The dollar offer out of Russia may be an overwhelming $35 million over three years, but impending free agent Jaromir Jagr has made it clear that his priority is to remain the NHL.
“Jaromir and I spoke last night and this morning, and his goal first and foremost is to play in the NHL for another two or three seasons,” Jagr’s agent, Pat Brisson, told The Post this afternoon. “His objective is to sign a new contract with the Rangers, and that has always been his priority.
“But his mindset is that it’s not where he wants it to be with New York and (if) it doesn’t work out with the Rangers, he will be on the market for other NHL teams. He believes that he can play at a very high level for another two or three years.”
Brisson would not comment on The Post’s report that Jagr had been offered $35 million over three years by Omsk of the Continental League, saying only, “I am aware of his talks with Omsk.”
The agent also declined to speculate what it would take to sign Jagr, but Brisson said he thought it was extremely unlikely Jagr, who will turn 37 in February, would be willing to agree to a one-year deal to remain on Broadway.
The Rangers are believed interested in a one-year deal that would allow them to include bonuses that could be deferred into 2009-10.
“I don’t want to speak for Jaromir, but I don’t think that’s something that would interest him in at this point,” Brisson said.