Jagr Back To The NHL?

1) With all due deference to the Edmonton Journal and their faux story that JJ is returning to the NHL, it was FAUXRUMORS who broke this story MONTHS ago. http://newfaux.blogspot.com/2008/12/move-over-matsjj-coming-back.html That original story done by Faux is definitely worth a second look now that additional reports are starting to arrive here in North America. We asked Faux if we could do a little checking to determine if there if anything to these 'new' rumours. So we did. Here is what we have been told.

2) The rumour to Edmonton was "pure fiction", as a well known agent told us yesterday. "Jagr is definitely going to return to the NHL", he went on, "but you can bet you bottom dollar that he is not going to go to Edmonton". Total wishful thinking combined with a journalist in need of a story to sell papers. Nothing more. So we decided to dig deeper to see if/when Jagr might be returning. We also have to note (and this is vital) IF/when JJ returns THIS season, he FIRST has to clear waivers! Why? Because he was playing in another league, NHL rules prohibit a team from signing a player without first clearing waivers. This differs from Sundin earlier this year who simply was sitting on his ass until December.

3) So it isn't a situation where 'Team A' simply makes an offer for Jagr to come here to play and that's that. Its not nearly that simple. Once he decided to return every team starting from the bottom up could lay claim to him. At the very least that ploy could be used to block a rival from obtaining Jagr. This is why we are hearing that a return THIS season is more remote. Jagr of course wants to decide his own fate/destination. With that seriously in doubt because of the waiver issue, its doubtful we'll see Jagr in the NHL until next fall. (This won't stop Eklund and his ilk from throwing out silly stories.

As always keep it here where we clean up the mess other sites leave!