Jaromir Jagr reaches decision on World Cup participation

Watch as Jaromir Jagr and Cal Clutterbuck collide at centre ice, with Jagr getting a piece of Clutterbuck’s head on the questionable play.

Jaromir Jagr will not participate in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

The Florida Panthers star and the highest-scoring Czech player in 2015-16 told Czech Republic general manager Martin Rucinsky over a telephone call on the weekend that he would not be participating in September’s best-on-best tournament, the Associated Press reports.

Jagr, who led all NHL Czechs with 27 goals, is 44 years old.

He asked not to be named to his country’s initial 16-man roster but was still undecided about his participation when he re-signed with Florida earlier this month.

Jagr first announced his retirement from international hockey after Sochi in 2014. He was convinced to make an encore for 2015 and was excellent for a fourth-place Czech squad at the IIHF World Championship last May.

Rucinsky must fill out his last seven roster spots this week as the final World Cup lineup announcements arrive Friday.

Jagr led the Panthers with 66 points in 79 games in the regular season, adding two assists in the playoffs.

Rucinsky told Tuesday’s edition of the Sport Daily he respects Jagr’s decision.

All games for the 2016 World Cup will be played at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Hockey Central World Cup of hockey roster announcement.

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