When the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators arrived, fifty-year-old Jagr watched the practices at Prague’s O2 arena, joked with Tomas Hertl, met a couple of friends and dropped the puck during the ceremony before the second game. He once again got in touch with the league in which he became a star, a celebrity and a legend.
No Czech hockey player is able to tell so many unique stories. Some of them are just funny, some are touching and some may make the reader think about Jagr’s actions and opinions. He fished a couple of interesting tales from his memory during a chat in the press room of ČEZ Stadium in Kladno, where his Knights reside. He also added reflections on retiring his number in Pittsburgh, his relationship with Mario Lemieux, his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame and some unhappy endings in his career.
Owner Jaromir Jagr standing on the bench of his Kladno Knights.
Do you watch the NHL?
Not much. They don’t play my style of hockey anymore. I came up in a totally different era. Much tougher, more demanding. On the other hand, I understand why the league changed. It’s more interesting for most fans. They emphasise skating and skills, people get more goals and it’s more fun. When I played, there was so much clutching, grabbing and fighting.
Do you care how your former buddies are doing? Giroux, Benn, Barkov, Huberdeau?
We text from time to time. When I needed a player for Kladno, for example. (smiling) I do watch them. I played with them when they were young and talented. They put me on the same line with them to pass on the knowledge and experience I had gained in my career. Yeah, I know how they’re doing.
Salute 😄 pic.twitter.com/SgcSpG75if
— Jaromir Jagr (@68Jagr) November 3, 2022
The Czech defenseman Radko Gudas said that he was warmly welcomed in Florida, also because of you, and that Barkov is still warming up the way you did when you played there. Are you happy that your legacy lives on?
Well, if a player isn’t a dummy, he always learns something from the older and more experienced ones. Paul Coffey, Ronnie Francis and Mario Lemieux taught me so much. If somebody – at the age of 20 – thinks he knows everything, he will be done by the age of 25. If you want to settle into the NHL for a longer period of time, you have to be able to adapt and to improve continually. It’s not a question of luck.
Which valuable lessons do you remember?
Paul Coffey was the ultimate hard worker. I have never met another man, who trained so diligently. Everybody marvelled at his effortless skating. But he wasn’t born that way. He had to suffer a lot to glide so gracefully. When I was eighteen, he told me „You’re going to do everything with me!“ Oh dear, I didn’t like it much. But today all I can say is „Thank God!“
What about Lemieux?
He’s simply a genius. Always kept his stick blade on the ice, for example. I tried to do the same and I demand this from all of the players in Kladno, too. So many guys skate with their blade raised high, which is such a bad habit. They have to make two moves instead of one when the puck is coming to them.
And Francis?
A natural leader. Always classy. Never lost his composure or self-confidence. Never said a wrong word. I love to tell the story about winning my first Art Ross Trophy in 1995. I needed one point to beat Eric Lindros. Ronnie had a fever of 38.8 degrees Celsius, but he didn’t tell me. He could have taken a rest before the playoffs and skipped the game against Florida. But he played just to show he was there with me and to calm me down.
Thank you for everything you did for us, @68jagr. pic.twitter.com/iSzo5qTTSi
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 19, 2017
I asked him about this three years ago in Košice during the World Championships and he said it had been a routine thing for him, that he wanted to support a friend. What does this say about him?
It’s difficult to describe. For him, it was normal. There are actions that significantly elevate the value of a person. Not many people would do that. These are the things that define the superstars. Not a big contract. As superstars I recognize those who want to be the best all the time – Crosby, Ovechkin, MacKinnon, McDavid. Some players got paid once and you don’t hear from them anymore.
Francis said that any time you two meet, you have big smiles on your faces. Is that right? Is there a special bond between you and your old buddies?
Of course! There might have been some kind of rivalry within the team, when we competed for a spot in the line-up. There were some disagreements in the locker room, like everywhere. But now we are fifty and older, our minds are set differently. The rivalries are gone, but the bonds remain.
1998. Jagr in front of coach Kevin Constantine. They had some clashes.
1999. Captain Jaromir during an NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks.
Any examples?
This summer I had an autograph signing session in Atlantic City. The key card in my hotel room didn’t work, so I had to go back to the reception desk. I was annoyed. And then, while I was waiting for a new card and looking around, who do I see? Jay Caufield! The former Pens’ enforcer. What a coincidence! I hadn’t seen him for thirty years. So we jumped into each other’s arms. Anger quickly turned into ecstasy. He lives in Philadelphia and he often goes to Atlantic City for concerts and other shows with his wife. He is still in phenomenal shape.
