NHL legend Jaromir Jagr could lose his team in Czechia due to legal problems

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Daniel Lucente
November 5, 2024 (12:06)

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Things aren't going too well for former NHL legend Jaromir Jagr, as he's fallen behind on some payments which could lead to him losing his team in Czechia.

This past September, the age of 52 years saw hockey legend Jaromir Jagr lace up what will likely be his final season of professional hockey with his hometown team, the Kladno Knights, in all, that adds up to 37 seasons of pro hockey for the man known as Jagr. And nobody can help but feel a tinge of sadness when hearing he is finally going to hang them up soon. But the owner of the team he plays for, Jagr brings much more onto the ice than his skill: he brings marketability and morale, attracting fans and attention to the club. Off the ice, though, Jagr's issues are enormous, and those may have an impact on the Knights' future.
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In recent weeks, legal troubles have darkened Jagr's final season. The City of Kladno canceled the Knights' lease on their home arena because the club had failed to pay a six-month lease payment by Jagr. City officials said that Jagr had asked to extend the deadline and then just simply stopped talking, and since nothing could be negotiated further, the City had no alternative but to cancel the lease agreement. Now, nobody knows where the team owned by Jagr will play.

The Kladno Knights, without a lease now, will soon also be without a home rink and be under much duress. For a franchise that already relies so much on Jagr to keep them relevant and financially stable, the potential loss of a permanent home could prove to be the death of them. Yet, perhaps because the lease termination was controversial to the fans and residents of Kladno, frustrated by what that decision may mean to the Knights and hockey's future in Kladno.

Milan Volf, mayor of Kladno, and a former player of the Knights, expressed his disappointment on his Facebook page at the dispute over a lease. When every dollar generated by the operation of the arena goes back to the Kladno Knights, it would seem all the more confusing that they would want to lose such an important part of their team. Volf and locals have been speaking loudly for a resolution in the hopes that Jagr and the city can find a common bond to keep the team stable.

«So we have to wonder why Jaromir Jagr is not able to honor his year-long contract and pay two million crowns (USD 86,000) compared to the roughly 40 million crowns (USD 1.7 million) the contract brought him.»

He also added this, which appeared to hint at an ongoing feud with the former NHL All-Star forward: «It's time for him to no longer be in charge of ice hockey in Kladno.»

Till today, the fans are waiting to hear an official word about what is happening at the arena, either from Jaromir Jagr or his team. The original lease agreement, in 2013, was to keep the Knights there until 2032, making this upheaval quite sudden and unexpected. With Jagr's illustrious career finally coming to a close, this legal battle may keep on shadowing his legacy, unless there is a resolution to this impasse.