Jagr Watch 2017

[Lesky]

BRING THE MULLET BACK!!!!!

[Lesky]

Lighter Jagr helps Czechs reach semifinals at Worlds

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=7674 ... l:topheads" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PRAGUE -- Jaromir Jagr has benefited from his size throughout his career. When he turns his back to the play to shield the puck, it's very difficult for defenders to get around his big body to his long stick.

Jagr decided to give up some of that advantage during the 2014-15 NHL season. In an effort to keep pace with his young Florida Panthers linemates, the 43-year-old lost more than 20 pounds, trading size for speed.

"I'm still somewhere around 105 kilograms (230 pounds) and I used to have 115 (253)," he said. "It's hard to skate with so much weight, when other players have 80 (176). I'd be happy to see them moving with a 30-kilogram vest."

The benefits of Jagr's weight loss were obvious at the end of the NHL regular season, and they've been evident at the IIHF World Championship in the Czech Republic, where Jagr has adjusted to the larger international rink and had no problem skating past much younger defensemen while leading the host country to the semifinals.

"I'm playing the way I need," Jagr said last week after the Czechs' fifth game of the tournament, a 4-0 win against Austria. "Every game is different, but I've had chances to score in each of them."

Jagr has been hampered a bit by injuries during the tournament. He didn't finish the Czechs' May 1 opener against Sweden because of a bruised finger, and on Tuesday against Switzerland in their preliminary-round finale, he left early in the first period with an undisclosed injury. But Jagr was back in the lineup Thursday and scored two goals, including the game-winner, in a 5-3 quarterfinal victory against Finland.

Despite missing parts of two games with injuries, Jagr is tied for third in the tournament with six goals and has a team-leading nine points entering the Czech Republic's semifinal game against Canada on Saturday.

After Jagr was traded to Florida from the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 26, he quickly found chemistry on a line with two players whose combined age is three less than his -- 19-year-old Aleksander Barkov and 21-year-old Jonathan Huberdeau. He scored six goals and had 18 points in 20 games with the Panthers.

Jagr's smaller body probably helped.

"My old weight had its advantages as well; I was stronger at the boards. But I feel good this way," he said.

Jagr has been one of the best forwards at the World Championship, which has featured NHL stars such as Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Claude Giroux and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Some of Jagr's moves through the offensive zone in the tournament have been reminiscent of the early days of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. With his stickhandling and vision, he has created a lot of chances for himself and his teammates, including a superb no-look stretch pass to captain Jakub Voracek for a goal against Germany and a spin-o-rama to get past Austrian defenseman Daniel Mitterdorfer, though he failed to score because of a great toe save by goalie Rene Swette.

"That's how it goes. Unfortunately, the goals count, not the beauty," Jagr said. "My dad used to say: This is hockey, not figure skating. Nobody's gonna pay you for beautiful plays; you gotta score. But we're trying to get those great fans some extra bonus here."

He tied the game against Finland with a power-play goal in the second period, then scored the go-ahead goal with 4:30 remaining in regulation by coming out from behind the net and putting a shot through the small gap between kneeling goaltender Pekka Rinne's arm and his body.

Jagr's standing as the most famous Czech player of all-time has made him the most celebrated player at the 2015 World Championship. In the first few games, he did not respond to the fans chanting his name, trying to focus on adjusting to the international game and playing at his best. But he has saluted the fans from the bench as the tournament progressed, feeling relieved and putting more heat in Prague's O2 Arena.

"The atmosphere here is great, comparable only to NHL playoff hockey," Jagr said. "But I haven't been in the playoffs for a while. And here, the fans have different style of supporting with all the jumping and chanting through the entire game. It's great that people here are crazy about hockey. It's the reason why we want to do something extra for them. Even when we're leading 3-0, we are not playing just some maintenance."

The semifinal game against Canada could be the final time No. 68 plays for his home country in a World Championship game. But he'll be back in the NHL in the fall; Jagr signed a one-year contract with the Panthers on April 12, one day after the regular season ended.

