Jagr says players' fight against salary cap was ``risk that didn't pay off'

[bigboydan]

Jagr says players' fight against salary cap was ``risk that didn't pay off''

June 21, 2005
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- New York Rangers forward Jaromir Jagr said Tuesday that players' initial refusal of a salary cap in talks with the NHL was a gamble that did not work out.

``We started the fight because we didn't agree with the introduction of salary caps,'' Jagr said. ``Now, we'll be happy to get them. We didn't expect the owners to be so tough and persistent. It was a risk that didn't pay off.''

Jagr was quoted, in Czech, on the Czech Ice Hockey Association's Web site.



The NHL and the players' association recently agreed that a salary cap model with an upper and lower limit will be the centerpiece of a new agreement.

The lockout started last September and wiped out the entire 2004-05 NHL season.

On the Net:

Czech Ice Hockey Association: http://www.hokej.cz/



Updated on Tuesday, Jun 21, 2005 5:38 pm EDT