Prague — Looking like an aging rock star in dark jeans and a leather jacket, Jaromir Jagger stepped into the O2 arena here. His NHL greats all-time, who owns a team in Kladno, Czech Republic, joined his 2022 NHL Global Series which brought the NHL to his home country. This is a chance for his NHL past and present to meet.
Apparently, playing hockey may be a thing of the 50-year-old Jagr’s past.
or maybe not.
Jagr recently told iSport in an interview in Czech that his motivation for the game has dwindled and the stress of running his own team at Kladno is preventing him from becoming the player he still wants to be. rice field.
So is this?
“No,” Yagul said Thursday, a day earlier. Nashville Predators beat San Jose Sharks 4-1 NHL regular season opener. “However, in order to be the owner, manager, and other jobs, I don’t really have time to practice because my father, who is 80 years old, is in poor health.
“I still love the game. You can adapt to your style It doesn’t matter if you lose speed Use your strength Use your experience
“But the problem is that I need time to practice to compete with other athletes. I don’t have that.”
It wasn’t necessarily a fully formed decision, Jagr said. For his team, that’s exactly what they have to do now.
“The problem is that I’m more important to the team now as an owner than as a player,” Jaguar said. “So it could change in a week, it could change in a month, and I started practicing. But it was more important to me because I built a new arena. I didn’t have time to do that.
“I played last season. I didn’t get injured in every game, but I played most games. I didn’t have a problem with not resting for six months. But at my age, six months when you don’t do anything. , it hurts to jump on.”
Jagr said he practiced with the team recently as the injured players were gone.
“There were only 19 of us and we had to go,” he said. “It is not easy.”
Jagr never got a chance to play in the NHL in his home country, missing out on an opportunity for the New York Rangers to start the 2008-09 season with the Tampa Bay Lightning in Prague. Jagr played in the Continental Hockey League that season, playing for Avangard Omsk.
When asked if he would return to the NHL to play for the Czech Republic, he said, “No, no, I won’t. It’s too difficult for me.”
“I really didn’t get the chance to play in an NHL game in front of my house and Czech fans,” Jagr said. “I played in the World Championship. That’s right, Rangers.”
what was it like?
“I was still pretty good at it at the time, so I think it’s incredible,” he said.
Jagr said he doesn’t have many opportunities to follow the NHL anymore (games usually play after 1am), but he’s grateful to be able to see what’s new in the league.
“It’s great to see how they practice,” he said. [to see] Glad to be here how the game has changed. ”
Jagr turned 50 on February 15th. This is the age he always said he wanted to reach while continuing to play hockey. He played in his 35 seasons professionally in hockey, including his 24 seasons in the NHL, scoring 1,921 points (766 goals, 1,155 assists). He is second all-time in points behind Wayne Gretzky (2,857), goals scored by Gretzky (894), Gordy Howe (801), Alex Ovechkin (780).
When asked about players who can play until they are 50, Jagr said: Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins Connor McDavid The Edmonton Oilers and Ovechkin are 104 goals behind Gretzky, the all-time leader.
“If Alex Ovechkin comes close to Wayne Gretzky’s record, I think he’ll play until he’s 45,” Jagger said. “He can do it because he’s strong, and he wants to be number one. Sid is no different.”
Can Ovechkin pass Gretzky whether he’s still playing at 45?
“I think so,” said Jagr. “He has all the tools to do it.”
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