Photo: Slocum/AP

Since his arrival in Vancouver, Jaromir Jagr has artfully dodged questions about what his future holds, no matter what language they’ve been asked in.  Last weekend, in an interview with Pavel Lysenkov of Sovietsky Sport, the queries came in Russian.  While once again managing to avoid answering the question on everyone’s mind — with a characteristic laugh and a smile — Jagr made it clear he’s traveled to the Olympics with the goal of bringing home a gold medal.  And he capped the conversation off with a bold prediction.

- You carried carried the Czech flag in the opening ceremony.  What were your impressions?

- I don’t even remember when I last experienced something like that.  Bearing the flag of your country is a huge honor for any athlete. Especially when you’re a hockey player, and the event takes place in Canada. I know that the flag bearers were guys who are familiar to me — Morozov, Forsberg — but it wasn’t possible to talk with them, I was with my own delegation.

- Did you like the ceremony?

- Of course!  Even more so when you see it from the inside. Though, it seemed dragged out to me. And I was surprised when Wayne Gretzky lit the Olympic flame.  It was kept a secret, and I didn’t expect it.

- Have you already acclimatized yourself to Vancouver?

- It was even more difficult for me because first I was in Omsk — that’s a time difference of plus three hours with Moscow. Then I was in the Czech Republic — that’s minus two hours time difference.  And then we flew to Vancouver.  It’s always difficult to calculate how many hours.  But with every day it gets better and better for me.  By the beginning of the Olympics I should be in perfect order.  Especially since I tried to train in the evenings in the Czech Republic so that I could get used to the new time zone more quickly.

- What do you think of the formula of the tournament?

- It’s very complicated.  And not just because we have to play 6-7 difficult games in 12 days.  Its impossible to start poorly here. Then you get caught in back-to-back games, [and] that’s not very good.  You need to win first place in the group.  Though that’s not an end in itself.  The Olympics are a tournament of one game, in fact.  Win the quarterfinal — you almost have a medal.  Lose — you go home feeling disappointed.

- How will you conduct yourself during the Games?  Are you shut off, don’t give interviews?  Or, on the contrary, do you communicate with people, participate in public activities, enjoy the fact that you have found yourself at such a tournament?

- I try to be a professional.  I give interviews, at the appropriate time.  The rest [of the time], I rest, restore my strength.  I don’t waste my time on trifles.  I didn’t come here for fun.  Surely this is the last international tournament in my career.

- You said that you’re going to play 6-7 games in Vancouver.  Do you see the Czechs in the final?

- I’d be a big optimist if I called the Czech Republic the main favorite of the Olympics.  But I want to leave here with gold.  And I’ll do everything for that [purpose].  If we lose in the semifinal than I’ll tell you my purpose is bronze, and will go for that.  You have to be a maximalist.  We’ll play in a group with Russia.  But the champion won’t be decided then.  If we meet in the play-off — guys, it’s just one game.  And victory isn’t guaranteed to you at all.

- Why have you traveled to the Olympics by military plane from a NATO base?

- I suppose we wanted to show our strength, – smiled Jagr slyly.

- How is your health?  You were injured in one of your last games in the KHL.

- You can see, it wasn’t serious.  Otherwise would I carry on like this during practice?

- Is it true that next season you could return to the NHL?

- Would you like me to leave Russia even sooner? – Jagr burst out laughing.

- Quite the contrary.  But there are rumors.  And the Olympics are a great opportunity to prove yourself.  And I know that all the management of Edmonton, where they’ve been inviting you for a long time, will come to Vancouver.

- I can be invited anywhere.  But I’ll make a decision only after a few months, when I win Gagarin’s Cup [the KHL's championship trophy] with Avangard.

- A bold statement.

- But I believe in it.

First of all, apologies for the scarcity of posts and tweets the past couple weeks.  Work has been kicking my butt, and what little free time I’ve had has been spent pampering my pooch and scouring Al Gore’s Internet for information on the various surgical options available for big, black furry mutts with torn knee ligaments.

And celebrating birthdays.  Mine and my husband’s.  In the same week.   Last night with family, tonight with friends.  So no Wolf Pack write-ups from me this weekend, though I do intend to watch both games in the archive at some point and will try to drop in with some thoughts on Sunday evening.  In the meantime, you can check out Bob Crawford’s wrap-up of last night’s 5-3 victory over the Providence Bruins, which featured the first multi-goal performance as a pro by my favorite Manitoban, Brodie Dupont.

Speaking of Bob Crawford, he also penned a feature for the AHL’s web site on 33-year old defenseman Mathieu Dandenault and his quest to get back to the NHL.  In the article, the three-time Stanley Cup champion talks about his career and about being the veteran voice in a locker room full of kids who dream of accomplishing what he already has.

In case you missed it, NYRangerscast posted a great Q&A with Wolf Pack defenseman Michael Sauer, who’s ability to remain positive never ceases to amaze me.  While you’re there, take a listen to their audio interview with Rangers 2009 first round draft pick Chris Kreider.

In Wolf Pack transaction news, Devin DiDiomete’s recovery from a fractured arm has progressed far enough to where he needs to work his way back into game shape, so the 21-year old sophomore was shipped to Charlotte on Wednesday.  In two games with the Checkers so far, he’s been scoreless and a minus-4 and picked up a pair of fighting majors and a game misconduct in a penalty-filled 7-0 defeat on Thursday night at the hands of the Florida Everblades.  Sounds like he’s back to his old self, then.

Chris Chappell’s visit to Hartford was brief, lasting only a single game before he was returned to the Checkers.  Chappell was scoreless in his AHL debut, with two shots on goal and five penalty minutes earned in an uneventful scrap with Providence’s Andy Wozniewski.

