Notebook Buzz
Jaromir Jagr returning to the NHL has been a hot topic the past month as Jagr indicated this week that he was close to joining the Edmonton Oilers in February. I spoke to Oilers insider David Staples of the Edmonton Journal today who was the first journalist to break the Jagr to Edmonton speculation last month. Read more for the latest scoop on Jagr’s return to the NHL.
Staples told me the chances of Jagr joining the Oilers this summer remain strong and indicates “by the sounds of it, salaries in the KHL have already been cut, or they will be cut, and Jagr wants to be paid just like everyone else in the world. With the risk he won‚Äôt get paid, he may be looking to leave.”
Plus, the Oilers have money and a likely scenario that will happen is where the Oilers can pay some money to Omsk to keep them happy and that’s another reason that Jagr will likely be joining the Oilers.
The deal was for this year, if Omsk didn’t make it, then the Oilers would pay Omsk a set amount, a transfer fee, and Jagr would come over. What was up in the air in the negotiations between the two teams, what would happen to Jagr next season. That is where a payment from the Oilers to Omsk would come into play.
For teams wanting to get Jagr out of Russia, it’s going to cost them some money. The Oilers have plenty of it and remain the most likely suitor for Jagr.
