Jagr leaves NHL to play for Russian team Avangard Omsk

[KudosForND]

MOSCOW -- Jaromir Jagr signed with a Russian team a day after his split with the New York Rangers, returning to the club he joined during the NHL's 2004-05 lockout.

Jagr

The Russian League team Avangard Omsk announced the signing of the 36-year-old Czech winger on its Web site Friday. Jagr's agent, Pat Brisson, confirmed the signing in an e-mail, but wouldn't comment on contract terms.

"It was a very difficult but personal decision to make in light of the many NHL teams interested in his services," Brisson said. "He is grateful to the NHL and especially the Rangers in recent years."

Jagr had long been reported to be considering lucrative offers from Russia. Rangers general manager Glen Sather grew impatient waiting for serious negotiations with Jagr's side and went in another direction Thursday, signing former Vancouver Canucks captain Markus Naslund and making Jagr's return unlikely.

If Jagr had reached 84 points or won a major NHL award this season, his expiring contract would have been automatically extended for one year.

He just missed being league MVP two years ago when he was the runner-up after breaking Rangers records for goals (54) and points (123) in a season.

Though Jagr finished with 71 points this past season, his inspired play over the final weeks of the regular season and his five-goal, 10-assist outburst in 10 postseason games showed he has plenty of game left.

Jagr began his NHL career in 1990 and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals and the Rangers. In 1,273 NHL games, he had 1,599 points on 646 goals and 953 assists.

The Rangers reached the playoffs each of the last three seasons -- the past two with Jagr as captain -- but didn't get past the second round.

After the Rangers' season ended, Jagr indicated he planned to eventually return to the Czech Republic to play for his hometown club in Kladno.

"I don't think I would sign longer than two years, just because of my dad," Jagr said in May. "He asked me to come home in two years. He's helping to build a new arena there and he wants me to be there."

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press

[Jade Green]

Good for Jags, 35 million net for 3 years, nearly 12 million per season and he deserves it.

Thanks for being the only Older free agent superstar to come to the Rangers and live up to the hype.

He was the main reason the Rangers are somewhat respectable, and he re wrote the single season record book.

I doubt any of us or our great great granchildren, will see another Ranger year like he had in '05-'06.

I'm glad he did not resign, the rangers are obviously moving in some other direction, going no where.

I'm glad he is not going to be playing in he NHL for some one else either, and the Pens should deffinately retire his number, he was one of the best to ever play the game.

Good luck to The Great 68...

[KudosForND]

i hate to see him go but i lvoe that hes not on pens we dont have to woorry about playing him. its pretty much like he retired..

[124]

Jade Green, how can you say as a Ranger fan that you didn't want Jagr to return? The team went to the second round of the playoffs this season and has made improvements on defense and you didn't want Jagr back? This is still one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Don't kid yourself because you're one of the few who don't agree with the moves being made.

[Jade Green]

Jade Green, how can you say as a Ranger fan that you didn't want Jagr to return? The team went to the second round of the playoffs this season and has made improvements on defense and you didn't want Jagr back? This is still one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Don't kid yourself because you're one of the few who don't agree with the moves being made.

Tell me how good they are after they win a game huh.

I loved Jagr and what he did for the Rangers, but the team is moving in a different direction, and he it makes no sense to try and have him fit in.

He is most effective playing his style and we are not built for that anymore.

I am sick of trying to fit squre pegs into round holes, that would hold the team back.

Plus if they signed him for 2 years, at the money he wanted, we would not be able to afford to sign Zherdev next year.

So tell me, who would you want Jagr for 2, or Zherdev for 4-6?

It was obvious, once they signed Gomez and Drury, that they were moving away from Jagr, they should have traded him and got parts and picks to work with the wonder twins.

Nylander worked great with Jags, but the Rangers were smart in not paying him and signing him for as long as Washington did, I can't fault Nyls for leaving and with the rest of the signings the Jagr era was already over.

I don't blame Jagr for not wanting to change his game, he's top 10 in every offensive category, why should he? What he does works in the right setting.

Even though he lost a step, he coud adjust, but asking him to scrap all he knows, and become a dump and chase guy as opposed to a possesion guy is ridiculous.

Even if he was not the guy anymore, he could still set up with the best of them, like Gretz did in the end, but the Rangers did not have a finisher last year, Jags had to be the man.

