Jagr on the downswing?
After the Maple Leafs downed the struggling Rangers last night in New York, Nik Antropov is on pace for 19 more goals and 20 more points than Jaromir Jagr.Jagr's actually headed for his lowest goal total ever, just 21, which makes you wonder if, at age 35, this is the beginning of a decline for the big Czech. Just last season, it looked as though he would be well on his way to moving into No. 2 all-time in NHL scoring behind Wayne Gretzky, needing 360 points over another five seasons to pass Mark Messier.
In nearly 200 games with the Rangers prior to this season, Jagr's averaged 42 goals and 104 points per 82 games, but there have been rumours all season he's unhappy with the state of affairs in New York. He's not going to hit the performance bonus clauses needed to trigger another year on his current deal and is likely to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent come July 1.
Coming off as poor a season as he now appears headed for, it's anyone's guess how high the bidding will go.
by James Mirtle @ 3:29 PM
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11 comments
11 Comments:
There is no problem with Jagr. Antropov is just that good.
Boy am I glad he got rid of the mullet.
He's still got his game too. I'd call Scott Gomez the bigger offensive disappointment on the Rangers right now, as he seems to hog the puck and skate one-on-four and one-on-five whenever he gets the chance.
When is Jagr ever happy? He should start being less of a diva and more of a leader. It's frickin sickening listen to him whine about things when he has it so good in life. Seriously, he needs a life-changing incident, or a Michal Roszival slapshot to the nuts.
Jagr is perhaps the funniest and most honest hockey player alive. If you like timeworn cliches about every aspect of the game of hockey, talk to a North American. If you'd like something thoughtful, talk to a European.
Jagr's two seasons with the Rangers have been amazing. He has played hurt and rushed back from a serious and invasive shoulder surgery to play a full 82-game season, and still managed 30 biscuits and nearly 100 points. He gets headhunted roughly every other game he plays for the Rangers, and the refs allow any asshole on skates to hit the Big Czech high without EVER calling penalties against the offenders.
There are a whole bunch of chumps in the NHL with "C" on their chest who play 50-game seasons, and then talk to Don Cherry about how tough they are and what great leaders they are. Leaders don't propagandize, they work hard--and Jags fits that description as well as any in the game today.
Here endeth the sermon in defense of the greatest European hockey player to ever lace up a pair of skates.
Are you kidding? Jagr draws penalties if someone so much as sneezes on him.
some dope wrote:
"When is Jagr ever happy? He should start being less of a diva and more of a leader. It's frickin sickening listen to him whine about things when he has it so good in life."
total bullshit. he carried that team on his back last year. this year he's been playing with a rookie center and hasn't complained; he's been nothing but encouraging about dubinsky. also not a word of complaint about the rangers letting nylander go.
instead of recycling the conventional wisdom from 5 years ago and calling it analysis, try watching a game once in a while. and not just when they play the leafs
"Oh ma-an. I'm the Dude. You've got the wrong guy."
"You're Dubinsky, Dubinsky."
jagr would look good in balck and gold again.
just saying....
Thank you, mike and Anonymous.
Jes Golbez:
Have you even heard an interview with Jagr in the last 3 years?
Yes, Jagr's not playing well this year. But not ONCE has he blamed anyone other than himself.
He's taken Dubinsky under his wing, working with him after practices, and has said publicly that he's happy with Dubinsky as his center.
If he's "whining" at all, it's about his own inability to put the puck in the net, and I think he's allowed to whine about that.
It's time to get some perspective before whining about Jagr.
Owen Nolan is playing out the string as a 4th liner in Calgary.
Petr Nedved is out of the league.
Keith Primeau is out of the league.
Mike Ricci is out of the league.
Jagr is coming off another (record setting) 30 goal and ppg+ season where he lead his team by playing through injuries and gutting it out through the playoffs.
The only player from his draft year still playing at as high a level is Brodeur.
His reward? The trading of his favourite centreman and the signing of two selfish American puck hog pivots with stupid contracts.
Then as if that kick to the nuts wasn't enough, Sather declines the option year on Jagr's contract, and gives him the freshest rookie pivot to tutor, as well as about 4 minutes less of ice-time a game.
And he doesn't say a peep.
I wake up every day and pray that Jagr has been traded - anywhere.
"I wake up every day and pray that Jagr has been traded - anywhere."
That's an interesting comment, considering the rest of your post. Care to explain?
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