 70's. Bobby Hull, Gerry Cheevers, Paul Henderson were some of the big names that jumped. Cheevers was the Stanley Cup goalie for the Bruins the season before he left. Didn't hurt the NHL. Doubt the loss of Jagr will either.

jagr leaving the nhl would be like ray allen leaving the celtics and the nba to go play for tel aviv in the euro league. the only reason ray doesn't leave though is because the NBA is by far the best league. jagr left because this league he's joining is near or slightly behind the nhl.

bookie · Jul 4, 2008

gtc08 said:
jagr leaving the nhl would be like ray allen leaving the celtics and the nba to go play for tel aviv in the euro league. the only reason ray doesn't leave though is because the NBA is by far the best league. jagr left because this league he's joining is near or slightly behind the nhl.

I like your comparison seeing as the Continental Hockey League hasn't played a game as of yet.:think2:

JohnnyB · Jul 4, 2008

Seriously gtc, is it your personal mission to discredit the NHL? If you don't like hockey, shouldn't you not care at all? Yet you keep carrying on, day after day, like a bitter prick. Did an NHL player fuck your girlfriend? I don't like the NBA. Therefore I don't watch it nor care about it. I don't start threads bashing it on a daily basis.

FairWarning · Jul 5, 2008

gtc08 said:
jagr leaving the nhl would be like ray allen leaving the celtics and the nba to go play for tel aviv in the euro league. the only reason ray doesn't leave though is because the NBA is by far the best league. jagr left because this league he's joining is near or slightly behind the nhl.

Seriously, how do you know so much about the league Jagr is going to? Here is a list of the roster of the players he is with. To even compare these with NHL quality discredits you from ever talking NHL again.

Goaltenders

[edit] Defensemen

[edit] Forwards

FairWarning · Jul 5, 2008

I equate the Jagr signing by a minor league club on par to the Bricks signing a multi-year deal with Chris Duhon. All about the $$$. :nohead:

gtc08 · Jul 5, 2008

come on fairwarning. i knwo you love hockey, but dont you find it a bit embarrassing that a cornerstone of the league is running overseas now? he might not be that great now, but he's still a big name. that would be like dirk nowitzki going to play in the german league when he gets older, you know that wont happen because the NBA is 10 times better then any other basketball league.

bookie · Jul 5, 2008

lol...Jagr...cornerstone of the league.
He wouldn't even be in the top 30 today.

Puckhandler · Jul 5, 2008

Jagr doesn't even make top 100 in league anymore. The guy's a headcase. His signing barely makes the news up here. No one cares. Jagr's signing is a non-issue. So many young stars on the rise in the NHL.

carlspackler · Jul 5, 2008

jagr went back to the team he played for during the lockout. he will be making 7 mil. a year tax free. that's about 13 mil. in the US. The Rangers promply went out and signed Naslund. All is good in Ranger land. Long live the NHL.

Slickwitdadick · Jul 5, 2008

how does this reflect poorly on the nhl. the nhl isnt losing players to the league.

the russian league offered jagr money WAAY above his market value. tax free.

oh and jagr WANTED to play in the nhl. he said so himself. no team offered him enough money so he could pay off all his gambling debts. he a degenerate. owed million in taxes.