Any other old friends that you have met lately?
Rick Tocchet, at least three times. He’s so crazy about hockey. He doesn’t talk about anything else. Sometimes it’s too much, even for me. I tell him „Damn it. Enough hockey!“
How would you describe your relationship with Mario Lemieux?
(pauses for a while) There were some issues. A couple of bumps along the way. When we played in Pittsburgh, there was absolutely no problem for a long time. Then Mario said something during the playoffs in 2001.
Yes, he openly criticised your performance. Did it hurt?
I don’t know if he wanted to make me play better that way. He returned (from retirement) to win the Cup. I wasn’t good enough, bothered by a shoulder injury. New Jersey beat us easily in the Eastern Conference Finals. Mario’s words did surprise me. And it wasn’t pleasant. But he acted not only as a teammate, but as an owner, too. I wasn’t offended.
What about the other issue?
When I was coming back from Russia in 2010, I received an offer from Pittsburgh. Mario had never been involved in player affairs, but that time he did talk to me. And I signed with the Philadelphia Flyers, the Penguins’ arch rivals, afterwards. He took it personally.
Were you surprised?
My choice made no sense to him. If I was him, I wouldn’t understand it either. But I wasn’t looking for one last contract, for a farewell tour. I wanted to stay in the league for a long time to achieve something big.
And you didn’t believe that the road to the records leads through Pittsburgh?
No. I saw the Penguins line up. The lines were set. I didn’t think I would get a fair opportunity to succeed. I preferred the Flyers because they had justtraded their stars Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, which opened up a lot of space for me. I felt I had the same chance as the other newcomers.
Have you reconciled with Lemieux?
Well, we’re not in touch that much. But we talked during the NHL’s Centennial celebration (in January 2017). Mario was accompanied by his wife, Nathalie. We had a really nice chat. I believe that our relationship is fine.
Do you feel any temptation to return to Pittsburgh? For the retirement of your iconic number 68 maybe?
Several weeks ago, Kevin Acklin (Penguins President of Business Operations) called. He said he’d like to send me the retro jersey with the robo penguin logo, which is coming back now. This guy is a couple of years younger than me, he was born in Pittsburgh and often came to the Igloo to watch our games. He knows quite a lot about me, even though we never had a chance to meet.
Any other topics you discussed?
We mentioned re-creating the friendship between me and the club, the whole city. We had a lot of fun during our 30-minute conversation.
What went through your head when you were booed by the fans in Pittsburgh?
You know what? Many times you may feel that you are treated unfairly. You can be sad. But you have to realize that people often judge others without having enough information. The Czechs are masters in creating a sharp opinion without knowing anything. Yeah, we encounter injustice, but I don’t want to whine. Let’s be honest: In the past I used to be praised and celebrated, even though I hadn’t really done anything extra. So I shouldn’t get upset when something unpleasant happens. In the end, life is fair, it’s fifty-fifty.
Do you remember that warm and loud applause after the video tribute during your last game in Pittsburgh in March 2017? Even Lemieux praised your longevity then.
Maybe a little bit. We have to realize that most of today’s Penguins fans never saw me play. They don’t really know who Jagr was. They’ve only read something. One sentence is repeated: „I’m dying alive!“ But I said that because I was terribly disappointed with my performance. It had nothing to do with the club or the city.
Many people think that you ran away from Pittsburgh and that you demanded the trade, right?
Yeah. In fact, I had to leave. It was inevitable, because they didn’t have enough money to keep me and all the upcoming restricted free agents. You reporters have a lot of power. You can influence so many people. A few weeks ago I said, „I can’t see myself playing right now.“ And the next day there were stories about the ultimate end of my career.
Would you welcome an act of reconciliation with the organization?
I think that one day my number will be hanging from the rafters in the arena. That would remind fans that there was a guy named Jaromir Jagr who played for the Penguins. Time is flying. We forget, we have new things to worry about, new players arrive every year. One generation can remember a hockey star. A player would have to be a real ace if memories last for two generations.
Do you still think that your most notable personal achievement in the NHL was your contribution to the surprising elimination of the New Jersey Devils in the 1999 playoffs?
I definitely consider that to be the most emotional experience. If the Penguins hadn’t advanced to the second round back then, they would’ve had to move to Kansas City because of the economic problems. The threat was huge and the end almost inevitable. But with the profits from the following sold-out games, at least the most important debts were paid.
