Jagr: Oldest pro hockey player ever

[MadLuke]

wtf..... figured he hung the skates up a LONG time ago.
what is LHSLF anyways?

History of money problem after real estate investments that failed and his company going bankrupt, he play semi-pro, work at Tim Hortons, etc... doing it to not cut into that nice full NHL pension I imagine, you need to turn 62 to have no penalty I think.

 

[Toby91ca]

How is he not like any other player on the team? He’s under contract as a full time player and practicing/playing daily.

I don’t think anyone believes this is the same thing as playing in the NHL, but it is a fact that he’s a professional hockey player at an older age than Howe. And in a real pro league, not a semi pro situation like LNAH.

The difference is he is the owner of the team and playing some games just because of his name, he's not really a full time guy, not a player that would likely make the team otherwise. Like I said, it's not the same as Howe playing 1 shift in the IHL as a gimmick though.

I don't know much about the LNAH....Quebec league, but likely higher quality than you'd think.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The difference is he is the owner of the team and playing some games just because of his name, he's not really a full time guy, not a player that would likely make the team otherwise.

He’s put up better numbers in half as many games as Frolik, another former NHL’er who has played over half the season with them. Why would he not make the team?

Unless I’m missing something, the only reason he hasn’t played the whole season is because he got injured, which is why he was in Pittsburgh for his jersey retirement (and the bobblehead debacle).

I don't know much about the LNAH....Quebec league, but likely higher quality than you'd think.

LNAH is professional hockey in the same way that playing the local dive bars on Saturday night makes you a “professional musician”. They get paid a token amount of money that doesn’t even amount to a proper part-time job.

 

[Staniowski]

I remember very well the first time I saw Jagr play - Dec. '89, Jan '90 at the 1990 WJC. That was his draft year and he was a phenomenon, easily the best draft prospect I had ever seen at the World Juniors, and by-far the best NHL prospect since Lemieux. Those were different times re: availability to play in the NHL for players from Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union. But he had it all - a great skater and puck carrier, he could shoot and pass, and great hockey sense.

I remember the announcer for the Canadian audience pronounced his name differently than we became used to later. He said "YAY-ger" (rhyming with his teammate Slegr)...."Reichel, from YAY-ger and Slegr".

 

[ricky0034]

No, he’s not like any other player on the team…he doesn’t want to be playing either. It’s more than Howe playing a shift at 69 for sure, but nowhere near Howe playing a full schedule in the NHL at 52

doesn't Jagr literally own the team he's playing for too?

I think it's a valid question whether he would still have a roster spot if he didn't at this point given his performance

 

[End on a Hinote]

Sure he surpassed Mr. Hockey, but he was a 52/yo grandfather playing in the show, not the Czech league. Somethings probably much more realistic 45 years ago, but still bananas the think about!

 

[AndreRoy]

It was an invitation to the Leafs 1962 training camp that listed golf as a training must

Toronto Maple Leafs Training Camp, 1962

The organization clearly took that to heart.

 

[Barrie22]

It is is hometown team that he played for growing up, they are the worst team in the League and he is trying to stop them from being relegated.

No he is stopping the team from folding, the team makes no money when he is not able to draw fans with his name.

 

[Oddbob]

Howe played in the NHL, while Jagr is in a much lower Czech league. Athletes are better today, but the NHL then is still much much better than the league Jagr plays in now. Not taking anything away from Jagr, just hate how everyone always has to run down the old days like they were crap players.

 

[Czechboy]

Lot of Czech Extraliga experts on here. I didn't realize so many fans knew about it. They are playing right now by the way. Kladno is up 1-0. But, given how much everyone on here knows about the Czech league, you all knew that already!