On February 18, 2024, the Pittsburgh Penguins will officially retire Jaromir Jagr’s sweater and hang his No. 68 from the rafters.
When the Penguins began planning for this ceremony, they wanted Jagr to be fully retired from professional hockey.
Despite the highly anticipated ceremony, Jagr is still playing hockey and recently made his season debut.
At the age of 51, Jagr suited up for his 35th season of professional hockey with the team he owns in his native Czechia.
In his first game of the 2023-24 season, Jagr suited up for the Kladno Knights and recorded an assist as the second line right winger.
Considering the massive amounts of success Jagr has had over the years, he’s a sure shot Hall of Famer, but with another official year of pro hockey under his belt, he’ll have to continue waiting.
If the Hockey Hall of Fame decides to not waive the traditional three-year waiting period, Jagr’s first year of eligibility for such an honor is 2027.
Only 10 times before has the Hall of Fame waived that waiting period, and it’s extremely possible they do so with Jagr.
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