New York Rangers? forward Jaromir Jagr is the cover boy of this week?s issue of the Hockey News with the headline that reads: ?I Love New York.?

The last time fans saw Jagr, it would be hard to convince anyone he loved playing in the Big Apple. It seemed the passion Jagr displayed during his years in Pittsburgh was gone.

However, with a full NHL campaign lost due to a labour dispute, it is out with the old and in with the new.

Jagr is one of the many NHL players who have embraced the rule changes implemented by the League to allow the offensive, skilled players the time and space to be crafty with the puck to boost scoring and create excitement for fans.

During the lockout last season, Jagr re-gained his love for the game of hockey when he played for Avangard Omsk of the Russian Super League. Jagr even agreed to return to Omsk if the lockout would have continued on into this season as well.

Prior to the start of the season, the question surrounding Jagr was: ?Which Jagr would show up? Would it be the Jagr who played in Pittsburgh or the Jagr who played in Washington and New York??

Along with the ?new? NHL, fans and reporters alike have seen a ?new? Jagr lead his team with 23 points in only 15 games. The Rangers as a team have been a pleasant surprise as they current sit atop of the Atlantic division in the East. If the Rangers keep up their winning ways, they could be poised to make the playoffs for the first time since 1997.

Alexei Kovalev, Jagr?s former team mate in both Pittsburgh and New York, is also proving critics wrong with his play thus far this season.

Kovalev, who re-signed with the Montreal Canadiens after testing the free agent market this summer, cleared up any thoughts that he did not enjoy his brief stint with the Habs after being traded from the Rangers in March 2004.

After a slow start with Montreal, Kovalev showed what he was made of during the playoffs as he was a key player in helping the Canadiens upset the Boston Bruins in the first round.

With the crackdown on obstruction, Kovalev has been given the room he desires to hold onto the puck and cycle dangerously around the opposing net. This season, Kovalev has 16 points in 15 games and has seemingly been a positive role model for rookie Alexander Perezhogin.

Montreal fans have been treated to an Alexei Kovalev who not only scores goals, but passes the puck, doesn?t over-stay his shifts, delivers hits, blocks shots, plays defensively to kill off penalties and so far has yet to give up on plays like he has done in the past.

Both Jagr and Kovalev are surrounded by skilled linemates, [Michael Nylander & Martin Straka for Jagr and Saku Koivu & Richard Zednik for Kovalev], which helps enhance their play as first-line players and also being a part of winning teams helps boost their confidence.

Prior to the start of the season, Kovalev, eager to bring another championship home to Montreal, was quoted as saying playing in New York messed up his career and the Rangers in the last few years are notorious for ruining careers of star players.

That may have been the case since the Rangers, who had the highest payroll in the pre-salary cap era of the NHL, were New York?s greatest under-achievers; however, Jagr and a younger Rangers squad are proving that anything is possible in the new NHL.






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