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Jaromir Jagr

Minor Transactions: 12/05/21

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Notable in-season roster moves are not limited only to NHL trades, claims, recalls, and reassignments. Transactions in the minors, European leagues, and junior and college ranks often include familiar names or impact current NHL prospects. Keep up with all of these moves here:

  • New Jersey Devils prospect Jaromir Pytlik is on his way to play with none other than Jaromir Jagr. The young Czech forward has had a disappointing season in Finland, loaned by the Liiga’s KalPa to the second-tier Metsis. Pytlik has opted to move on from that situation and return home, signing a contract for the remainder of the season with Rytiri Kladno. Kladno, of course, is most famous for player-owner Jagr and also features a number of other former NHLers. Pytlik, a big, well-rounded center selected by the Devils in the fourth round in 2020, will now have the opportunity to take a big step in his development by learning from one of the best to ever play the game.
  • Former Boston Bruins prospect Cedric Pare has signed his first AHL contract, as the Belleville Senators have announced a one-year deal with the young center. Pare had been with the team on loan from the ECHL, but earned an official promotion with four points in 13 games. Pare, 22, was an underwhelming prospect for the Bruins, who ultimately opted not to offer him an entry-level contract. However, Pare then rose to relevance as the center for eventual top overall pick Alexis Lafreniere for the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic in 2019-20. After the big, two-way center excelled in the ECHL last season as well, he looks to have the makings of a capable pro.
  • Another former QMJHL star is getting a shot at the AHL, though for now on a loan basis. The ECHL’s Trois-Rivieres Lions have announced that leading scorer Peter Abbandonato has been recalled by the AHL’s Laval Rocket. Abbandonato recorded 111 points for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in his final junior season in 2018-19 and, though not immediately considered a future NHLer, at least looked to be an intriguing pro. He recorded 27 points in 55 games with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch over the past two years, but could not find an AHL deal this summer. Back home in Quebec though, he will get his shot in Laval after notching 11 goals and 23 points in 17 games with the Lions.

This page will be updated throughout the day.

Snapshots: NHLPA, Copp, Jagr

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The NHLPA has strongly encouraged its players to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and warned of the potential for loss of pay for those who don’t do so, reports Michael Russo and Katie Strang of The Athletic (subscription link).  The main scenario where this could happen is flying into Canada where border travel is facing heightened restrictions; commercial travelers will require proof of vaccination by the end of October and while NHL teams fly charter, they could be subjected to that same policy and not allowed into the country.  In that situation, teams could have the ability to withhold salaries for the players not allowed in.  Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly noted that over 85% of NHL players have been fully vaccinated already so this wouldn’t necessarily affect many players but it’s a scenario the NHLPA wants to prepare its membership for.

Elsewhere around the hockey world:

  • Jets forward Andrew Copp acknowledged to reporters, including Postmedia’s Paul Friesen, that his preference was to sign a long-term deal. However, Winnipeg’s cap situation after some of their additions on the back end basically forced their hand and the two sides settled on a one-year, $3.64MM pact that will walk the 27-year-old to unrestricted free agency next summer.  With roughly $63.5MM tied up in a dozen players for 2022-23 per CapFriendly (excluding Bryan Little’s LTIR-bound contract), a strong showing next season could result in Copp playing his way out of Winnipeg entirely.
  • Veteran winger Jaromir Jagr will turn 50 late in the 2021-22 season and the future Hall of Famer will spend it playing with his hometown team in Kladno in the Czech Extraliga. The overwhelming majority of players hang up their skates by that age but in an interview with Pavel Barta of The Hockey News, the veteran indicated that he’s continuing to play out of obligation more than anything else.  Jagr happens to be the owner of the team and is worried about a loss of sponsorship that could put the team in jeopardy if he decided to call it a career.  While he isn’t the top scorer he once was, Jagr had a dozen points in 19 games last season to help lead Kladno back to the top level.

