Jagr confirms Oilers talks took place

by James Mirtle on Mar 20, 2009 2:55 PM CDT Comment 8 comments

Normally I just excerpt these things, but this whole press release is worth a read. Here it is, straight from the KHL as of a few minutes ago (they must be working late tonight):

Avangard Omsk winger Jaromir Jagr gave the Czech paper Denik Sport his thoughts on the rumors that he was going to leave Avangard of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) to join the NHL’s Edmonton Oilers next season.

Despite the speculations during the last weeks of the KHL regular season and the Gagarin Cup playoffs that he was planning to return to the NHL, the player himself commits his future to Avangard, the team he is contracted with for another year - Denik Sport reports.

Nonetheless, the possibility of Jagr returning to the NHL wearing an Oilers jersey was actually real. The Oilers and Avangard had reportedly reached an agreement that if Avangard did not reach the Gagarin Cup playoffs or was swept in the first round by Salavat Yulaev, Jagr was cleared to report to Edmonton.

“Yes, such an opportunity really existed,” Jagr told Denik Sport. “The teams had discussed how that could be fulfilled. But it did not depend on me. Should Omsk ask me to join Edmonton, I’d do that. But that was not something I desired myself. After we made the playoffs, the whole thing ceased to be an issue”.

Jagr then confirmed that the same approach will be in effect next season.

“Will I voluntarily terminate my contract with Avangard and go to America? That definitely won’t happen. Only if the two hockey clubs reach an agreement. But I won’t do it by myself”, said Jagr.

To me, that says the possibility exists than an NHL club could effectively buy Jagr out of his contract in the KHL. Given the current economic climate, however, I wonder just how much spare cash clubs are going to have this summer and if they feel a 37-year-old Jagr can help them.

He finished seventh in KHL scoring this season.

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He finished seventh in KHL scoring this season.

Considering his linemate died right beside him back in October, I’d say that’s a pretty darn good year he had.

Hockey blogging can't get any flatter.

by saskhab on Mar 20, 2009 3:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Players as good as Jagr don’t just fade away in a year. Give him something to play for, and he’ll play.

by RyanV on Mar 20, 2009 5:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

So does Staples get apologies from guys like Matheson that ripped him for reporting this rumour?

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by PPP on Mar 20, 2009 8:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Matheson; they both work at the Journal. In fact, it looks like he gives the blog a plug here.

Others have written that Staples “blogs from home,” which is apparently a good place to get scoops like this.

by James Mirtle on Mar 20, 2009 8:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You’re thinking of Tychkowski (sp?). And I doubt it.

SNN Sports - A theoretical Oilers blog (i.e. theoretically, I write stuff there)

by Doogie2K on Mar 21, 2009 2:27 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

James, I’m not sure what you’re trying to suggest when you say that a team could “effectively” buy Jagr out of his deal (and maybe you can’t actually answer this based on the limited information we have about the situation).

Negotiating individual transfer fees for players is forbidden under the language in the CBA; it’s a Pandora’s box and the NHL wants nothing to do with the concept.

If Omsk works out a deal to rid themselves of the money invested in Jagr (much like the Russians coming this way have “out” clauses if assigned to the AHL), then that’s a different story, but I don’t see why someone like Roman Abramovich would be so willing to get rid of one of his prized hockey assets (which suggests to me that this was an Edmonton initiative).

"Without good hard work, it is impossible to reach the pinnacle of success." - Anatoli Tarasov

by PRC on Mar 20, 2009 10:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, those are fair points. It just seems like there had to be some reason the team was looking to let him go to Edmonton earlier and that such a scenario could come up again.

by James Mirtle on Mar 20, 2009 10:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jagr needs to finish his career in the NHL…he’s an all-time great. Over the last decade he’s lost virtually all of his speed, but he’s still impossible to knock off the puck, and probably saw his numbers decline because of Renney’s snooze-system in New York.

The guy is only 37…think about it…if not for the lockouts in ’94 and ’04, and him going back to Europe…the guy would have had a great shot at being 2nd to Gretzky in goals and points all time.

Figure 45 points for the ‘94 lockout, and (conservatively) 80 for ’04-’05, and he’s past Lemieux on the all-time points list. Give him 70 or 80 this year, consider his age and talent, and he could have easily challenged Messier for 2nd on the all-time points list, and Howe for 2nd place all-time in goals.

by Make a play Whitner on Mar 21, 2009 12:44 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs