Jaromir Jagr’s career as an NHL hockey player appears to be reaching it’s end. The Calgary Flames waived the 45-year old Sunday, and it can’t be expected that the ageless wonder finds work elsewhere in the league. The fizzling-out certainly isn’t the most glamorous way to leave the league, but it should not take away from the long and storied career of the man who sits second all-time in points scored.
Jagr was drafted in 1990, which this list will prove is a very long time ago, but his departure actually doesn’t mark the end of 1990 draft picks taking the ice.
That’s because everyone’s favourite referee, Wes McCauley, was technically taken in the 8th round of the 1990 draft. The former defenceman was taken 150th overall by the Detroit Red Wings, though he never actually got into an NHL game.
Now an NHL official, Wes McCauley is officially the last 1990 draft pick to still be lacing up the skates – albeit in a different capacity.
Since this tweet from four years ago, Brodeur and now Jagr have both left the league.
McCauley first began officiating NHL games in 2003. Jagr wasn’t even halfway through his career yet.
McCauley continues to ref, and not necessarily in a blend-in kind of way. McCauley has found himself in the spotlight based on some very distinctive calls that have won their way into the hearts of hockey fans – he even had one at the NHL All-Star Game this weekend.
The viral call was just another edition in McCauley’s ever-growing officiating legacy.
