Jaromir Jagr is willing to settle for a try-out. Yes, you read that correctly. Excuse me for some lazy journalism here but after reading that statement in a hockey article recently i felt compelled to write about perhaps the best player of the past 20 years.
Happy birthday Jagr. Monday saw Jagr celebrate his 38th birthday so one wonders whether Jagr has much left to give in the NHL but he’s looking to come back regardless of people’s perception. This is one of the things that I have always loved about Jaromir Jagr. He does things his way and on his terms and if people don’t like it (think Washington, trade from) then so be it.
With the upcoming Olympics being in North America (Vancouver) and with Jagr being on the Czech Republic team this may be a final hurrah for the great winger or a chance to strut his stuff ahead of another chapter in his NHL story. There is no doubt that Jagr still possesses the skills required to play at the highest level because if he didn’t have those skills he wouldn’t be going to the Olympics and he wouldn’t even consider going back to the NHL. Anyone that has followed Jaromir Jagr’s career closely know that he won’t be a player that risks tarnishing his exceptional career by playing too long. Eric Lindros kept trying too long, Mark Messier stayed on a few seasons too long; there are lots of high profile examples but Jagr, being so proud and decisive won’t be one of those players. After making over $100 million in his career he doesn’t need to be. So, can Jagr come back and contribute?
The aforementioned article went on to discuss his still present desire and dedication to the game and they are both vital ingredients if ‘Jags’ is to make a successful comeback. No 68 always held a unique advantage with his size and, packaged with his skill, had perhaps the greatest blend of assets at his disposal the game has ever seen. So if he did come back and, given his apparent willingness to take a try out (and thus be paid less than he has been) it seems he will try who could he help?
Jagr’s affections for both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers (the clubs he played for so successfully) are well known and given the likely price you’d think they’d both be willing takers. Can you imagine Sidney Crosby dishing off to Jagr on the right boards? Wow. Alternatively The Rangers, looking to attempt a proper build towards contender, could use more scoring, another focal point beyond Marian Gaborik and with their less than stellar (to be polite) free agent signings they could do with such a cost effective addition Jagr would provide. The opportunity to go full circle and finish where he started (Pittsburgh) or go and put the exclamation mark on his own personal resuscitation of an original six franchise (New York) may be reasons why Jagr is looking to go back. Personally, I don’t think the somewhat disappointing ending between Jagr and the Rangers the first time around will factor into any pact. Jagr keeps stating his adoration for NYC and the Rangers.
This article isn’t going to make any bold calls about where Jaromir Jagr ends up or if he even ends up in the NHL. However this writer will admit to having a massive amount of respect for ‘Jags’ and would dearly love to see him back on the stage he owned for 15 years. Jagr, with 1,599 career NHL points, is a point per game player in the KHL and that isn’t the same thing as doing it at the NHL level but I can’t help feeling that in the right situation (Pittsburgh, New York etc) and given the right cast around him Jagr would, could still make a difference. With the NHL very much a younger man’s game these days, wouldn’t it be nice to see the old veteran light it up again? It would make for a great story that’s for sure and that’s something Jagr has always been.
My main sports interests are ice hockey and American football as well as 'soccer' (football?!).