In ex-Pack news, former Rangers prospect and Wolf Pack forward Tommy Pyatt, who was sent to Montreal as part of the Scott Gomez deal this summer, made his NHL debut on Thursday night.  Pyatt was scoreless in 11:27 of playing time playing on the Candadiens fourth line.  In 11 games for the Hamilton Bulldogs this season the Thunder Bay native had nine points and was a plus-8. Pyatt was largely lost in the shuffle in his time with the Pack, buried behind higher-prized prospects, so it’s fair to say the trade has worked out very well for him.

Shifting gears a bit… in case you missed them, Rangers beat writer Andrew Gross filed a story on my favorite Russian Ranger, Artem Anisimov, and his adjustment to the NHL, and Jim Cerny revealed the secret of his new BFF, Enver Lisin, on his blog Rink Rap.

Keeping with the Russian theme, Newsday’s Steve Zipay had this quote from former Rangers head coach Tom Renney, which offers hope of a return to the NHL for Jaromir Jagr:  “He’s on our radar,” Renney told Zipay.  “He’s got NHL years left in him. He can still play, no question.”  Which begs the question: does he want to?  Rumors of his imminent re-signing with Avangard Omsk seem to pop up in the Russian press almost weekly, but the big Czech has repeatedly said he’ll wait till the end of the season before making any decisions.

Avangard got a taste of what life would be like without their star as they headed into the KHL’s first break for international play this week.  Jagr missed their final two games with “neck, leg and back pain” — would that constitute “general body soreness” in the NHL? — after falling awkwardly into the boards during Avangard’s game against SKA St. Petersburg on October 28th.  The injury is not thought to be serious, though he has been placed on Avangard’s injured players list.  The Hawks’ first game after the break comes up on Wednesday, but there’s been no official word on whether Jagr will be ready to go when the team takes the ice in Yekaterinburg.

Joining him on the sidelines is Tampa Bay Lightning prospect and current Omsk goaltender Karri Ramo, who pulled a muscle in his leg during the first period of the same game and is expected to be out till mid-November.  Before going down with the injury, the Finnish netminder earned goaltender of the month honors for October with seven wins — including two shutouts — a 1.92 goals against average and .912 save percentage.  Also recognized by the KHL for the month of October were best defenseman, former Ranger Dmitry Kalinin, best forward, former Islander Mattias Weinhandl, and best rookie, Edmonton draft pick Linus Omark.

Photo: NY Post

It was one year ago today that Russia lost one of its most promising young hockey stars and the New York Rangers lost their brightest prospect.  A year since Alexei Cherepanov’s heart stopped beating as the final minutes ticked off the clock during the third period of a game between his team, Avangard Omsk, and Chekhov Vityaz on October 13, 2008.

Three hundred and sixty five days have passed, and still no one has been found criminally responsible for the shoddy medical treatment he received at the arena in Chekhov.  No one has been found guilty of providing him with the banned substance prosecutors say was being used to treat the heart condition that killed him.  No one has been made to answer for why a 19-year old boy suffering from a potentially fatal heart condition was allowed to play professional hockey.

In the year since his death Alexei’s mother, Margarita Cherepanova, has made it her life’s work to memorialize her only son and ensure that those responsible for his death are brought to justice.  In August, she succeeded in convincing the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Omsk to overturn their ruling that declared Cherepanov’s death an accident and reopen their inquiry into his death.  The results of their new investigation are expected sometime this month, but given the level of corruption in Russian regional government, there’s little reason to believe the outcome will be any different this time around.

In the meantime, Cherepanova has been overseeing the construction of a new arena in the family’s home town of Barnaul, which will be named in her son’s memory.  The rink is being constructed with the money the family received from Avangard as compensation for his death: two years’ salary, or roughly 15 million roubles (slightly more than $500,000).

“I worked as a teacher and never had this kind of money,” Cherepanova told Sovietsky Sport.  “And when I received such a sum, I didn’t know what to do with it.  Many suggested that I live on the money myself.  But I understood that it wasn’t earned by me, but by my son.  I would like to immortalize Lesha’s memory.  And we always dreamed of an arena, since renting ice in Barnaul is very expensive.  It seems to me that an arena is the best thing I could do for my son…”

Cherepanova has also created a charitable foundation in her son’s name which will help help organize youth hockey tournaments, and fund equipment for aspiring young players.

In Cherepanov’s adopted city of Omsk, the arena will be open throughout the day on Tuesday so that fans can visit the museum that has been dedicated to him in the building’s foyer.  Avangard’s morning practice will also be open to the public, and following the workout, the entire team will visit Cherepanov’s grave site and attend a church service in his memory.  Later in the evening, a candlelight vigil will be held for fans and friends outside the arena.

***

For those who wish to take a moment to remember a talented young hockey player who always had a smile on his face, I leave you with some of the stories that were posted here a year ago:

The Siberian Express 1989-2008 – A translation of Cherepanov’s first and last post in a blog he had started writing for Komsomolskaya Pravda.

A Reporter’s View of Events – A translation of a Sovietsky Sport reporter’s account from the arena on the night of October 13, 2008.

Cherepanov’s Last Goal – Video of the young forward’s final goal, scored in the first period of the game during which he died.

Tears… – A translation of Championat.ru’s account of Cherepanov’s funeral service.

Reaction, Remembrance and Response – A round-up of the events that transpired in the week following his death, and reaction from those who knew him.

Avangard Omsk Earn a Solemn Victory – Avangard returns to the ice a little over a week after Cherepanov’s death and his number “7″ is raised to the rafters of Omsk Arena.

A Candid Conversation About Life and Death with Jaromir Jagr – A translation of Jaromir Jagr’s first in-depth interview following his teammate Cherepanov’s death.