Czech ice hockey legend becomes China Ice Hockey Ambassador

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Europe

Jaromir Jagr, one of the greatest European players in the NHL history, ice hockey legend of Czech Republic, was named "China Ice Hockey Ambassador" by Cao Weidong, president of the Chinese Ice Hockey Association on Thursday.

Cao granted Jagr the ice hockey ambassador certificate at a reception of celebrating the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Czech Republic at the Czech Embassy in China.

Forty-seven-year-old Jagr will offer advice on the development of support staff, developing young players and other programs as a consultant for the China-Czech Republic Ice Hockey Training Center.

Jaromir Jagr #68 of the Calgary Flames skates with the puck in the game against the Washington Capitals at the Capital One Arena, November 20, 2017. /VCG Photo

Jagr's NHL career is full of records. He holds the league's second-most 1,167 points in the 1,733 regular season games he played. He is No.3 in goals, No.5 in assists, first in game-winning goals, and second in shots on goal.

Jagr's outstanding record continues in the playoffs. He is No.5 in points, No.11 in assists, No.9 in goals, No.8 in game-winning goals and No.3 in shots on the goal. He won two Stanley Cup championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history.

Jaromir Jagr of the Czech Republic takes his turn in the overtime shootout against Canada at the Big Hat Arena during the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, February 20, 1998. /VCG Photo

Jagr's national team career is also impressive. He helped the Czech Republic win the ice hockey gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan and the bronze medal in 2006 in Turin, Italy. Jagr brought his country bronze from the 2004 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto, Canada and two Ice Hockey World Championships titles in 2005 and 2010.

According to Tencent Sports, the Czech Republic will also help China with its ice hockey development in other ways including providing rinks, training service and team management suggestions. Chinese ice hockey teams will also have the chance to play against their Czech counterparts.