During the summer, the fourth-highest scorer in League history (1,802 points) will prepare for his 22nd NHL season. If his performance from the World Championship is any indication, he still has plenty left in the tank.

[Lesky]

Canada needs to prevent Jaromir Jagr’s heroics at world hockey championships

PRAGUE—The passion of the Czech Republic’s hockey-mad fans can be infectious. Even Canada forward Tyler Seguin was caught up in the fervour when Czech legend Jaromir Jagr scored the winning goal to lead the host nation to a 5-3 quarter-final win over Finland at the world hockey championship.

“I was watching the game and the whole place where I was eating dinner was chanting Jagr’s name,” Seguin told reporters after Canada’s practice on Friday.
“I started chanting too and I took a video of it. Jar-o-mir Jagr!”
Seguin won’t be chanting Jagr’s name on Saturday, when Canada meets the Czechs in a semifinal (1 p.m. TSN) which is sure to draw a vocal partisan crowd to Prague’s O2 Arena.

Already a national hero for his two Stanley Cups, two world championship gold medals and his gold with the Czech Olympic team at the 1998 Nagano Games, the 43-year-old Jagr announced his retirement from international competition after the Czechs finished fourth at the 2014 world championship.

He reversed his decision after a strong finish to the 2014-15 NHL season, when he had 18 points in 20 games after a trade-deadline move to the Florida Panthers.
Canada defenceman Aaron Ekblad had just turned two years old when Jagr and the Czechs ousted Canada in a shootout in the Nagano semifinals.

Ekblad admitted that he was “a little starstruck at first,” when Jagr arrived in Florida in March, “but seeing how nice of a guy he is, how patient he is and how good of a teacher he is with all the young guys including myself in Florida, he’s definitely an asset for any team.”

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/20 ... ships.html

[Skatingpen]

Sorry Lesky......

http://thehockeywriters.com/jaromir-jag ... hats-okay/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Tomas]

25 years in 28 minutes (fan video, but "Jagr approved" based on his appreciative Facebook post):

[Tomas]

Do you want to own Jagr's first car (Skoda Favorit 136L, review here: http://www.rac.co.uk/buying-a-car/car-r ... rit/207591" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; )?







Here is your chance:
https://translate.google.com/translate? ... edit-text=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You have to bid until the end of June. So far, the winning offer is CZK 690,000.

[Tomas]

One of the most recent posts on his personal official Facebook page:

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Interestingly, he then posted many replies to the fans - even to the likes of "If God existed, the world would not be drowned in [excrements]"...

And then he posted this:

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[dagny]

But... really . . . how many of us are left that remember the glory of the mullet?

[djlm]

But... really . . . how many of us are left that remember the glory of the mullet?

It seems we won't need to remember, he's gonna grow it back this season according to reports from today.

WAKE UP NPR JEEZ!!! IT'S OCGODDAMNTOBER ALREADY

[Lesky]

[Lesky]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/flor ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr joined the Panthers late last season, nine of the 19 players who skated with him that evening hadn't been born when the rugged Czech broke into the NHL on Oct. 5, 1990.

Despite skipping four seasons to play in Russia and the Czech Republic, Jagr has played 1,752 NHL games, including the postseason. The Panthers' 22-year-old franchise has played 1,694.

About to start his 25th NHL season, the Panthers are counting on the 43-year-old Jagr to anchor the top line alongside 22-year-old Jonathan Huberdeau and 20-year-old Aleksander Barkov and hopefully lead the team to the playoffs for the third time this century.

He's made more than $50 million, so the question begs: What drives this two-time Stanley Cup champion and nine-time All-Star forward to continue to play a sport with players young enough to be his sons?

"I've never been motivated by trophies or whoever won,'' Jagr said before training camp began last week. "I do this sport because I love it. When you look around there's people, they don't make a living by playing hockey, they have a regular job and they still go play 15 against 15 at midnight just to be there, paying for the ice, so they have to love it, too.