I also don't mind him leaving, for what we could pay him, he would not return anyway, if he would have hit 84 points last year he would have been back automatically.

Makes you wonder if he or the team did not want that to happen.

As for last years team, they were not very good, and getting bounced in the 2nd round ain't sh*t. Jagr was the only won worth his salt down the stretch and in the 2nd round.

The power play and all this leadership in Gomez, Drury and Shanny was invisible.

They better step it up this year, as far as I'm concern Gmez and Drury still have allot to prove.

Nobody who was on the team's offense 2 years ago got better last year, in fact with our 2 new wonder centers, the entire offense got worse, way worse.

[CrazyCarl40]

Hope he doesn't die alive over there.

[Jade Green]

Hope he doesn't die alive over there.

So CC40, let me get this straight, you live in Ohio, but your location under your avatar says New York.

You root for the Pens, and Red Sox, what a joke!!!

Anybody want to guess who he likes in the NFL and NBA???

Typical garbage Pens fans crap, Jagr was a big part of allot of success there, he even asked to be traded to save that team.

You guys are the most fair weather fans in all of sports, remember how many times they nearly went bankrupt.

Soon as the hype on them dies down again, they will be right back on the cheese line.

Oh wait, can't blame that on you, you live no where near the city, let alone the state or the arena.

Penguin, Red Sox fan, what a clown, so did you like the Celtics and the Giants this year too?

I love how jerks who root for teams all over the continent, talk sh*t to fans who actually root for teams that play where they are from.

Are your from Pitt and Boston, is your real name Jesus?

[CrazyCarl40]

So CC40, let me get this straight, you live in Ohio, but your location under your avatar says New York.

You root for the Pens, and Red Sox, what a joke!!!

Anybody want to guess who he likes in the NFL and NBA???

Typical garbage Pens fans crap, Jagr was a big part of allot of success there, he even asked to be traded to save that team.

You guys are the most fair weather fans in all of sports, remember how many times they nearly went bankrupt.

Soon as the hype on them dies down again, they will be right back on the cheese line.

Oh wait, can't blame that on you, you live no where near the city, let alone the state or the arena.

Penguin, Red Sox fan, what a clown, so did you like the Celtics and the Giants this year too?

I love how jerks who root for teams all over the continent, talk sh*t to fans who actually root for teams that play where they are from.

Are your from Pitt and Boston, is your real name Jesus?

Who said I live in Ohio?

I live in New York. I am a Red Sox, Penguins, and Jets fan. Any game I would travel to for either team takes at least 3-4 hours. So I don't understand the beef. I don't particularly follow any NBA team, I prefer college basketball, in which I am a Notre Dame fan (as in college sports). Big front-running there.

The real joke here is you calling me out about absolutely nothing without knowing anything about me. I make a small joke about Jagr and you come up with this ridiculous rant about jack. Ask around buddy, you won't find me wavering on any of the teams I like. But, just keep talking dude. You end up looking like the jerk.

[MasonJet]

LOL at Gomez getting worse. He put up better numbers this year than he did the year before.

And nobody on the team improved? Dawes? Dubinsky? Girardi? Callahan?

Were you expecting the level of play guys like Jagr and Shanahan and Straka to change dramatically?

And weren't you just whining about how the Rangers shouldn't change their system? Make up your mind.

[Jade Green]

LOL at Gomez getting worse. He put up better numbers this year than he did the year before.

And nobody on the team improved? Dawes? Dubinsky? Girardi? Callahan?

Were you expecting the level of play guys like Jagr and Shanahan and Straka to change dramatically?

And weren't you just whining about how the Rangers shouldn't change their system? Make up your mind.

Learn how to read, I said anybody who was on the team's offense 2 years ago got worse last year. Look up the stats and pipe down.

Of course we had to change our system, AGAIN!!!

What I said was we should not be changing it every year.

If this was the direction they wanted to go they should have traded Jagr after the lockout, and built a core over the last 3 years. Not sign Cezchs and Nylander to accomodate him.

Get a clue, you have no idea how the winning teams have been built over the last 14 years.

You don't over pay signing a core, you draft and trade to build one, and sign only pieces that you need and fit with your system.

You don't try to jam square pegs in round holes.

How long have you been a Rangers fan?

Let me know how well Slats' plan is working over the next few years.