The organization was drowning in bankruptcy. Is it true that you didn’t even have hot water in the showers?
Nothing worked. We couldn’t even order hockey sticks. We had to pay for them in advance, which was a major problem at the time.
The Igloo erupted when you returned to the line-up for Game 6 despite a groin injury. The Pens were down 2-3 in the series and 1-2 with a little more than two minutes left in regulation, before you tied the score and added a GWG in overtime. The news was that Jagr destroyed the Devils, even though he played on one leg.
Hmm, at that time I could have played in the NHL on one leg... Anyway, we advanced, the Penguins overcame the economic crisis and stayed in Pittsburgh. Also thanks to Mario, who joined the club as a co-owner.
Sometimes you post an „oldies“ clip on Instagram for your followers. You scored your first playoff goal against the Devils in 1991. Did the celebration with the raised middle finger show how ecstatic you were?
I was pleased to see that it was quite a nice goal. And that finger... At the time, I didn’t know exactly what the gesture meant, that it is such a strong symbol. The Devils explained it to me with some „kind“ words, hits, jabs and slashes. I enjoy reminding myself what the NHL looked like twenty or thirty years ago. Look at this video.
Yes?
(He searches his cell phone, finds footage from the Carolina-Pittsburgh game in October 1997. Jagr skates down the right wing, defenseman Adam Burt rushes after him and drags him to the ice.)
There are old highlights on Twitter. Look at that „D“. Wait until you see him. He simply jumped and wrapped his arms around my neck. And then he hits my head against the ice. The NHL sometimes looked like wrestling or street fighting. You were afraid you wouldn’t survive! Compared to that, today’s hockey players just go for a skate, they could easily manage three games in three days. Physical contact used to be the most challenging aspect. When someone complains about how hard hockey is, I say, „Come on guys...“ (chuckles).
Also in that game, Hurricanes defenseman Adam Burt used a Stan Hansen-level lariat on Jaromir Jagr: pic.twitter.com/cebzeiv3Ft
— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) October 4, 2022
Have the goons ever gone after you, too?
They mostly respected the good players and left them alone. But when I saw Jay Caufield’s body for the first time in Pittsburgh, I said to my dad, „I cannot play here. No way!“ I felt ashamed standing next to him.
Your goal that ended Wayne Gretzky’s career in overtime of the Penguins-Rangers game in 1999 was pretty special. How did you feel when you spoiled the party at Madison Square Garden?
Well, unpleasant. People came to see his last game and wanted Gretzky to decide it and say goodbye in style. I later apologized to Wayne. But I didn’t think like that on the ice. I wanted to score and win.
Did you feel respect from legends like Gretzky?
I have never had a problem with them. If you achieve something, you’re one of them. Relationships among them are at an incredibly high level, especially compared to how it is in the Czech Republic. They respect each other and they stick together, which is right.
Mutual respect was also on display in the exceptional commercial you shot about 20 years ago with Gretzky, Howe, Bure and other celebrities, right?
Sure. Each star pushed the level in the league a little higher. Without one generation, there would be no next generation. Every era has its king.
How do you look back on your unsuccessful tenure in Washington after the trade from Pittsburgh?
I understand the fans were upset, but my first year I finished fifth in NHL scoring. And if I hadn’t had to miss 13 games with injuries, I would have won the Art Ross Trophy. The next year I played in the playoffs with a broken wrist. Everything is relative. Sometimes a player is celebrated after just one game in the NHL. Many sporting achievements are underappreciated.
Are you in contact with billionaire Ted Leonsis, who proudly brought you to Washington?
I’m not. I heard some rumors, what was supposed to happen, but it was nonsense. If someone needs to save his own job, he defames the other person or puts the blame on him. There are millions of such stories.
Is it true that Capitals bench boss Ron Wilson didn’t like you because you were instrumental in knocking out the favored Americans he was coaching at the Nagano Olympics?
Well, let’s not kid ourselves. I wasn’t the easiest guy to get along with. I always wanted things my way. There were some clashes and I argued, „You blame me for team’s losses, but you don’t give me the opportunity and conditions to influence the outcome. Leave me alone or meet my demands. Let it be fair!“ It’s like when your boss rewrites your story and then throws the negative reactions of the readers at you.
You joke that you contributed to the fall of the Capitals, thanks to which they then took Alex Ovechkin as the number one pick in the draft. Is it important to be able to make fun of yourself?