"I know I'm going to be one of those guys. Why not do it right now?''

Why not? Jagr is the active leader in games played, goals (722), assists (1,080), points (1,802), plus-minus (plus-291), hat tricks (15) and even-strength goals (507). He's the all-time leader in game-winning goals (129).

After coming from the Devils in a trade last February, Jagr scored 18 points in 20 games for the Panthers, so he could pass Marcel Dionne (731 goals) and Bobby Hull (741) into third place all-time, far behind Wayne Gretzky's 894.

Yet, Jagr could care less about records or milestones. His five Art Ross trophies for leading the league in scoring, an MVP Hart Trophy and three outstanding player Ted Lindsay trophies are collecting dust in the bottom of someone's closet.

From his start as Mario Lemieux's young virtuoso partner in crime with his rock-star flowing hair in 1990 to a Hall of Fame run that has taken him to eight teams in a quarter-century, Jaromir Jagr brings an electricity and deftness in the offensive zone that should help the Panthers, even at 43.

"I always keep [them], then I lose [them],'' Jagr chuckled. "I play and the trainers all have it. … After I quit, I'm just going to go around the teams and pick up all the pucks and sticks.''

His love of hockey took roots on his grandfather's farm in Kladno, under a communist regime that eventually seized his family's land. His grandfather was jailed and died in 1968, the same year as the Czechoslovakian freedom movement, but four years before Jagr was born.

He has always worn No. 68 as a remembrance, and credits his innate toughness and his maniacal workout regimen to his impoverished, rugged upbringing. Hockey was his escape.

"I have it in the genes from my parents. They pushed me, plus you needed that attitude, especially during the communist years just to survive,'' he said.

Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon, a 10-year NHL defenseman who has rubbed elbows with some of sports greatest stars, said they all share one common trait.

"The great players love the game. I had the great pleasure to watch Michael Jordan practice a lot at the United Center,'' Tallon said. "The guy loved to play basketball. Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Magic Johnson, Dan Marino … their preparation and passion for the game was second to none. That's why Jagr is one of the greatest athletes of all time.''

Fellow Czech Martin Havlat, a 14-year NHL veteran who's trying out for the Panthers, has played with his boyhood hero in two Olympics, as well as last season in New Jersey. He gives one simple answer for the lifelong, yet busy, bachelor's longevity.

"He's basically married to hockey,'' Havlat said. "Jags does everything he can to get better every day.''

There is and isn't a secret to Jagr's durability; he is very guarded about his personalized training regimen. He doesn't talk much about his weighted stick and vests, his post-game jumping drills or the summers in Las Vegas, where he swings sticks in swimming pools.

When Jagr was a skinny, baby-faced 18-year-old rookie entering his first training camp at the since torn-down Igloo in Pittsburgh, he stunned the grizzled veterans on a grip-strength test.

"I couldn't speak very good English,'' Jagr recalled. "I looked like I was 10. No shoulders but I always had big forearms because I was working on the farm seven hours a day. You squeeze it, and those big guys did 60 or 80. I just grabbed it and 120, the maximum. They thought it was broke and said I got to do it again. 120 again.''

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound sculpted athlete doesn't smoke or drink alcohol. He eschews vitamins but admits to a Diet Coke addiction. During the grueling 82-game season, when his teammates are out for postgame dinner and libations, Jagr retreats to the hotel gym. Every night he does a non-stop 30-minute exercise series that works on his legs, stomach and arms.

"I have to do it. It gives me confidence,'' Jagr said. "I'd rather feel tired and strong than fresh and weak.''

Jagr's contracts usually contain a requirement that gives him 24-hour access to his team's practice facility, so while his new teammates were sleeping last week, he was skating by himself at the IceDen at midnight.

"Sometimes I do it [late] because the ice isn't available before,'' he said. "Nobody bothers me or tells me what to do.''