[Jade Green]

Who said I live in Ohio?

I live in New York. I am a Red Sox, Penguins, and Jets fan. Any game I would travel to for either team takes at least 3-4 hours. So I don't understand the beef. I don't particularly follow any NBA team, I prefer college basketball, in which I am a Notre Dame fan (as in college sports). Big front-running there.

The real joke here is you calling me out about absolutely nothing without knowing anything about me. I make a small joke about Jagr and you come up with this ridiculous rant about jack. Ask around buddy, you won't find me wavering on any of the teams I like. But, just keep talking dude. You end up looking like the jerk.

Whatever, I thought you said you lived in Ohio or something, my bad.

Anyway I'm not coming at you at least your are a Jets fan, but I have no respect for fans of teams all over the continent.

You root for who you root for, I'm sure you have your reasons. I only support teams that play where I'm from, but that's just me.

You should know damn well what I said about Pens fans is true though, and Jagr finished top 10 in every offensive category, not bad for a dead alive guy.

[MasonJet]

Learn how to read, I said anybody who was on the team's offense 2 years ago got worse last year. Look up the stats and pipe down.

Of course we had to change our system, AGAIN!!!

What I said was we should not be changing it every year.

If this was the direction they wanted to go they should have traded Jagr after the lockout, and built a core over the last 3 years. Not sign Cezchs and Nylander to accomodate him.

Get a clue, you have no idea how the winning teams have been built over the last 14 years.

You don't over pay signing a core, you draft and trade to build one, and sign only pieces that you need and fit with your system.

You don't try to jam square pegs in round holes.

How long have you been a Rangers fan?

Let me know how well Slats' plan is working over the next few years.

I've been a Rangers fan for about as long as I could walk. You?

So 2 years ago huh? I guess that would only leave Jagr, Straka, and Prucha. Yea I guess you're right about all 3 players. What's your point again?

We are changing our system this year, and that's what you happen when you change players.

You don't think the Rangers aren't drafting and trading to build the team? Obviously they are, you always talk about the prospects.

And like I said before, you need to have veterans to go along with your young players.

It was clear when we signed Drury and Gomez that they would be taking over the offensive reigns of the team after Jagr left. How are they square pegs when our offense is going to be built around them?

So you keep complaining, but if you have any other ideas for the who the Rangers should have signed I'd love to hear them.

[Jade Green]

I've been a Rangers fan for about as long as I could walk. You?

So 2 years ago huh? I guess that would only leave Jagr, Straka, and Prucha. Yea I guess you're right about all 3 players. What's your point again?

We are changing our system this year, and that's what you happen when you change players.

You don't think the Rangers aren't drafting and trading to build the team? Obviously they are, you always talk about the prospects.

And like I said before, you need to have veterans to go along with your young players.

It was clear when we signed Drury and Gomez that they would be taking over the offensive reigns of the team after Jagr left. How are they square pegs when our offense is going to be built around them?

So you keep complaining, but if you have any other ideas for the who the Rangers should have signed I'd love to hear them.

You just don't get it, I'm not going to waste my breath any more.

First of all we signed Rozsi, Malik and Nylander for Jagr, not just Prucha nd Straka.

SO WAKE THE **** UP!!!! The kids were being geared to play a different style.

Then we signed Drury and Gomez and Shanny the year before, none of which meshed with what we had.

If you had any brians, you would know we should have been working on building a team that fit the system of our youth and future.

2 years ago our core was Jagr, Straka, Nylander, Rozsival, Lundqvist, playing 1 style.

Shanny, Avery, Drury and Gomez were jamed in along the way, the style changed some and we got no where for it.

Our core right now is Drury, Gomez, Redden, Staal and Lundqvist, for the most part.

And we are now trying to change to a style the youth were playing in Hartford all along, and we are building around UFA's we signed not the youth we developed and we are still missing vital pieces and are capped out.

That is ASS BACKWARDS!!!

We should have been developing our core through the draft and trades the last 3 years, only sihning players that fit our system, not changing it every year!!!

That is how the teams that win and contend every year do it, what we have been doing has got us nowhere and we are not one bit closer, and capped out.

This is going to lead to holding back the youth like it always has, you should know this unless you started walking yesterday.

If we would have took the last tjree years to develop our youth and a system, we would have the cap room to bring in parts that we need that fit, and build around our future.