Snapshots: Barabanov, Kladno, Nash

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Usually, when a pending free agent moves at the trade deadline, it’s away from a struggling team to chase the Stanley Cup with a contender. In Alexander Barabanov’s case, it was the exact opposite, going from the division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs to the sub-.500 San Jose Sharks. That move has proven to be a great one for the 26-year-old forward though as he is finally getting a chance in the NHL and has two points in two games to show for it.

When Barabanov’s entry-level deal expires at the end of this season he will be an unrestricted free agent, but perhaps he has found his next home already. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic examined Barabanov’s start with the Sharks and spoke to his agent Dan Milstein of Gold Star Hockey, who explained that “if there was a decent offer for one year, big-boy contract [from the Sharks], I would be for it.” 

  • Jaromir Jagr has helped Kladno climb back to the top tier in the Czech Republic again after being relegated for last season. The ageless wonder is not only the majority owner of the team but also played for them again this season, scoring nine points in 15 playoff games. Jagr, 49, was helped by some NHL friends including Tomas Plekanec, who led the postseason in scoring and is expected to return for Kladno next year. Even Jagr hinted that his playing career isn’t done just yet.
  • Riley Nash was spotted by reporters including Mark Masters of TSN today, skating for the first time since being acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the deadline. The checking center could potentially return from his knee sprain in time for the playoffs, which Toronto clinched last night with a win over the Montreal Canadiens. Nash is currently on long-term injured reserve but with no salary cap issues in the postseason, could be inserted into the playoff lineup whenever healthy.

Jaromir Jagr Returns To Professional Hockey

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At the young age of 48, Jaromir Jagr will once again lace up his skates and hit the ice as a professional hockey player. The legendary forward will play for Kladno in the Czech Republic today, his hometown club that he happens to own. Unfortunately, after bringing the club back to the top league for one season, Jagr and Kladno faced relegation earlier this year and are now back in the second tier of Czech hockey.

It’s hard to know exactly when Jagr’s decades-long pro hockey journey will end. In 1,733 NHL games, more than any not named Gordie Howe or Mark Messier, he registered 1,921 points, putting him second behind only Wayne Gretzky. His 766 regular season goals rank third all-time, while he also earned plenty of individual and team awards, taking home the Art Ross trophy five times as the league’s top scorer, winning the Hart Trophy in 1999 as league MVP, and lifting the Stanley Cup twice with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

All that excellence and his longevity and fitness may still be the most impressive thing about Jagr, as he gets ready for his 33rd season of pro hockey. That career includes stops in the NHL and Czech Republic, but also the German and Italian leagues plus a three-year stint as a star in the KHL. Internationally, he helped the Czechs win Olympic gold in 1998 and two World Championship titles.

There’s not really anything left for Jagr to accomplish in hockey, but he keeps playing anyway.

Overseas Notes: Hajek, Zboril, Plekanec, Sulzer

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Add a pair of young defensemen to the ever-growing list of players heading to Europe to begin their 2020-21 seasons. Michael Kosturik of Czech source iSport reports that the New York Rangers’ Libor Hajek and the Boston Bruins’ Jakub Zboril with join HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga ahead of the start of the NHL season. Hajek, 22, is under contract with the Rangers for the coming season and the two teams are currently hammering out the details on a short-term loan. Zboril has joined the squad on his own accord as an impending restricted free agent. However, Kosturik does add that the Bruins are interested in an extension with the first-round prospect. Zboril has played in just two games for Boston, but has been a steady, consistent defender for the AHL’s Providence Bruins over three pro seasons. Hajek on the other hand played the majority of his games with New York this season and has 33 NHL games total on his resume. While offense has been hard to come by at any level, Hajek is growing into a reliable stay-at-home defenseman. The pair will provide a major boost to Brno to begin the season, who at this point have not been able to recruit any other NHLers on short-term loans or contracts.

