Jaromir Jagr will reportedly be suiting up for Kladno HC this weekend, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that a return to the NHL is out of the question.
According to The Athletic’s Jeremy Rutherford, The St. Louis Blues have expressed interest in signing the 45-year-old.
The Blues are surprisingly one of the few teams that have shown interest in the Czech native. Jagr posted a respectable 2016-17 campaign, compiling 16 goals and 30 assists in a full season. Therefore, he is logically a good fit for a team seeking offence. If things don’t work out with the Blues, here are four other teams that could use his services.
New Jersey Devils
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Jagr enjoyed a short stint with the Devils from 2013-15, and the team would be wise to give him another call. New Jersey struggled last season, finsihing the year with the third least amount of goals scored (180). Newly acquired forward Drew Stafford may hold down a top-six role, but the former Winnipeg Jet has regressed in recent seasons. With first overall draft pick Nico Hischier set to enter the league, Jagr could serve as both a strong line-mate and mentor for him.
Arizona Coyotes
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The ‘Yotes finished just ahead of the Devils with 191 goals scored, but that number should improve in the upcoming year. Arizona possesses a strong young group of forwards that could also use some wisdom. For a franchise that has historically been considered losers of the league, it wouldn’t hurt to bring in a guy with Stanley Cup pedigree.
San Jose Sharks
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San Jose has been a perennial contender for years, but that might change this season. The loss of former captain Patrick Marleau should hurt the team’s forward core, as their top line left winger is currently listed as second-year player Kevin Lebanc. At a likely cheap price, Jagr could serve as a great substitute for Marleau. Can you imagine him playing alongside Jumbo Joe?
Ottawa Senators
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Another team with an infusion of young talent set to hit the lineup, Ottawa could find themselves having difficulty filling the net. Zack Smith will be expected to fill a top-six role, however, he could be a stronger fit on the team’s third line. Ottawa finished the 2016-17 campaign with the least amount of goals scored (206), and could use a guy like Jagr to fill out their top-two lines.
While other teams are also a strong fit for Jagr, these four make a whole lot of sense. Whether it’s the Blues or another franchise, hopefully someone gets on the phone and gives the guy a call. The game just won’t be the same without him, or his luscious flow.
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