Over paying for guys left and right trying to build around them does not work, now with the cap more than ever.

[MasonJet]

You're histrionics are getting really annoying so I'll just address a few points.

The Rangers are holding back the youth? Interesting. So I guess a starting lineup that will include Dubinsky(22), Dawes (23), Zherdev (23), Callahan (23), Prucha (25), Staal (21), Girardi (24), and Kalinin (27) is really holding back the youth huh? Also Gomez and Betts are only 28, so not exactly old men. Drury, Redden, and Naslund will be the only guys over 30 on the roster.

And FWIW, Lundqvist is 26.

And which defense do you think is better? Roszival, Tyutin, Mara, Malik, Girardi, Staal, Tyutin, Strudwick, Backman OR

Roszival, Redden, Staal, Girardi, Mara, Kalinin? I think I'll take that one. Essentially Kalinin is replacing Tyutin, and Redden is replacing Malik/Backman/Strudwick. I can live with that.

This is the salary cap era, rosters are going to change.

I can't wait to see Gomez and Zherdev together, if Zherdev can keep his head in the right place I can see him scoring a ton of goals with a setup man like Gomez.

[Jade Green]

You're histrionics are getting really annoying so I'll just address a few points.

The Rangers are holding back the youth? Interesting. So I guess a starting lineup that will include Dubinsky(22), Dawes (23), Zherdev (23), Callahan (23), Prucha (25), Staal (21), Girardi (24), and Kalinin (27) is really holding back the youth huh? Also Gomez and Betts are only 28, so not exactly old men. Drury, Redden, and Naslund will be the only guys over 30 on the roster.

And FWIW, Lundqvist is 26.

And which defense do you think is better? Roszival, Tyutin, Mara, Malik, Girardi, Staal, Tyutin, Strudwick, Backman OR

Roszival, Redden, Staal, Girardi, Mara, Kalinin? I think I'll take that one. Essentially Kalinin is replacing Tyutin, and Redden is replacing Malik/Backman/Strudwick. I can live with that.

This is the salary cap era, rosters are going to change.

I can't wait to see Gomez and Zherdev together, if Zherdev can keep his head in the right place I can see him scoring a ton of goals with a setup man like Gomez.

Yeah and we will be lucky to be able to sign him next year too.

I know we have allot of youth, and more getting ready, that is why I don't want to see them stranded on the 3rd and 4th lines.

Look you just said Gomez will center Zherdev most likely with Naslund.

Dubi belongs on line 2 sakating with talent, we can't slam the breaks on him, he is the future.

So either Drury our best face off guy moves to wing, or Dubi gets held back, and stuck on line 3.

Now what happens when Anismov and Korpedo are both ready to come up, this and next year? They are both centers, but I bet they get either stranded or converted, and that is waht I mean by holding back the youth.

They are not going to reach their full potential playing limited minutes out of position on line 4 with nobodies. We have seen this happen before.

Of course the D is better, it coukld not get any worse, and as far as the Cap, and rosters changing that is why you can't over pay and need to build a core from with in, not sign one.

Over paying for guys and postiotns you could do with out, and ignoring other needs makes it even worse.

Let me know how good that Redden signing is in year 5 and 6.

Look obviously Slats can do no wrong, which is why we won 2 playoff series in 12 years right?

[MasonJet]

Yeah and we will be lucky to be able to sign him next year too.

I know we have allot of youth, and more getting ready, that is why I don't want to see them stranded on the 3rd and 4th lines.

Look you just said Gomez will center Zherdev most likely with Naslund.

Dubi belongs on line 2 sakating with talent, we can't slam the breaks on him, he is the future.

So either Drury our best face off guy moves to wing, or Dubi gets held back, and stuck on line 3.

Now what happens when Anismov and Korpedo are both ready to come up, this and next year? They are both centers, but I bet they get either stranded or converted, and that is waht I mean by holding back the youth.

They are not going to reach their full potential playing limited minutes out of position on line 4 with nobodies. We have seen this happen before.

Of course the D is better, it coukld not get any worse, and as far as the Cap, and rosters changing that is why you can't over pay and need to build a core from with in, not sign one.

Over paying for guys and postiotns you could do with out, and ignoring other needs makes it even worse.

Let me know how good that Redden signing is in year 5 and 6.