Panthers trainer Tommy Powers, who sometimes accompanies Jagr on his after-hour skates, marveled at how Jagr "crushed'' the Wingate test, which measures anaerobic power, and generally outdid his 20-something teammates on most of the agility and strength tests.

Panthers 22-year-old forward Vincent Trocheck, a Pittsburgh native, wasn't yet born when Jagr helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in his first two seasons.

"I went trick-and-treating at his house all the time, and would go to practice to get his autographs,'' Trocheck said. "He's a freak of nature, and shows what it takes to stay in the league for so long.''

The No. 1 song in 1990 was fittngly, Ice, Ice Baby. The top-rated TV show was Cheers, something Jagr has heard plenty of in his certain Hall of Fame career, and should hear more of from Panthers fans this season.

[Guido]

Jagr is the man. He deserves every bit of this and more!

[Lesky]

Flyers marvel at ageless Jaromir Jagr, await return of mullet

http://www.nj.com/flyers/index.ssf/2015 ... cart_river" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SUNRISE, Fla. — Flyers right wing Jakub Voracek grew a smile and shook his head in disbelief after Friday's practice thinking back to the late-night skates that he used to take with Jaromir Jagr.

His first season with the Flyers was extra special because Jagr, a fellow Czech and childhood hockey idol, was back in the NHL and on his team after playing three seasons in Russia.

They lived in the same Philadelphia apartment complex, rode to games together — "I was his driver," Voracek joked — and occasionally headed to the Flyers practice rink in Voorhees for midnight skates at Skate Zone.

Jagr insisted on getting a key to Skate Zone when he signed with the Flyers in July 2011 and he frequently used it ... sometimes with Voracek, then 22, giving up sleep to tag along.

"He sleeps during the day, works out at night," Voracek said. "I went a couple times, but I was in bed early a few times."

Voracek, the NHL's First Team All-Star right wing last season, and Jagr will reunite again Saturday night as opponents. Jagr will begin his 22nd NHL season as the top-line right wing for the Florida Panthers, who open at home against Voracek and the Flyers for a 7 p.m. game.

"I think he'll play two more years ... at least," Voracek predicted of Jagr, who turns 44 in February.

Jagr has said he wants to play until he's 50, and still in amazing shape and still producing. Playing for the Devils and Panthers last season, No. 68 scored 17 goals and 30 assists for 47 points in 77 games.

"He's amazing," said Flyers forward Brayden Schenn, also a teammate to Jagr in Philadelphia. "You don't don't see guys playing at 43 and not only that, but he's sstill is a dominate player. He's still very tough to defend and he's always fun to watch."

Jagr may be more fun to watch this season because he says he's growing back his mullet, his hairstyle for his first nine NHL seasons.

"Game one we won't see much of a mullet, but maybe by game 82 he'll have that big curly one back," Schenn said. "That's what he's known for .. the jersey tucked with the mullet sticking out!"

Voracek isn't so sure Jagr will wear it wear not that he's a lot older.

"I don't think it's going to be very dark back there," he said. "There will be some grays in it."

New Flyers coach Dave Hakstol joked, "There's got to be some marketing dynamic around that, huh?" Flyers coach Dave Hakstol joked.

Asked if he ever had a mullet, Hakstol said, "Not that good. ... "I don't think anybody could do it quite that well."

The same goes for Jagr's greatness on the ice. He's now fifth all-time in goals (722), sixth in assists (1,080) and fourth in points (1,802) ... numbers that would be a lot higher if he hadn't missed a full season due to an NHL lockout and three more playing in the KHL.

"Let's be honest, it's just him and hockey," Voracek said. "He doesn't have a girlfriend. As far as I know, he doesn't have kids. The only thing he's got is hockey. He puts 100 percent in it. If you put 100 percent in something all your life, that's what you're going to get and it's impressive."

"To be around Jagr that year in Philly ... it was an awesome experience and I'm glad I got to play with him."

