Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr
Jaromír Jágr; born February 15, 1972) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. He has formerly played in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers. After leaving the Rangers, he played for three seasons in the Kontinental Hockey Leaguewith Avangard Omsk before returning to the...
NationalityCzechoslovakian
ProfessionHockey Player
Date of Birth15 February 1972
CityKladno, Czech Republic
I am not trying to look for any records. I wanted to help this team make the playoffs.
I don't want to talk about any goals. My goal was to make the playoffs before the season. And I've been in many playoffs and you just never know.
I don't want to take anything away from them, but even when they scored those two goals, I think we had it under control. When they scored the second on us, we then just spent five minutes in their zone.
I don't think they played their best. We as a team played a good hockey game.
I don't like teams where the general manager or coaches are separated, ... Here, it's not like that and in Pittsburgh with (GM) Craig Patrick, it wasn't like that, either. Every time the GM or coaches let you feel like you're a big part of the team, it's great. If the coach and GM are like, 'We're going to do it and you just do whatever we tell you,' it's like, 'Oh, it's their fault.' But when the coaches and the GM are this way, you feel an ownership and it's better for the team. You give more.
You appreciate things after you lose them.
My goal was to play in the NHL, because that is the best hockey in the world.
Many European guys go to the N.H.L. at a young age, even without knowing English. But they quickly adapt to new conditions, another game, a new country. They are also young, receptive, can move mountains.
Crosby is a great player, but I'd have to say Ovechkin, who is also a great player but doesn't have the same kind of support, and who does something great on almost every shift.
I don't try to be anything. I just want to play my game.
I love to play for Pittsburgh. If they can't afford me, then I'd love to play in L.A. or New York.
For me, it is the worst kind of sacrilege if you are given some of special talent and you don't take advantage of this gift.
Russia has got to be the team to beat, in my opinion. When they are playing together as a team, they are tough to beat.
Most people have friends, but no money. I have the opposite. I don't have a chance to talk to my real friends, the ones I've had since I was 5 years old. Sometimes I wish I could bring Czechoslovakia to America. Then I would be the happiest guy in the world.