BREAKING: Jaromir Jagr signs with Avangard Omsk

July 4, 2008   ·   Brian Sanborn   ·   Jump to comments

It is not all that surprising to Rangers fans at this point that Jaromir Jagr will not be returning to the Big Apple in 2008-2009. But one must raise a curious eyebrow at Jagr’s decision early in the AM on America’s birthday.

Jaromir Jagr has reportedly agreed on a two year, $35 million dollar deal with the Avangard Omsk of the Russian CHL league, with an option for a 3rd season. Jagr played with the Omsk during the lockout season in 2004-2005.

Jagr leaves the NHL after amassing clear cut HOF numbers in his NHL career: 646 goals and 963 assists in 1,273 NHL games with Pittsburgh, Washington and the Rangers. While Jagr was a somewhat of an enigma at times, losing a star such as Jaromir to another league overseas is a blow to the NHL and to its fans.

Is this a sign of things to come in the future? With the US dollar fading over the past several years, are other countries just catching up to us and will this trend continue? Time will have to tell regarding this move, but it does make you wonder.

Hockey HOF Bobby Hull spurned the NHL and signed with a new league called the WHA for a five year, $1 million dollar deal, including a $1 million dollar signing bonus. After Hull defected, some other NHL stars followed Hull. What was the result? A creation of some of the NHL teams you see today, such as the Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, and the Quebec Nordiques just to name a few.

For better or worse, Gary Bettman and the NHL seem to have a major interest in playing internationally. With Jagr going to Russia, will other players follow? Could this be the beginning of another NHL type league in Europe, with the NHL Champions facing the Europe league winner for the right to win the Stanley Cup? Could we ever see a team from Sweden, Finland, or Russia on the Stanley Cup someday?

The thought of seeing Russia team name on the Stanley Cup might seem crazy now, but again, in Bobby Hull’s day, the thought of NHL hockey in Florida and Arizona or having a team called the Anaheim Ducks on the Stanley Cup would have sounded crazy as well.

Personally I wish Jagr re-considered and decided to stay in the NHL. But with that insane contract $ wise, can you blame him? Let’s hope this trend does not continue.