[Lesky]

Frankly Speaking: Five minutes with Jagr

http://www.tsn.ca/frankly-speaking-five ... r-1.376054" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jaromir Jagr plucked a black mullet wig off his stall’s rung and placed it in a bag - lingering evidence of a pregame dressing room exploit.
On Monday night, though, Jagr was in no joking mood after being shut out by the Flyers. It was time to pack up and move on to Carolina.
Quietly brooding, Jagr carefully examined one pair of skates, and wrapped them in tape to keep them tight. Then another. He put them in a bag, followed one-by-one with ankle weights, a neon yellow softball, four pairs of skate laces, other training contraptions and yes, the two religious medals he displays conspicuously in his locker.
Jagr, 43, has two goals in his first two games this season. He's just 47 points away from passing Gordie Howe for No. 3 on the NHL's all-time points list. Here are five minutes with hockey's most interesting man:

Q: Most people go to Florida to retire. You decided to re-sign with the Panthers. What did you see in a 20-game audition that made you want to re-sign there?

Jagr: “I had a good 20 games. It was exciting. We were fighting for the playoffs. I had a chance to play with good, young, talented guys. Mostly, the way we play. I remember we had a chance to win every game. The young guys have potential. “They had a chance to get better this year. Why not? I have fun. It’s a good place to play.”

Q: It’s been 23 years since you won the Stanley Cup. Most thought you would want to go to a contending team. Are the Panthers a playoff team?
Jagr: “I think so. Otherwise, I wouldn’t come here. We’ve got 7-8 guys that are around the same age: 20, 21, 22. We’ve got some veterans. Lou (Roberto Luongo) in net.”

Q: Who is the most under-the-radar star on the Panthers?
Jagr: (scans the locker room) “Well, I think I’ve got two of them on my line (Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov). Flying under the radar is good. It’s good for everybody. Sometimes, if someone doesn’t have a big name, it doesn’t mean they’re not a good player.
“For example, look at those two rookies this year everybody is talking about - (Connor) McDavid and (Jack) Eichel. But I watched Arizona for a little bit. I saw Max Domi. He was (bleeping) unbelievable. Nobody’s talking about him. Why?
“How about the guy in Detroit? (Dylan) Larkin. Good player, already plays on the first line, making plays. Who else? The big guy on the Rangers: (Oscar) Lindberg.
“Then I watch Domi. It’s not even the goals. I like the way he played, one-on-one. He won battles. He made passes and got open. That was impressive, too, mostly because he is Tie Domi’s son. (laughing)”

Q: Yeah, but you’re only two years younger than Tie Domi. Where did Max’s talent come from?
Jagr: (laughs) “Tie had talent. He just had to fight. It was a different game.”

Q: Speaking of old, did you know that you’ve played more NHL games including playoffs (1,754) than the entire Panthers’ franchise?
Jagr: “I did not.”

Q: Does that at least make you feel old?
Jagr: (laughs) “Nah, not at all.”

Q: Really though, how do you feel? Are you still training the same way, skating at night, using weights?

Jagr: “I train mostly the same. Sometimes skate at night … My body can take a lot more than I do right now. I’ve tried to work smarter. For me, the toughest games are the first 10 to 15 games, just to get into it. When you’re old, and you have three to four months without a game, it’s brutal. I told my linemates, you have to skate for me the first 15 games. They’re young. They know.”
Q: You said a couple years ago that you’d like to play until you’re 50. Is that still realistic?

Jagr: “I know I’m going to play to 50. I know that - if I don’t get injured. I never said I’m going to play here (in the NHL) until I’m 50. That’s a different story. You can always play ’til 50. There’s a lot of guys that play until 60, you know, just beer hockey.”

Q: But what about the NHL?
Jagr: “I don’t think I could go until 50. It’s very tough.”

Q: Why?
Jagr: “First of all, the thing is, you can see it: there’s a lot of young guys getting the green light. It’s tough to compare (young guys) to me in training camp. For the young guys, they know it’s the playoffs for them. They’re getting ready the month before training camp. They have to make it. They have to play the best hockey in training camp. For older guys, you want to play the best hockey in playoffs. It’s a totally different mentality. A lot of times, the younger guys look a lot better than older guys in the training camp. It’s a misunderstanding. There’s no way you can peak then, and play a top game for 9 months. It doesn’t work like that.”