Look obviously Slats can do no wrong, which is why we won 2 playoff series in 12 years right?

I'm going to get this out of the way first, Korpikoski is a left wing NOT a center. And it should be interesting to see what happen when Anisimov is ready as we will have a bit of a logjam at center. I imagine you're one of the few people who thinks it is a bad thing to have too much talent at one position. It would also be silly to not sign players like Drury and Gomez just because you have some prospects that could become good players. If those prospects don't turn out to be that good then you look like an idiot for not signing proven veterans to play the position.

Dubinsky could very well end up playing with Callahan and Korpikoski. Would you consider those guys nobodies or talented youth?

And I'm not a huge fan of Redden's contract. He needs to turn around his game big time to be worth it and he has to be successful on the power play as well. Hopefully the change of teams will help as Ottawa was just a disaster last year.

And I get the feeling that Fritsche won't be in the starting lineup in October, but I could be wrong.

[Jade Green]

I'm going to get this out of the way first, Korpikoski is a left wing NOT a center. And it should be interesting to see what happen when Anisimov is ready as we will have a bit of a logjam at center. I imagine you're one of the few people who thinks it is a bad thing to have too much talent at one position. It would also be silly to not sign players like Drury and Gomez just because you have some prospects that could become good players. If those prospects don't turn out to be that good then you look like an idiot for not signing proven veterans to play the position.

Dubinsky could very well end up playing with Callahan and Korpikoski. Would you consider those guys nobodies or talented youth?

And I'm not a huge fan of Redden's contract. He needs to turn around his game big time to be worth it and he has to be successful on the power play as well. Hopefully the change of teams will help as Ottawa was just a disaster last year.

And I get the feeling that Fritsche won't be in the starting lineup in October, but I could be wrong.

First of all Korpedo played plenty of center in Hartford and he is a natural center, they are converting him to wing.

2nd we had more centers in the system than anything else, odds were at least 1 would make it, and we may have 3.

If Cally and Korpedo are on the 3rd line then who are the 2nd line wingers? Dawes and Prucha??? Please!!!

Like I said already let me know how smart the Drury signing is when we lose 1 or 2 of these 4.

Dubinsky's, Callahan's & Korpikoski's contracts are all up next year and Zherdev is a RFA. We do not need Drury and he and Nasland are going to cost us 2 young guns.

Anybody who supports the garbage job Sather has done is blind and retarded, we won 2 playoff series in 12 years, and the team is getting worse not better.

WAKE THE ***** UP!!!

Teams that win cups do not sign a core and lose youth, they build a core and sign missing pieces, Slats is doing things ass backwards, geting no where and costing us youth, and you are cheering like an ice dancer.

[KudosForND]

honestly i think we have great players but i think if jagr was there they will have more chances to score bc the defense always look at jagr he makes the team better just by being on the ice.

[Jade Green]

honestly i think we have great players but i think if jagr was there they will have more chances to score bc the defense always look at jagr he makes the team better just by being on the ice.

Of course but he wanted a multi year deal.

Bad enough we may lose a young stud because we signed Nazzy for 2 years, we would have lost 2 over a new 2 year Jagr contract.

Neither guy is going to bring us a cup, so losing our future over them is dumb.

What else is new, lucky Slats can not deffer money this year or his dimb ass would let Poppa Shanny rob us again, and we would lose another young kid next year over it.

[Thai Jet]

So CC40, let me get this straight, you live in Ohio, but your location under your avatar says New York.

You root for the Pens, and Red Sox, what a joke!!!

Anybody want to guess who he likes in the NFL and NBA???

Typical garbage Pens fans crap, Jagr was a big part of allot of success there, he even asked to be traded to save that team.

You guys are the most fair weather fans in all of sports, remember how many times they nearly went bankrupt.

Soon as the hype on them dies down again, they will be right back on the cheese line.

Oh wait, can't blame that on you, you live no where near the city, let alone the state or the arena.

Penguin, Red Sox fan, what a clown, so did you like the Celtics and the Giants this year too?

I love how jerks who root for teams all over the continent, talk sh*t to fans who actually root for teams that play where they are from.

Are your from Pitt and Boston, is your real name Jesus?

I'd simply LOVE to see you relocate some time real soon.

[Jade Green]

I'd simply LOVE to see you relocate some time real soon.

Don't hold your breath.