The Immortal One - Jaromir Jagr Officially a Flame at 45 Years Old
Anyone who pays much attention to Hockey already knew this was coming over the weekend. But it is now official, Jaromir Jagr has joined the Calgary Flames at the ripe old age of 45.
Calgary makes Jagr's 9th team in the NHL, over the course of 24 seasons. He says he is 99.99% sure this is his last season. If that's true, he will end his carrier having played for a hair over 29% of NHL teams when you include the Golden Knights, which is kind of unfair since they are only just now playing their first game.
At 45 years of age, Jagr is older than 17 current NHL Franchises, including his new Flames, which came into existence the same year he was born. Many of the 14 that are older than Jagr have moved from the original City they were founded in.
For many, myself included, the lasting image of Jagr will be the mullet styling kid who skated next to Mario Lemieux dur the Penguins run of the early 90's.
These guys look like they went to Andre Agassi school of hair. But I'm pretty sure theirs was the real deal, while Andre was on the courts sporting a wig.
Jagr was a fixture of the Penguins when they won back to back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992.
This also happened to be about the time I was getting into Hockey. I was attending the University of Kentucky in Lexington. We had a little club hockey team that played at the local Ice Rink at Midnight Friday and Saturday Nights. Some girl I liked took me to a game. At the time I knew nothing about hockey, but I vividly remember a moment in that first game when one of the players from the visiting club laid a viscious hit on one of the UK players. One of the players on our team jumped over the bench, skated up behind the guy from the opposing team, "Cross Checked" him across the back laying him out, and skated straight to the penalty box. It was a bang bang moment, and I laughed my ass off, and was hooked.
When you grew up and attend school in Lexington Kentucky in the 90's, there's really two options of teams to cheer for. The St Louis Blues at 336 miles away, or the Penguins of Pittsburg at 376 miles away. Both teams were in the playoffs that year, but the Igloo was rocking their way to the Cup, and The Pens became my team.
Since being drafted, Jagr has compiled 1711 games played, 765 goals, and 1914 points. Second in points behind only Wayne Gretzky. He has always worn the number 68 in reference to the year of the Prague Revolution in his home country of Czechoslovakia. It is also the year his grandfather died in prison, where he was put for his political views. Jagr was the first player able to be drafted and come straight to the NHL without defecting from the Soviet Republic as the Czech Republic gained it's freedom from the USSR in 1989.
At this point in his career, Jagr still is a forward to be reckoned with. However, I expect his leadership and his value in moving merchandise play a big role in the decision to pay him $1million for one season with "attainable bonuses" of another million. The Predators here in Nashville were rumored to consider signing him, and I know I would have been in line to buy a Jagr 68 Jersey in Predator Gold. I am sure he will move plenty of merchandise for the Flames. As for his play, He can contribute. Let's just hope he looks more like the 20 year old who won the cup, than the 44 year old in this image:
I'm really looking forward to seeing Jagr continue his career. The man has stamina most of us could only dream of. And obviously he loves the game. He doesn't need the money. He just has a drive and desire to play the game. That's admirable.
So turn on the television, find a Flames Game, and check out the 45 year old who is still doing what he loves in a sport where most people give it up in their early 30's. There's a lesson here for us too. Keep working, keep striving for what you want. Chase the dream. We can live our dreams too.
Thanks for the information sir.