Jaromir Jagr is 53 years old, but he’s not ready to give up on hockey yet. This year, he’s entering his 38th season of professional hockey for Kladno in the Czech Extraliga. His professional hockey journey started in 1990 when the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted him fifth overall in the NHL Entry Draft, and he’s still chugging along. The guy is a legend.
Jagr started his career with the Penguins, but he went on to play for nine different NHL teams throughout his storied career. He briefly made a stop in the KHL to play for Avangard Omsk before returning to the NHL. Once he was done in the NHL, he went to the Czech Extraliga to play for his current team, the Kladno Knights. His mancave must be full of jerseys. Playing for nine NHL teams is crazy, and that only accounts for 24 of his 38 professional seasons.
He’s still going strong in the Czech Extraliga despite his age. Last season, he played 39 games, scoring five goals and registering 11 assists. Jagr isn’t the lethal weapon that he used to be, but producing anything at 53 in pro hockey is astounding. He recently announced that he is returning for another season. He’s a timeless wonder, spending over half of his life in professional hockey.
When Jagr decides to hang up his skates, he deserves immediate induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He’s the best European player to ever touch a puck. The Czech legend has the fourth most goals in NHL history, and he is second in total points behind the great Wayne Gretzky. That’s elite company. They don’t make them like Jagr anymore. He’s one of a kind.
Jagr has had a massive impact on the hockey world. Kids wore 68 on their jersey because of him. When he came to the United States, he helped propel the Penguins to two Stanley Cups alongside Mario Lemieux. They were one of the greatest duos of all time. Nobody could foresee the legendary career that lay ahead, but the kid from Kladno changed the hockey world for the better.
His career has been full of magical moments. Jagr is a magician with the puck. His name never gets mentioned with NHL royalty like Gretzky, Lemieux, and Gordie Howe, but he deserves a seat at that table. Jagr will go down as one of the best, yet most underrated hockey players to ever lace up the skates. 68 will be immortalized in the Hall of Fame when the time comes, but he won’t stop yet.
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