  • Long-time NHLer Tomas Plekanec played last season in Brno, but will now return to Rytiri Kladno of the Czech 2nd League, with whom he spent part of the 2018-19 season. Due to family reasons, Plekanec announced last month that he would be leaving Brno to return to his hometown of Kladno. However, it was unclear whether he would continue playing or not. Plekanec was very successful last season with 33 points in 50 games, but at age 37 no one would have been surprised to see him opt to retire. Yet, it seems his friend and legendary player-owner of Kladno Jaromir Jagr, 48, has convinced him to give it one last try – or more accurately two – as the club has announced a two-year deal with Plekanec. Plekanec and Jagr worked hard to get Kladno elevated from Czech2 to the Extraliga in 2018-19 only for the team to be relegated this past season in Plekanec’s absence. The duo will undoubtedly have their sights set on getting the club back to the top level again this year.
  • One former NHLer who is calling it a career is defenseman Alexander Sulzer. Sulzer, 36, played in 131 NHL games with four teams over seven seasons in North America. One of the best defensemen to ever come out of Germany, representing the country twice at the Olympic Games, Sulzer returned home to play in the DEL in 2014-15. He spent five seasons with Kolner Haie before moving to Dusseldorfer EG last season. However, he never played for the team as he required surgery to remove a tumor on his spine last summer which caused him to miss the entirety of the season. In the year since his operation, Sulzer has come to the decision not to try to return to play and the DEL announced that he has officially retired. A big, balanced defenseman, Sulzer made an impact in the NHL and an even greater impact in his native Germany over a long career.

Jaromir Jagr To Make Season Debut In Czech Republic

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Fans heading to see Kladno take on Havirov in the Czech Republic are going to get a treat, as Jaromir Jagr will be back in the lineup for the first time in almost a year. Jagr will skate on Kladno’s first line alongside Tomas Plekanec, who returned home after seeing his contract terminated by the Montreal Canadiens earlier this year.

Jagr, 47, owns the Kladno club and has maintained a desire to continue his playing career even into his late forties. The legendary NHL winger couldn’t find much of a fit with the Calgary Flames last season after struggling with injury, and ended up being loaned back to Kladno to finish out the year. With that loan he failed to reach some of the performance bonuses in the one-year pact with Calgary, but there’s little reason to worry about his financial situation after a long and prosperous NHL career.

In 1,733 regular season games Jagr recorded 1,921 points, good for second all-time behind only Wayne Gretzky. His 766 goals puts him third all-time, and he won nearly every individual and team trophy available during his long career. A two-time Stanley Cup champion, and member of the triple gold club (which includes gold medals at the Olympics and World Championships), Jagr also took home five Art Ross trophies, three Ted Lindsay (then called Lester B. Pearson) Awards, and a Hart Trophy as the league’s MVP. There seems to be just one thing left on the accomplishment list for Jagr, and that’s getting Kladno back into the top Czech league after they suffered relegation a few years ago.

Tomas Plekanec Signs In Czech Republic

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When the Montreal Canadiens terminated Tomas Plekanec’ contract earlier this season, he made it clear that he would head back to the Czech Republic to continue his playing career. The next thing we heard was that both Kladno—the team owned by former NHL star Jaromir Jagr—and HC Kometa Brno wanted to acquire his services. Now it turns out they will both have a piece of the veteran forward. In a press conference alongside Jagr on Monday, Plekanec was announced as a new member of Kladno who will also play games for Brno at various times throughout the year. The two teams are in different divisions after Kladno’s relegation a few years ago.

Plekanec, 36, retired from the NHL after agreeing to terminate his contract, and will return to his hometown of Kladno to try and help them earn a promotion to the Czech Extraliga once again. Used to a more rigorous schedule though, he will also play games for Brno before eventually making a decision between the two closer to the end of the year.

The veteran center played 1,001 regular season games in the NHL, all but 17 of those coming with the Canadiens. He never did get the chance to lift a Stanley Cup but had plenty of success in the playoffs, scoring 53 points in 94 games. He very well could face off against some of those NHL opponents once again at the World Championships next spring, a tournament he has attended ten times for his country, serving as captain on multiple occasions.

Snapshots: Jagr, Snowden, Golden Knights, Canada

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Jaromir Jagr was on the ice today in the Czech Republic, practicing for the first time this year with Kladno, the team he owns in his home country. That doesn’t mean the 46-year old has any intention on an NHL comeback though according to NHL.com correspondent Michael Langr, who caught up with the legendary forward. Jagr simply wants to get healthy after a knee injury has kept him from the ice for the last six months. Finally, the youthful Jagr is admitting that his body can’t keep up the way it used to.