Q: I guess you can play in the Czech league when you’re 50? Especially when you own the team (HC Kladno / Czech Extraliga).

Jagr: (laughs) “Exactly. Nobody can fire me. I can play whatever minutes I want.”

Q: Because of your stature in the league, some team will always have some form of interest in you. What will make you walk away? Yourself?
Jagr: “I’ve always wanted to have a one-year contract; it’s always pushing me and motivating me. But I know: one bad year and I’m done. It’s kind of like walking on eggshells (laughs).”

Q: You didn’t get off to a good start last year in New Jersey. Was there any thought in your own mind that could’ve been your last year?
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"Two more months. Two more months, it will be good."

Jagr: “But. Even though I didn’t have a good start, I still felt the best I’ve felt. So inside I still believed in my game. Because I felt very good - the way I felt, the way I skated. The numbers weren’t there. But sometimes there’s something else (going on), too.
“As long as you believe you can do it, that’s the most important thing. Everything happens for a reason. If the Devils (didn’t make a coaching change), I probably wouldn’t have been in Florida.”

Q: You also said you were retiring from international play for the Czech Republic. You came back last year at the World Championships and scored 8 points in 10 games on home soil. Will you play in the World Cup of Hockey next September?
Jagr: “No. No way. No chance. Not in a million years. Not even if I score 80 goals.”

Q: You’re bringing back the mullet. How’s it looking?

Jagr: “I had to. Two more months. Two more months, it will be good.”

Q: Jakub Voracek said there will be a lot of grays in that mullet.

Jagr: “Just for Men, right?”

[Tomas]

Dave Molinari gets interviewed (!) by Czech "Sport" daily about Jagr:

http://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/hokej-nhl ... rosby.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

He mentions that Lemieux was "furious" when Molinari picked Pronger for the MVP award.

("Sport" does not allow Google Translate - BUT you can get the translation if you open the article in Google Chrome, and select "Do you want to translate this page?" )

[Lesky]

[Lesky]

the mullet is growing!

George Richards Retweeted
Florida Panthers ‏@FlaPanthers 1h1 hour ago
#JagrsMullet UPDATE: Here is your weekly check in on the @68Jagr mullet!

[Lesky]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/the- ... l-history/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The enduring Jaromir Jagr: An oral history

SUNRISE, FLA— Jaromir Jagr‘s hands are out in front of him. His palms are facing one another, and the gap between those palms is narrowing as he talks.

For the last minute or so, Jagr’s been sitting here in the Florida Panthers locker room explaining why he’s still playing pro hockey. No one would ever argue he needs to justify his presence, obviously; in a few hours, he’ll score the game-winner against Calgary, and he leads the Panthers in scoring.

It’s just that this is something he thinks about at age 43. And after going through all the reasons he’s still playing—his love of the game, how he doesn’t want to start another career, how it’s more fun than your usual 9-to-5—Jagr reaches what he explains is the “most important thing.”

“The time between when I quit hockey and I die,” he says, looking at the gap between his hands, which is now only a couple inches wide, “I want it to be the shortest.”

Jagr continues: "If I can play till I die, that's what I will do. What else are you gonna do? Even if you retire, you still will have to go work out, and maybe harder than you do when you play hockey because you don't wanna look ugly and fat. At least I don't want to."

One thing is clear: There's nobody in hockey quite like Jaromir Jagr.

He's drawing from 25 years of experience playing pro, he grew up in a communist country, he's one of the best ever, he's won everything there is to win in hockey, he's been called both a sulk and misunderstood, he basically invented hockey hair, he left the NHL and came back at age 39 and he's still producing like an elite player. And that's just scratching the surface.

