The 52-year-old Jagr, who currently plays for the Kladno Knights in the Czech Extraliga, confirmed through his agent that he will retire at the end of the season. Jagr made his season debut for Kladno yesterday, picking up an assist in what marks his 37th season as a pro, a career that began all the way back in 1988.
Jagr was selected fifth overall in the 1990 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He quickly made a name for himself, playing alongside superstar Mario Lemieux and winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in his first two seasons. When Lemieux was sidelined with injuries and cancer, Jagr stepped up, winning the Art Ross Trophy for the league's top scorer four times in a row from 1998 to 2001. He also won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's MVP in 1999.
In 2001, Jagr was traded to the Washington Capitals due to Pittsburgh's financial troubles. While still a top player, he struggled to meet the high expectations from his time with the Penguins. After a brief stint with Washington, Jagr found his scoring touch again with the New York Rangers, where he recorded 123 points in the 2005-06 season.
Following a move to the KHL in 2008, where he spent three seasons in Russia with Avangard Omsk, Jagr returned to the NHL in 2011, playing for the Philadelphia Flyers and later for teams including Dallas, Boston, New Jersey, Florida, and Calgary. He officially left the NHL in 2018 and has been playing for Kladno since then.
Over his legendary career, Jagr played 1,733 NHL games, scoring 766 goals and tallying 1,921 points, making him second all-time in points behind only Wayne Gretzky.
POLL | ||
19 SEPTEMBRE | 133 ANSWERS Legendary forward Jaromir Jagr officially announces his retirement Should Jaromir Jagr be immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame? | ||
Yes | 113 | 85 % |
No | 20 | 15 % |
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