At the age of 44, Jaromir Jagr is coming off a season that saw him score 27 goals and rack up 39 assists, thus becoming the oldest player in NHL history to reach the 60 point mark. With that said, he is also up for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player that exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
A sure fire future Hall of Famer, Jagr’s dedication to the sport of hockey is unquestionable, as he is often mentioned with the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux as one of the greatest ever. Jaromir still has much left in the tank even at his age, which is truly remarkable considering that hockey is super physical sport. Today (May 5) it has been announced that Jagr has inked a one-year deal with the Florida Panthers.
Though the details of the contract have not been revealed, the franchise’s front office is very happy to have him on the ice for another year.
Panthers general manager Dale Tallon:
Jaromir is a Hall of Fame player and had an excellent season playing alongside Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau. His track record speaks for itself, ranking third all time in points and goals. He has been a great fit with our organization and we are excited to have him back for next season.
Panthers coach Gerard Gallant:
“Jaromir has had a tremendous influence on our younger players and has been a key offensive contributor on our team. We are happy to have him back as we look to build off this year’s playoff appearance.”
Aside from that, the Panthers had an exceptional season, winning the Atlantic Division title and setting a franchise record for points and wins. They eventually fell to the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. Heading into his 23rd season in the NHL, Jagr is 19 points away from tying fellow legend Mark Messier for the second most points in NHL history.