Jagr won't play in Czech Republic this weekend amid NHL interest

Jaromir Jagr is playing it safe.

The legendary forward has been practicing with Rytiri Kladno, a second-tier team he owns in the Czech Republic, but has decided to sit out this weekend with his future in North America still uncertain.

"I won't play for Kladno because there are still some negotiations in the NHL," Jagr told Czech publication iDNEZ.cz, according to NHL.com's Michael Langr. "Those teams don't want me to play here and I have to respect that."

The 45-year-old unrestricted free agent lamented not being able to play in front of his hometown fans and gave an additional reason for taking the weekend off.

"It is unpleasant because people expected I would play," he said. "On the other hand, we haven't promised anything to anybody. It would make no sense to meddle in something when I'm not 100 percent sure that (I'm) stay(ing) here. I don't (want to) interfere with someone who has a roster spot (in Kladno)."

On Thursday, St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong acknowledged his club has had internal discussions about signing Jagr in addition to several other players in the wake of the season-ending injury to young forward Robby Fabbri.

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