One of the biggest stories of the season has been 43-year-old
Jaromir Jagr who has found new life with the young Florida Panthers. Since
entering the league with the Pittsburgh Penguins Jagr has more than lived up to
his first round pick status. Jagr is a two time Stanley Cup champion playing on
the great Penguins teams of the 90's along side Mario Lemieux. He is a 13-time
all-star with the latest selection coming this year, with him captaining the
Atlantic Division all-star team in the 3-on-3. He has done absolutely
everything there is to do in professional hockey also winning five
Art Ross trophies, the 1999 Hart memorial trophy, and three Lester B. Pearson
Awards. He is also one of only 26 players to ever win a Stanley Cup, a World
Championship, and Olympic Gold in Men’s Ice Hockey over his career.
When Jagr left the NHL in 2008 to
join the KHL's Avangard Omsk many thought that he would never come back to the
NHL and we had seen the last of him. Over in Russia he was the same star
that he had been in the NHL and help Omsk to the playoff's every season he was
a part of their club. Jagr was named an all star for all three years he
was over in the KHL, and helped Omsk to the Continental Cup in 2011. But after
that season he would return to the NHL join his form teams cross state rivals
the Philadelphia Flyers. Jagr's return was an exciting event for many in the
NHL, the signing with the Flyers shocked many Penguins fans who expected him to
return to his original team.
He scored his 1,600th NHL point
during his debut, assisting Claude Giroux's goal in a 2-1 season opening win
over the Boston Bruins. While his season with the Flyers went well he wasn't
resigned and was thrown into free agency. He signed a one-year deal with the
Dallas Star for a reported $4.5 million dollars, signing with the Stars was his
first appearance in Western Conference. Jagr scored 13 goals and 26 points in
34 games with the Stars. He was dealt at the deadline to the Boston Bruins who
were looking for depth as they entered the playoffs. He scored two goals and
nine points in 11 games with the Bruins, he was also a key part to the Bruins
2013 Stanley Cup run tallying 10 assists in 22 playoff games. He was injured in
game six against the Blackhawks with a reported groin injury and wasn't able to
finish the game.
He was subsequently sent back
into free agency where he signed a one-year deal with the New Jersey Devils for
a $2 million dollars guaranteed and 2 million more in incentives in his new contract
deal. On November 21, 2013, Jagr
tied Gordie Howe's record of game-winning goals
with 121. It was his 690th career goal moving him into a tie with former
teammate Mario Lemieux for ninth place on the all time scoring list. Month
later he scored his 693rd goal putting him in 8th place over Steve Yzerman, just
a day later he tied Mark Messier for the seventh on the all time list. Later in
the season he passed Messier with his 695th career goal putting him 14 away
from Mike Gartner. He scored his 700th goal as a member of the Devils in a
6-1 victory over the New York Islanders. The Devils resigned Jagr
to another one-year contract on April 30th 2014. In his 1,500th game he
moved in 5th place on the all time points list with 1,772, he became the oldest
player in NHL history to score a hat trick at 42 years 322 days.
On February 26, 2015 he was
traded to the Florida Panthers for a second round pick in 2015 and third
rounder in 2016. Jagr has been a bright spot since coming to the Panthers, they
were a young team with very little direction and a lack of veteran leadership.
Since arriving he has made an immediate impact, he brought his hard work and
dedication to show these high round picks how to play. The Panthers cast of
players include many high first rounder’s including Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan
Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, and Erik Gudbranson. Jagr has been a bright spot
this season while helping the Panthers to one of their most historic seasons in
history. The Florida Panthers have already won a franchise record 12 games in a
row this season, and currently sit atop the Atlantic division standings.
He has said that he wants to play
until he is 50 years old, if that happens then we will likely see him break
many more records. One thing is for sure we are witnessing a legend in the back
end of his career, who can still turn the clocks back. As these next few
seasons come and go one thing is certain Jagr can only add to his case to be a
first ballot hall of famer, and maybe the greatest player to ever play the
game.
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