NHL legend Jaromir Jagr chose jersey No. 68 to remember 1968, the year the Soviet Union invaded Czechoslovakia to halt the Prague Spring. After nearly 30 years in the game, Jagr is using hockey to support the people of a Russia-invaded country once again.
Kladno, a Czech Extraliga team Jagr owns and plays for, is moving its last regular-season game to 02 Arena in Prague on Tuesday to raise money for the Ukrainian refugees who've made their way to the Czech Republic.
On Thursday, Jagr introduced the idea of relocating the game on Facebook, and the following day he made the change official. Jagr's original post garnered over 19,000 likes and 900 comments.
"I am very happy to confirm that everything was successful even in such a short time," Jagr wrote Friday. "Now our only wish is to sell out the O2 Arena. Buy a ticket and help those Ukrainian families in the Czech Republic!"
Selling out 02 Arena could be a challenge for Kladno, as the venue is much larger than the team is accustomed to. Kladno has played home games at Rocknet Arena this season and Zimni Stadium in seasons' past, both of which seat less than 6,000. 02 Arena seats about 18,000.
Sparta, Kladno's opponent on Tuesday, could benefit the ticket-sale efforts because 02 Arena is its home stadium. Kladno will serve as the home team for this particular game, though.
Jagr has played for Kladno since leaving the NHL after the 2017-18 season. The 50-year-old scored 766 goals over his 24-year NHL career, good for the third most ever behind Wayne Gretzky (894) and Gordie Howe (801). Jagr won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player in 1998-99, led the league in scoring five times and won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
