Jagr played for Pittsburgh, Washington and the New York Rangers.  He finishes his NHL career with 1,599 points on 646 goals and 953 assists in 1,273 NHL games, .

"It was the toughest decision in my life, hockeywise," Jagr told The Canadian Press. "No question about it. I hate making changes."

Softening the blow of the impending life change is a $7M salary for the next two years with the club he joined during the 2004-05 lockout.  The money is not taxed, which grades out to roughly $11M had he earned the same in the NHL.  The contract is reported to be for two years plus an option for a third.

"Don't forget I'm from Europe," Jagr told the Canadian Press. "Russia is nothing new for me. It's close to the Czech Republic. It would be different for American or Canadian players. But for me, I enjoy it. The people love hockey and I had a great time out there."

Ironically, the deal came to fruition on America's Independence Day.  Jagr, who reported early in his career his admiration for U.S. President Ronald Reagan's campaign against communism during the Cold War.   Jagr noted to the press early in his career that his main idol growing up was US President Ronald Reagan, whose policies spearheaded the fall of European Communism.  Jagr bravely kept a photo of the American President on his person while growing up, despite the potential for punishment from Czech authorities.

The Rangers, his last club, grew tired of waiting on Jagr's decision regarding the upcoming 2008-09 season.  GM Glen Sather signed Vancouver's Markus Naslund and Jagr's time in New York was up.

"I understand that I'm older and the (Rangers) decided to go in a different direction because they couldn't get the deal done," Jagr said Friday.

As a person who values his freedom, Jagr took advantage of his own contract situation, bid a fond farewell Friday, full of gratitude and respect for the league.

Jagr returns as a free man to a very different, and better, Eastern Europe than the one he left behind. 

Far from done as a player, Jagr hinted that North American audiences would see him again, perhaps in Vancouver in 2010 at the next Olympics.

No matter what the critics said over the years since Jagr last won the Stanley Cup, in 1992, the Czech legend was a class act.  He played for big money, sure, but in the last two years with the Rangers, he showed that it was all about far more than money.  He endured aches, pains and injuries and never complained as he desperately tried to lift the Rangers back to the pinnacle.  Anyone who saw his efforts over the last two seasons has to admit that much.

A first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, Jagr's act with Lemieux early in his career proved to be one of the best 1-2 punches the league has ever seen. 

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