Jaromir Jagr has become a legend in the game of hockey for a number of reasons. The main reason would be his crafty play that has led to a ton of success on the score sheet, in fact only some guy they call “The Great One” has more NHL points than the Czech star. One of the more endearing qualities about Jagr’s career is how long it has lasted. After getting drafted to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990, Jagr has spent almost three decades as a very productive forward. The man who turned 46 on Thursday has defied expectations on the ice.
This year, however, has been a different story. While he celebrated an 82-game, 46-point season just one year ago with the Florida Panthers, his 22-game tenure as a member of the Calgary Flames was riddled with injury and eventually led to his waiving.
While it was a sad way to see one of the legends leave the league, it appeared as though he was going to be just fine in the Czech league. Upon arrival with HC Kladno, he was met with a hero’s welcome and games for the rest of the season were sold out and even in need of relocation due to overwhelming demand.
Unfortunately Jagr has been dealt a setback once again, although this one may not be as much about age as it is about a dirty hit thrown by an HC Havirov player. In fairness to the player, he immediately stopped to check if Jagr was alright, so he likely wasn't headhunting the Czech legend.
Jagr left the game with a concussion and blood could be seen staining the collar of his jersey, which could spell trouble for his future in the game of hockey. While health has been a concern for Jagr recently, his status in the Czech league almost seemed to guarantee his safety. In the bang-bang game of hockey, no one is safe.
(H/T Twitter/Morning Skate)