My biggest limit is age. There are things I would like to handle but I can’t do it anymore. At my age these limitations come more and more often. But I believe that when my leg and the entire body gets stronger, it will all get better and better.

Though it likely won’t be in the NHL, we might see Jagr in game action again this season. One of the all-time greats in the game of hockey, any chance to have him continue his career at this point is a welcome bonus. It would be interesting to see if Jagr is interested in suiting up for the Czech Republic next spring at the World Championships, if he is healthy enough to contribute. The tournament will be held in Slovakia next year.

  • The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired John Snowden as an assistant coach for their newly crowned ECHL team the Newfoundland Growlers. Snowden had worked as an associate coach with the previous affiliate Orlando Solar Bears the last three seasons, but will now be under Ryan Clowe on the Canadian east coast. The 36-year old had a long minor league playing career that included stops in the AHL and ECHL, but never did make it all the way up to the AHL.
  • The Vegas Golden Knights have come to a trademark agreement with the U.S. Army and will be allowed to continue using the “Golden Knights” name for the on-ice product and merchandise. The Golden Knights name has long been used by an army parachute team and will continue to going forward.
  • Liam Foudy, Markus Phillips and Akil Thomas have all been added to Hockey Canada’s World Junior Summer Showcase roster, replacing Jordy Bellerive, Robert Thomas and Josh Brook. The latter three will be unable to take part in the camp due to injury, but are not necessarily out of the running for the roster that will head to the tournament in late December.

Jaromir Jagr Will Play In Czech Republic In 2018-19

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Though there is still bound to be speculation over a return to the NHL this summer, Nova Sport in the Czech Republic is reporting that Jaromir Jagr has agreed to return as a player for Kladno, the Czech team he owns. There apparently had been interest from the DEL in bringing Jagr aboard, but he will not head to Germany. Though he has agreed to play there now, one has to believe that if an NHL team came calling Jagr would still consider a return at the age of 46. Playing for Kladno keeps his options open should a different opportunity arise.

Jagr tried to continue his NHL career in Calgary this season, but due to injuries and inconsistent play ended up in just 22 games before heading home to the Czech Republic. The legendary winger will go down as one of the greatest players to ever step on a hockey rink, but it seems like the end of that professional career is finally coming to an end. Jagr is still a fitness freak who trains at all hours of the night, but it would be surprising to see any NHL team take a real gamble on bringing him in for a full season. Perhaps if he shows he’s fully healthy again he could earn a midseason contract, but it’s hard to expect much at this point.

If it is the end of his NHL career, he’ll go out with 1,921 points in 1,733 games and a trophy case full of individual and team accomplishments.

Off-Season Retirement Watch List

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Although the Stanley Cup playoffs are in full swing with four excellent match-ups in the second round, as teams have been eliminated – and continue to be eliminated – from contention, players begin to make decisions about their futures. Knowing that they were not playoff-bound, Daniel Sedin and Henrik Sedin announced their departure from the Vancouver Canucks and pro hockey before the end of the season. Former teammate Radim Vrbata made the same decision days later. The Blackhawks’ Patrick Sharp announced that he was moving on, after a return to Chicago didn’t go as planned. Then, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin then got the off-season retirement party started last week, officially calling it a career. Meanwhile, for the third straight summer, Matt Cullen will be contemplating his hockey mortality. Who could be next?

Jaromir Jagr and Jarome Iginla: Let’s start with the easy ones – a Calgary Flames legend and a legend whose career likely ended with the Calgary Flames. Jagr and Iginla were both pushing hard for a final chance at the NHL last summer and both players continued their searches into the regular season. Jagr finally landed a deal with the Flames in October, but health issues and a lack of productions made for a poor tenure in Calgary. Jagr recorded just seven points in 22 games before heading back to his native Czech Republic in January. Iginla opted to undergo surgery in the fall, but was back skating in February and hoping to sign on with a team for the stretch run and postseason. However, no such offer came. These two have been a couple of the biggest names in hockey since the 1990’s and are surefire Hall of Famers, but there is little doubt that their NHL playing days are behind them. Expect official announcements this summer.

