Naslund to join Rangers, likely ending Jagr's Broadway tenure

NEW YORK -- Just as the New York Rangers ushered in the Markus Naslund era on Broadway, they turned out the lights on the Jaromir Jagr show.

Naslund, the longtime Vancouver Canucks captain, agreed to terms Thursday with New York on a two-year deal worth $8 million.

In making the announcement, Rangers general manager Glen Sather said he couldn't wait any longer for Jagr to make up his mind on what it would take to keep him, so he went in a different direction.

Sather broke the news to Jagr on Thursday and thanked him for his service over the past four seasons in New York, including the last two as team captain.

"Jagr was very respectful when I talked to him and gave him the information that we're going to move on," Sather said.

While Jagr doesn't know where he will play next season, Sather believes the star winger might be heading to Russia for a lucrative deal.

Jagr was thought to be seeking a two-year deal to return to the Rangers, while Sather seemed more interested in bringing him back for one. Sather said he was never told by Jagr or his agent, Pat Brisson, exactly what the terms would be to keep the Czech superstar.

Markus Naslund scored 25 goals last season. (Getty Images)

"He told me he wanted to play here, I told him we wanted him to play here, his agent told me he wanted to play here, I told his agent several times, but it never got back to the situation where he said, 'If you give me X amount of dollars, I'll come back to play in New York,"' Sather said. "I kind of always got the feeling that maybe there was something in Russia that is really looking at him, and if there was enough money to stay here he would've stayed.

"We never got down to that situation where I knew exactly what he was looking for whether it was a one-year or a two-year, or a longer-year term. There was never any discussion like that. It's pretty tough to negotiate with yourself."

Brisson characterized the negotiations differently.

"Glen and I had many discussions regarding Jaromir in the past month or so," he said in an e-mail to the Associated Press. "It wasn't a matter of he and or us coming up with the right proposal. Jaromir wants to get a deal done if, when, and or where he sees fit. Time will tell."

Sather left the door open a bit for Jagr to return "if things don't work out for him in Russia," but he is moving on to Naslund.

He and coach Tom Renney have every intention of sticking to the defense-first mentality, but after a second-round playoff ouster against the high-flying, Pittsburgh Penguins, it became clear that the status quo wasn't working.