He is in a dangerous mess , the Florida Panthers super star player…
It all comes down to when he decides to hang up his skates, and given how he seemed during practice last week with the Pittsburgh Penguins, that might not be too soon.
It was time for the Penguins to retire the No. 68 that Jaromir Jagr famously wore in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Two players’ numbers from Pittsburgh’s legendary past have been retired: Mario Lemiuex’s No. 66 and Jaroslav Jagr’s No. 68.
Only a portion of three seasons were spent in Sunrise by Jagr, who joined the Panthers in 2015, long after his Penguins years of glory.
However, Jagr had some excellent, if not his last, NHL seasons during those years.
His influence on the team is still felt, and his time in South Florida was unforgettable.
In the peculiar 2016–17 season, Jagr played his final full season in the NHL with the Panthers, where he remained a member of Florida’s top line with Sasha Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau.
As soon as Dale Tallon traded for him prior to the 2015 deadline, Gerard Gallant put him there.
It was there that Jagr turned Huberdeau and Barkov from NHL hopefuls to stars.
With the Panthers, Jagr accomplished a number of NHL firsts, including moving up to the second spot on the all-time scoring list after helping out on a Barkov goal against the Bruins.
Additionally, Jagr brought attention to the Panthers when they most needed it.
Jagr appeared in 181 games with Florida over the course of three seasons, and he was selected captain of the 2016 All-Star Atlantic team.
During his 82 games with the Panthers in 2016–17, he finished with 16 goals and 30 assists. After that season, Florida made the decision to move on.
After signing a deal with Calgary, Jagr’s injuries proved to be too severe.
With just 22 games played, Jagr and the Flames parted ways in the midst of the 2017–18 campaign. He contributed five assists and one goal.
The Panthers should retire Jagr’s number regardless of how his NHL career ended.
Two of the numbers, which honor the founding fathers Wayne Huizenga and Bill Torrey, have been retired by the Panthers.
The only player to have had their number retired in team history is Roberto Luongo, whose No. 1.
There will be more; let’s start with Barkov’s No. 16.
In the years following his departure, the Penguins and Jagr did not get along well.
Nevertheless, the team staged a sophisticated get-together this past weekend, during which Jagr warmed up and practiced alongside his former teammates on Sunday, just after his number was hoisted to the roof.
It will be difficult to surpass that if the Panthers want to pay tribute to Jagr in the same manner.
However, it’s time to discuss taking action.
Jagr’s number should have been retired in Pittsburgh from the beginning.
He was drafted there and won the hearts of the people there by playing for the Stanley Cup champions the previous two years.
The Penguins and Jagr had a kiss and made up.
The Panthers are now able to return Jags to South Florida as well.
“It’s undeniable,” Jagr declared on Sunday. “If you ask anybody anywhere in the world, whether it be in Europe or the Czech Republic, they will always say the Pittsburgh Penguins when you mention Jaromir Jagr, regardless of where I played after that.”
