GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) – The closest Jaromir Jagr got to playing with the New York Rangers on Friday came when Darius Kasparaitis hit the ice with the Czech forward’s No. 68 taped to his back.

Jagr started training camp the way he ended last season, watching his teammates in action without him.

Four months after surgery on his dislocated left shoulder, Jagr practiced Friday morning but sat out two scrimmages as camps opened around the NHL.

“The coaches and doctors want to make sure I don’t get hit,” said Jagr, a runner-up last season for NHL MVP. “They don’t want me to play the scrimmage. … They just want me to get my shoulder stronger. They don’t want to take any chances.”

After nearly a full season leading the Atlantic Division, the Rangers limped into their first playoff appearance since 1997 on a five-game losing streak – dropping to third place and the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Things only went further downhill.

Late in the series-opening, 6-1 loss to New Jersey, Jagr swiped his left arm in an attempt to hit Devils forward Scott Gomez. The pain was so great that Jagr, who set Rangers records with 54 goals and 123 points, sat out Game 2 – another defeat for the Broadway Blueshirts.

It was the only game Jagr missed all season.

He forced his way back into the lineup for Game 3, but was nowhere near the force that led the Rangers to the postseason. Then, 53 seconds into the fourth and final game of New Jersey’s series sweep, Jagr was felled by a check from defenseman Brad Lukowich.

The 34-year-old right winger had surgery nine days later and was expected to be ready to go Friday. But the Rangers are taking a very cautious approach.

“I’m not worried. I know how I feel,” Jagr said. “After the surgery they said it’s going to take four to six months. Anything can happen all the time, even if you are healthy. They just want to make sure.

“If it would be up to me, I would go.”

Rangers coach Tom Renney said he would take into account Jagr’s assessment of his recovery in deciding when he would let him back into game action. But the star forward doesn’t have the final say.

Jagr won’t take part in any scrimmages during camp, which runs until next week, and Renney indicated that Jagr was doubtful to play in any of New York’s seven preseason games.

“If I’m here … I don’t mind to practice, I don’t mind to play. It’s my life,” Jagr said. “It’s not easy, you have to work on your own. Hopefully I can play some exhibition games before the season starts.”

On Thursday, when all the Rangers reported for physicals, Jagr said he intended to take part in all aspects of camp. It was part of his plan to strengthen the shoulder in time for opening night of the regular season on Oct. 5.

“He had a good practice today, he looked fine,” Renney said. “But that was major surgery, major major surgery. I’ll probably be the bad guy here, but I’m going to take my time with this and make sure that it is what it’s supposed to be in order for him to play full-contact hockey.”

Avalanche

Colorado forward Steve Konowalchuk will miss practice time as he goes for medical tests next week. During pre-training camp exams given to Avalanche players Thursday, a heart abnormality was detected.

“I’m not a doctor and I can’t tell you if it’s something really bad,” team spokesman Jean Martineau said Friday. “It’s just that he needs further testing.”

Konowalchuk sat out 61 games and the first playoff round last season with a broken right wrist. He was off to the best start of his 14-year NHL career with 15 points in 21 games.

Flyers

Peter Forsberg doesn’t expect his soft-spoken nature to affect his ability to captain the Flyers.

“Joe wasn’t real vocal either,” Forsberg said of former Colorado teammate Joe Sakic. “He led by example. He was always the last one off the ice. He doesn’t need to scream and yell, he’s just a great captain, great leader. I’m getting a little older now, hopefully I can do a good job.”

About to start his second season in Philadelphia, Forsberg took the ‘C’ on Thursday after Keith Primeau retired because of persistent post-concussion symptoms.

Penguins

Evgeni Malkin impressed his new teammates, coaches and a few hundred fans during his first NHL practice.

“He’s got such good vision with the puck and good vision without the puck,” Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. “He’s one of those players that has that sense. He knows what’s going to happen on the ice.”

Malkin, the No. 2 pick in the 2004 draft, signed with Pittsburgh last week after running away from his club in Russia. The 20-year-old forward skated on a line with Mark Recchi and Ryan Malone.

“I feel really comfortable,” Malkin said through an interpreter. “I just want to skate more and more and learn the NHL game. When I step on the ice, there is no English barrier at all, and we are just professionals.”

AP-ES-09-15-06 1712EDT