Jaromir Jagr Pleased that the NHL Has No Age Limit

Imagine being drafted 25 years ago into the National Hockey League when just 18 years old. Now, at the age of 43 imagine yourself suiting up to play against players half your age night in and night out and still doing it at an incredibly high skill level.

While most of the players you used to play with are doing other off-ice adventures, you are still scoring goals while making your team better.

If you fall into that category you might just be the ageless wonder named Jaromir Jagr. The Florida Panthers forward is 43 years of age but is demonstrating to the hockey world and beyond, that age is just a number. The veteran of 25 NHL seasons is leading his team in points scored with 18.

When Jagr returned during the 2011-12 season to the NHL with the Flyers many likely imagined his comeback would not be long. No one expected the then 39-year old Czech to stay with it and be effective at his age.

However, Jagr proved his doubters wrong when scoring 19 goals with 35 assists during 73 games.

After the season, he spent part of the next with Dallas and Boston and recorded 35 points in 68 games.

However, in 2013 with the New Jersey Devils is when he experienced his best play. He showed at 41 he still had a full tank or at least three-quarters full as no one could have expected him to play so well that season.

He played in all of the team’s 82 games scoring 24 goals and notching 43 assists to become the oldest player to lead his team in points scored in the NHL.

Jagr with Florida could possibly break his own record set with New Jersey as he is leading the team in overall points through the first 25 games of the season.

Jagr is not and will never be the player he was when he had over 100 points in four different seasons with Pittsburgh and one time with the New York Rangers.

However, playing hockey at such a level at his age is phenomenal. He has 730 career goals to go along with 1090 assists. His 1820 points ranks him fourth all time behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and Gordie Howe. With 30 more points he will tie Howe for third all time.

Jagr will someday have to hang up his skates and move on. It could be after this season or the next or even further down the line, but hockey fans should enjoy watching one of the finest players to lace up his skates while they still have the chance to.