Jagr Happy, Rich in Siberia

Former NHL star finds 'real freedom' playing (for big money) in outpost of Omsk
By Doug Sweeney,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 7, 2008 6:38 PM CST

Jaromir Jagr in action with Avangard Omsk.
(swe122)

Jaromir Jagr is far from New York, playing hockey in Siberia, yet he tells the Atlantic he’s happy in the outpost of Omsk. Indeed, his $11 million salary helps cushion the blow of not being re-signed by the Rangers. And "in Russia, you have the real freedom, which is not like US freedom,” he says. “Back there you have so many rules.”

The Czech-born Jagr played 17 years in the NHL, and still has the game to skate stateside. But a booming economy has gotten Russian teams into the bidding for top players. “As a kid I wanted to play for the NHL, and I never thought about Omsk,” he said. “But life is crazy. The world just moves so quickly.” (More hockey stories.)

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