There were rumors afloat around the team that Jaromir Jagr may suit up for practice before the team hosts the Los Angeles Kings and number 68 heads to the rafters. Well, yesterday, that is exactly what happened.
Jagr entered the Pens locker room and immediately went up to talk to captain Sidney Crosby; complimenting how much better he gets with age.
Now, of course, the same can be said for Jagr. The now 52-year-old is still playing professional hockey with Kladno of the Czech Extraglia.
The Penguins posted an image of Jagr and Crosby getting dressed beside each other while talking. A photo of two of the league’s all-time greats.
After, Jagr took the ice in Cranberry. The stands were filled to the brim in excitement over seeing the legend with the team.
Jagr’s first shot in practice beat backup goalie Alex Nedeljkovic’s post and in. Ned referred to it as a “heavy shot.”
Seeing the way the players reacted was definitely an amazing thing. The amount of respect everyone on the team has for Jagr is great. One particular moment that stood out was when defenseman Kris Letang came out to practice in a Jagr mullet wig, and proceeded to tell Jagr that he wore 68 throughout his whole life and asked for a signature as well. Letang said that he remembered looking at pictures of Jagr with Mario Lemieux when he arrived in Pittsburgh.
As Crosby, Letang, and Malkin are working on finishing their historic legacies for the franchise, they said that it is a “privilege” to be able to honor Jagr’s.
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