Brian Gionta: Gionta is in a similar spot. Unable to find a contract last off-season, Gionta worked out and skated with the AHL’s Rochester Americans ahead of his appearance with Team USA at Winter Olympics. It was a less-than-spectacular showing by the veteran, but he still managed to turn it into a late-season contract with the Boston Bruins. Gionta posted seven points in 20 games with the Bruins in the final months of the regular season, but has yet to see any playoff action, despite ample opportunity given injuries to multiple Boston players heading into and during Round One. Gionta’s play with the Bruins has not exactly harked back to his prime, but nevertheless has shown effort and intelligence. He may have earned another look next season, but it’s more likely than not that this current run with Boston will be the curtain call for Gionta.

Chris Kelly: Kelly also played at the Winter Games and signed on late like Gionta. However, both he and his team have not had similar success. Kelly saw just 12 games with the Anaheim Ducks after signing in February and only contributed two points to show for it. The Ducks were then swept out of the playoffs without Kelly having any say in the matter as a healthy scratch all season. Kelly surprised a lot of people when he played in all 82 games with the Ottawa Senators last season, but this short campaign has shown that the years of dependable play have caught up with him.

Mike Fisher: Will Fisher re-retire? Almost surely. No one can blame Fisher for not wanting to miss out on a possible Cup run by the Nashville Predators one season after coming so close, but Fisher’s presence on the team thus far has been more about leadership and morale than on-ice impact. Fisher had just four points in 16 games down the stretch while averaging just over twelve minutes of ice time and thus far in the postseason has been held scoreless in seven games while seeing barely eleven minutes of time. Fisher’s days as a legitimate player seem to clearly be over, but he could still make a difference for Nashville in these playoffs with the right opportunity.

Dominic Moore: There may be no other player in the game today who has thrived by being a hired gun like Moore. Throughout his career, the veteran center has been able to join a new team, adjust, and play a critical support role. So, when that pattern fell apart this year with the Toronto Maple Leafs, it signaled the coming end to Moore’s career. Moore was common scratch for the Leafs and averaged only about ten minutes of ice time per night, but with twelve points in 50 games, he also didn’t make the most of his opportunities. If any player in the league can adapt to being 38-years-old and coming off a down season by finding the perfect fit for another go-round, it’s Moore, but don’t be surprised if he calls it quits instead.

Joel Ward: There’s no doubt that Ward would like to keep playing. A hard-nosed player and a consummate pro, Ward has been a reliable piece to every team he has been on. However, there is no looking past what by all accounts was the worst season of his career in 2017-18. Just twelve points in 52 games and less than twelve minutes of ice time per game shows just how small a role he played for the San Jose Sharks this year and that’s not even including the fact that the Sharks tried to trade him at the deadline and have yet to play him in the postseason. Ward’s time in San Jose is undeniably over, but that doesn’t mean another team can’t take a one-year flier on him. At this point, it seems unlikely though.

Dennis Seidenberg and Johnny Oduya: What else do these two 36-year-old, left-shot, physical defenders have in common? Their time has come. Seidenberg’s resurgence with the New York Islander was a great story last season, but he came back to earth in this campaign and was limited by injuries and inability to just 28 games and five points. Oduya has had back-to-back disappointing seasons like that, recording only 17 points in 104 games with four different teams across the past two seasons. Dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers at the deadline, Oduya did nothing, skating in just one regular season game and zero postseason games. Both of these men have been admirable NHLers, but it’s hard to see either continuing to play.

On the bubble: Jason Chimera, Antoine Vermette, and Kevin Bieksa, Anaheim Ducks; Josh Gorges, Buffalo Sabres; Matt Stajan, Calgary Flames; Lee Stempniak, Carolina Hurricanes; Ales Hemsky, Montreal Canadiens; Scottie Upshall, St. Louis Blues; Jussi Jokinen, Vancouver Canucks.

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