Upon his arrival in Omsk Jaromir Jagr discussed his decision to leave the NHL, his feelings for the people of Omsk, his views on the KHL and his plans for the future in an interview on Russian TV station Sport, which was transcribed by by the fine folks at AllHockey.ru.

- In Omsk you are very popular. Is it not a burden on you?

- There are always two aspects in sports. If you play well, you’re popular. When things go badly, in a split second everything can turn, as if a wall comes up around you. It is good to arrive in a city where they wait for you and want you to play for the local team. And now it all depends on me and how I play and what I bring to the club.

- And in the Czech Republic are many children named Jaromir?

- I was named by my father, in his honor and in honor of my grandfather. And so this is not so popular a name in my homeland.

- Do you remember your previous arrival in Omsk?

- Yes, then it was much greater experiment for me. I didn’t know what awaited me, but I was pleasantly surprised by the level of development of the hockey infrastructure and quality of the game which already then was comparable to the NHL. Of course, at the present time Russia does not yet live up to the overseas league, because the majority of the best players in the world play in the NHL. But the guys I have seen here — for example [Maxim] Sushinski — they too are excellent. I simply know little about them. And to be the first here is very difficult. And with Omsk in general I have fallen in love. Here everything is cordial, it is customary to help one another, not like in larger cities with more money. It impresses me very much and reminds me of my homeland.

- What are they saying in the NHL about your decision to come to Omsk?

- I’m not particularly worried about it. The main thing was to make the right decision, because I played overseas for 17 years and could still go on for 3-4 years. So the choice was difficult. I understood that soon I will probably need to go to Europe more often to visit my father. And the love which I felt that came towards me from Siberia helped me decide.

- What’s you opinion of the KHL? Is it a competitor to the NHL?

- You have to understand that the history of the National Hockey League totals decades, even in my time there it expanded from 21 to 30 teams. It took a long time for hockey to gain its present popularity. It would be wrong to make comparisons with the KHL, which is just starting out. The start has been good, and I hope I will bring a worthwhile contribution. This is a big opportunity for players, teams and coaches to raise their standards. As for me, I always wanted and continue to want to be first — this is how I made my name. And here, in Russia, I also will try to show everything I am capable of.

- Alexander Radulov has also arrived in Russia from the NHL, but there was a scandal in connection with his transfer. What do you think of this situation?

- I don’t know much about it besides what was written on the Internet. In any case, this is his personal decision, and I don’t know what I’d do in his place. Therefore I can not judge. I remember, two years ago Evgeni Malkin left for the NHL before completing his contract in Russia, and there was no problem. Why now is there such a sensation? So we’ll see…

- Where will you finish your career?

- The chance that I will return to the NHL is insignificant, I would say that it is equal to zero. I had an opportunity to become almost an idol overseas, perhaps second only to Wayne Gretzky [in scoring]. But now that I have decided to come over to Europe it is unlikely a return would be possible. But I will not regret or look back; my purpose is to play good hockey here. I don’t know whether I will be in Russia for two or three years, but then in any case I will go home, to Kladno, to the club of which my father is president.

- And when will your girlfriend arrive?

- She’ll come later. I’m used to preparing for the season alone, to have an opporunity to relax. Especially since I will still need to go to the Czech Republic for a couple of exhibition matches. Later, when the season starts, I will have more free time, and we can spend time with each other.

Then there’s this revelation, brought to us by Soviet Sport writer Pavel Lysenkov, who shadowed Jagr though his first day and a half in Omsk as background for an amusing article on the Czech’s arrival. Lysenkov got the bright idea of calling Russian superstar Alexander Ovechkin, curious to know what two superstars would talk about. After the two exchanged pleasantries, he uncovered the real reason Jagr left the NHL:

- “How long will you play in Russia?” [Ovechkin asked.]

- “Two years. Then I will return to the Czech Republic. You have to understand, I can’t play in the NHL anymore. You are much better than me. What am I to do in a league where Ovechkin scores 65 goals, and I only score 25? I was so bad that I had to leave like a real man.” Jagr practically falls of his chair with laughter. Sasha [Ovechkin] laughs along with him. “If you could score just 40 goals, and I 30, then it would have made sense for me to stay for another year. But now I understand that there is nothing more for me to do in NHL. There is Ovechkin.”

It appears Jagr’s sense of humor remains firmly in place.

Recent Ranger signee, defenseman Vladimir Denisov, will join brothers Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn of the Montreal Canadiens next month when they participate in the Cup of Belarus on behalf of 2008 Belarusian Extraliga champions Keramin Minsk.  The three will train with the team and then play for them in the 10 team pre-season tournament, which takes place between August 5 and August 18th in Babruysk, Belarus.  Minsk head coach Andrei Gusov explained: “The guys who are preparing for the next season overseas were curious whether it would be possible for them to work together with Keramin this summer.  We certainly did not object and have invited them to play for Keramin in the Cup of Belarus.  Participation of players from the NHL will raise spectator interest in the tournament, and I think that fans will be pleased.”

Darius Kasparaitis was a popular Ranger during the four seasons he played in New York, before a combination of age, injury and salary cap considerations sent him packing for St. Petersburg, Russia at the start of last season.  Since arriving in Russia last fall Kaspar has been writing a blog for the Russian web site Championat.ru.  And he’s checked in with some off-season updates.

Apart from a couple of trips to Florida with his daughter, and a vacation in the Bahamas, Kasparaitis has spent the majority of the off-season in New York, running in the park, training at the gym, and occasionally taking to the ice.  Kasparaitis acknowledged in a post from the end of May that “I would like to play in New York, but nothing has worked out here, so I have decided to go to Russia.”  He admitted that he received no interest from any NHL teams, and made the decision to re-sign with SKA St. Petersburg for two years, noting that he enjoyed his time there last season.  “It was pleasant for me in St. Petersburg last season.  Not because of money!  It is simple — the team, the trainer, the city, the fans.  Everything suited me.  So I thought — why not?  Why run around, looking for somewhere with more money? I believe that I can play for four more years.  So I want to play and enjoy myself, help a team, work with youth, share my experiences.  And so, SKA was the only team I talked to.”

Kasparaitis also shared that he has set a goal of playing in his fifth Olympics in 2010.  “I’ll admit, I would very much like to play in the Olympics in Vancouver.  It is my dream.  I have played in four successive Olympiads.  Only the fourth time we did not win a medal; the first three — gold, bronze, silver — had great results.  Now I wish to play in the fifth.  For me it is a very big dream.”  But he admits it won’t be easy.  “I understand that it will be difficult for me to make it.  But everything will depend on me, how I train, how I play.”

Kasparaitis, who regularly expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of officiating in the RSL last season, weighs in on the formation of the KHL, acknowledging that he’s excited to be one of the first players in the new league.  “You know, it is interesting to me to play in a new league.  There will be different rules of play.  I hope that the referees will be more adequate, more skilled, improved… To me it seems interesting to be one of the first players who will play in the new league.  Everyone is interested in this league.”

And finally, Kasparaitis shared some big news of a personal variety: In September, he will become a father for the second time.  “For me the season will start with the birth of two daughters.  Already in September my girlfriend is due to give birth.  We have decided that she will give birth in Stockholm, in Sweden.  All her family is there.  And I too will go there closer to term.”