The protagonist is clear: Jaromír Jágr (52). But the Hrdin will not be missing during the tribute to the hockey player with the number 68. George the Hero (66).
The Pittsburgh Penguins are preparing a big »68« celebration this weekend, culminating in a ceremony at Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings (Nova Sport 1 live coverage starts at 10:15 p.m., kickoff is at midnight). The 1991 and 1992 NHL champions are also scheduled to participate.
Jágr flew to America with his family in the presence of Blesk already on Wednesday. And what about the only countryman at the time, who was traded by the Penguins in 1991 to take care of the Kladno pheasant off the ice? “The club invited me, I’m looking forward to seeing the boys after thirty years and clapping for Jard,” said the Lightning Hero before today’s trip to Pennsylvania.
He dissapointed me
But in 2019, the holder of three rings for the winner of the Stanley Cup (he also triumphed with Calgary in the 1988/89 season) definitely did not plan an ovation for Jágr. “He dissapointed me. From my point of view, it is a shame that he took the side of people like President (Miloš) Zeman or Prime Minister (Andrej) Babiš,” declared Hrdina during the Kladno hockey player’s trip to China.
Although the world champion from 1985 hates communists and still loudly criticizes the leader of the opposition movement ANO and sympathizers with Russia, overseas, both of their different political views are washed away: What we are, we are! “It has nothing to do with hockey. Jarda had – or still has – a fantastic career. Nobody’s going to pull this out.” the legend of Sparta assured.
The hero with Jágr and other friends led by Pittsburgh icon Mario Lemieux (58) can chat in peace about memories of the victory party.
For number 68 up to 30 thousand!
In 1990, the Penguins made the Czech talent top five in the draft. Now Jaromír Jágr’s club intends to cash in on the occasion of retiring his iconic number 68. And it won’t be for five… Fans can buy tickets already for Friday night to the Rivers casino, where Jagr will remember the career of the most productive European in the history of the NHL. At the festive match, the spectators will receive a replica of the tarpaulin with the number 68, and other souvenirs will be available for purchase. The cheapest ticket can be bought for 155 dollars (approx. 3,665 CZK), the most expensive – including refreshments – costs 1,300, which is roughly 30,000 crowns.
Jiří Hrdina (back) together with his parents helped Jágr the most at the beginning of his career in the NHL. Here the »family« celebrates winning the Stanley Cup
Topics: sport, blitzsport, Jaromír Jágr, America, Stanley Cup, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins, Jiří Hrdina, ANO 2011, ritual, Nova Sport, National Hockey League, Sport on Heureka.cz