We revisit Jagr's career in the latest issue of Sportsnet magazine, talking to more than 15 people—teammates, coaches and friends, past and present—and to Jagr himself, about his incomparable career.

Among those who weigh in are Hall of Famer and Hurricanes GM Ron Francis, fellow Kladno native Tomas Plekanec, former Penguins coach Kevin Constantine, teammate Roberto Luongo, former linemate Scott Hartnell, countryman Robert Lang, and Panthers GM Dale Tallon. They make fun of the size of his butt, they talk about how he's always smiling, how they're excited about the return of the mullet, how Jagr can't skate backwards, about his incredible work ethic, and more.

And here's the thing about Jagr: People want to talk about him. Henrik Lundqvist called us up to tell stories about his three seasons alongside No. 68 in New York. "I'm just glad I got to see that," Lundqvist says.

Jagr's role has changed over the years. (Luongo calls him "almost a senior citizen.") In his prime, with the Rangers, Jagr says he could almost do whatever he wanted on the ice. "Back then, I said to myself, 'Oh f--k, I gotta score a goal.' I did it. Well, not exactly that way, but close enough. And then if the coach saw it, he said, 'Hey, do whatever you want.' Because he knew I was gonna win the game for him."

Today, in Florida, on a line with two kids who weren't born yet when he was drafted to the NHL, Jagr has accepted a different role. "If somebody gives you freedom, you have to know you're the man and you can make the difference," he says. "I don't need that freedom right now because I'm not the guy who can make a difference like I was in New York."

Sportsnet magazine, featuring an oral history of Jagr's career, is on newsstands now.

[Lesky]

[TWEET]679519899874623488[/TWEET]

[Lesky]

Jagr interview by finnish media after Floridas 10th win in row

Post game interview I believe by a finnish reporter with Jagr

Reporter: Did you know a finnish kid almost broke your point record at WJC?

Jagr: Almost... He might tied Gretzky but Jags is still #1.. (while laughing with his arms up)

During this Barkov said to the reporter this is how it's like in our locker room

Reporter: Did you watch the WJC?

Jagr: Hell no! I don't watch kids games we got enough kids on this team (with that Jagr smirk on his face)

After wards Jagr also said to Bjugstad that "God damn finns. They dont need a reason to drink and now they win the damn world championship"

http://www.iltasanomat.fi/nhl/art-1451980401703.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Lesky]

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jagr interview on ESPN - The ageless Jaromir Jagr

[penny lane]

Jagr interview on ESPN - The ageless Jaromir Jagr

It has only taken Jaromir 25+ years to be appreciated by the NHL. Evgeni, take note!

[midd]

Liked Subban wearing the Jagr costume. The gretzky Jofa helmet he wore is Jagr's practice helmet. He's had that one since his days in Pittsburgh.

[Lesky]

Anniversary present for Jagr, Panthers - One year after trade, everyone's still thrilled

http://panthers.nhl.com/club/news.htm?i ... L|FLA|home" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Nick Bjugstad had awakened from a nap when he looked at his phone and saw a series of text messages from friends. All of them pretty much said the same thing.

"Everyone was like, 'Jagr! Jagr! Jagr is coming tomorrow,'" Bjugstad recalled. "I was excited."

It was Feb. 26, 2015 -- one year ago Friday -- when Bjugstad got the news the Florida Panthers made a trade for Jaromir Jagr.

The excitement over Jagr's arrival has done nothing but increase over the past 12 months for everyone associated with the Panthers -- Jagr included.

"I never really thought about it," the 44-year-old said after a recent practice. "When I got traded (by the New Jersey Devils) and packed my stuff, I didn't know what kind of team we [had] here before I came here. Right now, I'm glad traded. We have a lot of fun, it's good weather, we're winning, we're in first [place], so everything is just so far, so good."

The Panthers acquired Jagr from the Devils for a second-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and a third-round selection in 2016 for three reasons: to help a sluggish offense, to serve as a mentor to Florida's many young players, and to raise the profile of the franchise.

