Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Is this the End of Jagr as a Ranger?

Wes Goldstein at CBS Sportsline wonders...

That makes more changes inevitable, starting with the 36-year-old Jagr, who does not have a guaranteed contract beyond this season. For their part, the Rangers have not demonstrated any urgency in trying to re-sign him, while Jagr has spent the last few months dropping broad hints that he might retire or finish his career in Europe.

Right now though, Jagr insists he isn't thinking beyond the next game and is just trying to draw on his own experience in the hope that he can somehow help the Rangers make history.

"You never give up," Jagr said. "It might be my last game, eh. Let's make it special."

...Jagr has shown during the playoffs that he still has something left in the tank. I'd like to see the Rangers give him a one year contract. The reason I'd bring him back is who are we replacing him with? Hossa (That's Marian, not Marcel)? Too expensive. Hopefully we can get a home town discount and use the money we have with the expiring contracts of Straka, Shanahan, Malik and Mara to bring in some top notch defensemen.

...if they do re-sign him, I'd also like to see them take the "C" away and give it someone like Drury or Gomez who will be here leading the team long after Jagr is gone. It's not so much I don't like Jagr as a Captain, I just think it'd be a good time to start the transition into the post-Jagr era.

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