Clearly. That’s just the way it is. You never know what’s going to come next in your life. I always thought that everything that happened to me would be the best for my future. And so the Capitals traded me to New York, and I was able to play in Omsk.
New York. Your next stop. You led the Rangers back to the playoffs after seven miserable seasons. Your play was a pleasant surprise to many. Why?
We had a great team. Some players were not recognized that much because they came from Europe. A good group of guys was put together. Coach Tom Renney is an excellent person. On a trip, for example, I could visit him in his hotel room and we would talk for two hours about normal life. That would not even be possible today.
What else changed?
I remember sitting in general manager Craig Patrick’s office in Pittsburgh. He had the phone to his ear, negotiating trades, looking at me and asking my opinion. Now some GMs wouldn’t even let their assistants stay in the room.
A story recently came to life on Twitter, according to which you prevented Martin Straka from being sent down to the Penguins’ farm team. Why did you stand up for him?
I saw Marty packing his bag in the locker room. He said he was going to Cleveland. I went to see Patrick, who explained to me that Marty would get more chances in the IHL and that he would come back up as soon as someone got injured. So I replied that my knee had just started to hurt and that Martin could start instead of me. So he stayed in Pittsburgh.
Wasn’t that behavior a little too daring for a twenty-year-old European?
It was! But it seemed unfair to me that they wanted to send Marty down. Not only were we friends, but he didn’t deserve it; he was by no means the worst on the team. At least five or six guys played worse. On the other hand, I didn’t know the economic aspect of Patrick’s decision. Marty was the only one with a two-way contract. The Penguins would have saved some money by sending him – and not another player – down. That’s why I didn’t understand Patrick.
As the Kladno Knights owner, do you draw inspiration from your former bosses?
Not really. None of them played hockey at the highest level. I like to control basically everything in Kladno. If I add up the matches in the national team and professional leagues, no one has played more, which I hope everyone respects. I’m not going to obey a coach just because he has an A license or spent three weeks at an NHL camp. Man, I played there for 25 years!
Do you admit that someone else might be right?
Yeah. For example, Tomáš Plekanec has the strongest voice when we discuss the penalty killing strategy in Kladno. Does any coach in the Czech Republic have more experience with shorthanded situations than Pleky? I don’t think so. The coach would be going against himself if he didn’t use his knowledge.
Once in Pittsburgh you told me that under coach Kevin Constantine you went onto the ice whenever you wanted. How do you see the 25-year-old version of Jaromir Jagr now?
I couldn’t coach myself! I was blinded by the desire to succeed. I didn’t think I was doing anything wrong. I wasn’t primarily interested in points. I would die for the team. Now I see that from the position of owner or coach, my behavior was not exactly ideal. It could be weird for teammates, because hockey is a team sport and not an individual sport. Even if I got mad at someone, I shouldn’t have shown it because I was mentally knocking him down and affecting others at the same time. I didn’t think like that. But if you want to achieve something, there is no other way.
Why do you think so?
I read a quote by Elon Musk. When we build a road and destroy an anthill, it doesn’t mean we hate ants. I marched along my way and didn’t even know if I had stepped on one. I did not see it. At that moment it was a small and insignificant being. I didn’t realize I had hurt anyone. I did not want to. I just marched. Like Michael Jordan, for example. His teammates in Chicago didn’t like him either, but after a while they recognized that they were winning thanks to him. They would not be able to influence the team by themselves. If it weren’t for Jordan, they might have been quickly forgotten.
Is this the other side of „the coach killer“ Jaromir Jagr?
Sure! But I did speak up when I wasn’t used as I expected. Do you want me to be a key player? Give me the best chance. That’s fair. I respect the fact that people have various opinions. But I didn’t look left, didn’t look right.
Jagr played at the age of fifty last season, but now he is not ready to suit up for Kladno.
Have you often felt misunderstood in your life?
Nobody can fully understand another person. We do not live somebody else’s life. We don’t know the circumstances, the exact reasons for some decisions. That’s why people shouldn’t judge and criticize each other all the time. We never have enough information for that.
Do you know that to this day many fans wonder how you could have left New York for Omsk?
The NHL is a business. The Rangers signed two players (Americans Scott Gomez and Chris Drury) for huge money. None of us is irreplaceable in sports, in other occupations or in private life. A player is almost like a slave, an employee who signs a contract and surrenders his rights to the club for a certain period of time.