Jagr has done all of the above -- and more.

"I didn't know what we got last year," said Panthers coach Gerard Gallant, whose 11-year NHL playing career ended in 1994-95, Jagr's fifth season. "He was playing OK in Jersey, but I didn't expect him to take off with that line (with Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau) the way they took off. He was 43 years old.

"And then this year, to come to training camp and first thing he tells me, 'Coach, I'm a slow starter, have patience with me,' and 10 games into the season I think [he was] in the top 15 in scoring in the League, probably.

"He played really well. He had a great start to the year. He just keeps playing and keeps working and takes it day by day. I think he's having fun, so that's the main thing."

Jagr leads Florida with 20 goals and 44 points, helping the Panthers to first place in the Atlantic Division and getting closer to their second Stanley Cup Playoff appearance since the 1999-2000 season.

When Florida acquired the right wing last February, Jagr had 11 goals and 18 assists in 57 games. He arrived after scoring two goals in his last 17 games with New Jersey.

One of those goals came against the Panthers, which got the attention of general manager Dale Tallon.

"It was just performance, and we always liked the way he played," Tallon said. "We needed some scoring and we needed a presence and we needed to make us relevant in the marketplace and that's why we did it, and I'm glad we did.

"It's been terrific. He's been a real positive influence on our team and his production has been good. It's what we hoped for."

Jagr had 18 points (six goals and 12 assists) in 20 games with the Panthers last season, and there was little hesitation from either side in bringing him back. He signed a one-year contract the day after the regular season ended.

Jagr had a goal and an assist in his second game with the Panthers, a 4-3 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but his scoreless debut against the Buffalo Sabres was significant because it signaled he was a good fit.

"Right after the first game, I could see it," he said. "I could see the talent. It doesn't take me much. I've played for a long time, so I know. I can see."

With Jagr, Barkov and Huberdeau, the Panthers suddenly found themselves with a top line to match almost any in the NHL.

The Panthers are 26-12-4 when all three are in the lineup, compared to 9-6-3 when one or more of them is missing.

"We knew he had been a good player, even at that age," Huberdeau said. "He was going well in New Jersey, it's just that sometimes the team isn't doing well or the chemistry. We knew he would be a good asset for our team, which is what happened, and he showed it right when he got here."

Bjugstad had high hopes Jagr could make a big impact on the Panthers, and he spoke from experience.

"I knew in New Jersey he had schooled me in the corner a few times," Bjugstad said. "I'd tried pushing him and I knew what a specimen he was after I learned quickly that you can't move him in the corner. So I knew he still had it.

"Obviously he's older, but definitely still has the skills, still has the will to win. When he came here, I didn't doubt him at all. There was no doubt he wasn't going to do anything but help our team."

Tallon said last February he tried to sign Jagr in the summers of 2011, 2012 and 2013 before Jagr signed free-agent contracts with the Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars and Devils.

Tallon revisited the idea of acquiring Jagr after reading media reports suggesting he wasn't happy with the way he was being used in New Jersey. Panthers co-owner Doug Cifu said when Tallon approached him about trading for Jagr, there was no hesitation.

"When [Tallon] called me about Jagr, we had talked about it a little bit before, some of the scouts thought Jagr really had a lot of gas left in the tank and was not being used in the right way in New Jersey in that system," Cifu said. "So we said right away, 'Let's do it. Let's do it because he's the kind of player that is really a game-changer.'

"He's obviously got an unbelievable amount of experience. What we didn't realize is what a good guy he was and how he was really going to be a mentor to [Huberdeau] and to [Barkov] and some of the younger guys, and also the way he interacts with the fans.

"He signed 600, 800 autographs at Fan Fest. I mean, the guy is a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He doesn't have to do that stuff. He really believes in what we're doing here. Absolutely, that was a lock. No questions asked."

[penny lane]

Congratulations Jaromir, 3rd place...for now. 36 points to pass Messier.
Long ago Mario was right when he called Jaromir the best player in hockey.