King of Manhattan. Jagr came alive in New York after an unsuccessful tenure in Washington. He scored 123 points in 2005/06 season.
How could the Rangers let go of the captain who pulled the team out of years of misery? Were you disappointed?
No. Maybe I would have felt sorry if there had been no interest in me elsewhere.
Why did you leave Manhattan for Siberia?
I made a promise. I shook hands with (Omsk manager) Anatolyi Bardin. I promised to go to Avangard if I didn’t sign a contract extension with the Rangers. Back then, New York was on a different level than other NHL clubs in terms of luxurious facilities and player care. I had a feeling that I would go to a worse place at that moment.
The Rangers were something like the league’s aristocracy, right?
Exactly. Elsewhere, the owners were not so super-rich. I kept on believing that I would reach an agreement in New York. But it didn’t work out and I didn’t want to get used to worse conditions. I thought I’d better start a new chapter somewhere else.
So you weren’t even tempted by Edmonton’s offer?
No. And they offered me an enormous amount of money, far more than I had in New York. They chased after Marian Hossa, but he chose the Red Wings, and they needed to get over the salary floor. But I had made my decision before.
Like a God. People loved Jagr in Omsk, they treated him really well.
What attracted you to Omsk?
I’d already spent half a season there, during the lockout season (2004/05). And I felt like a king there. I had everything. They treated me wonderfully. At one point I didn’t even want to go back to New York. I called my agent to see if he could cancel my contract with the Rangers. He said it really wasn’t possible. So for me, Omsk did not mean exile. I went to a familiar environment that fascinated me.
What else did you like in the KHL?
The league was not that demanding. Fewer games, the season finished earlier. It was closer to home. I missed the Czech Republic at that time. There were four breaks in the regular season. When I flew to the NHL in September, I usually knew that I would spend the next seven to nine months in America.
Czech national hero. He used to say that playing for his country felt like going to war.
Did you get upset when Pittsburgh reporter Dave Molinari put Chris Pronger first in the MVP voting, which meant that you lost the Hart Trophy by one point in 2000?
No. Not at all! It wasn’t so much about the trophies for me. It was more about my feelings. I enjoyed the life. I didn’t care what anyone wrote. In my head, I was the best. Even now, I believe that if I started working out, I would be the best again.
Do you think this is true?
No, it is not. But I don’t care more or less. I live my life. I know I was the best in the NHL back then. And if I didn’t get a trophy for it? I don’t care. Few people think the same way, few people can understand. I’m not mad at Molinari, and I wouldn’t be offended if Pittsburgh didn’t hang up my jersey or if I wasn’t inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Really?
I proved to myself that I was able to achieve something, which was enough for me to feel happy. A million people can easily laugh at me and wonder, „What does he think of himself?“ Let everyone say what they want. What matters for me is what I think.
Do you expect to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto?
It’s actually impossible for me not to get there. With my stats... They just cannot omit me. If they inducted the fiftieth in scoring, they cannot skip the second, just from a mathematical point of view. I don’t want to sound cocky, but it’s just a matter of time.
What would that invitation to the fellowship of legends mean to you?
A stamp. Official confirmation. Sort of like a marriage certificate. But people don’t need marriage to love each other and have a great relationship.
I still wonder why you didn’t sign another contract with Florida in 2017. It seemed you were happy and successful there.
It was an unfortunate coincidence. Huberdeau got injured in camp, which was a blow. That’s also why we didn’t make the playoffs. I got along great with him and Barkov. The general manager and coach were replaced. They wanted to bet on younger players. They already had a replacement for me, Radim Vrbata, who at that time had a good season in Vancouver.
You got your last job in Calgary fairly late that year. It didn’t end well. Are you not upset that you couldn’t continue with the Panthers?
The only problem was that they didn’t let me know until the last minute, and I couldn’t make arrangements accordingly, which I was sorry for at first. Never mind. Everything happens for a reason. I liked it in Florida. It was nice to play hockey in the sunny weather. The Panthers had really good players. I got used to it there. I wanted to last one more season to break the record (for most games played). I was a bit discouraged by another move, building a position in a new environment, another start at my age.
It seems like players are treated a bit harshly sometimes, even if their name is Jagr. Is that typical for the NHL?
You are part of the business. They pay you well, provide you with luxurious working conditions. You live a fine life. And at the same time, you can be sent elsewhere at any moment, even though you just bought a new house. When you have a family, you don’t see your kids and wife for a while. That’s just how it goes in the NHL.
