Jaromir Jagr's latest action delays his entry into the Hall of Fame

At 52, Jaromir Jagr is still defying Father Time. The hockey icon started his 37th professional season on Wednesday, taking the ice for Rytiri Kladno, the Czech Extraliga team he co-owns. In his first outing of the year, Jagr didn't take any time to get his feet wet, recording a primary assist on his side's lone goal in a 5-1 loss to Dynamo Pardubice.

This assist he recorded now pushes his NHL Hall of Fame eligibility until 2028 at the earliest, as the rules state players have to be inactive for a specific period of time before eligibility. This stipulation likely doesn't bother Jagr, as he's more concerned about playing hockey.

But even though this might be the final chapter in his storybook career, Jagr is not going down without a fight. After playing only 15 games this past season in 2023-24, he has come into this season in top form and says he wants to play the entire schedule.

He has played 18 seasons of his career in the NHL, including time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Florida Panthers. Even though he hasn't played an NHL minute since 2016, his career statistics are the stuff of legends.

An eight-time All-Star, Jaromir Jagr has five times won the Art Ross Trophy as the league leader in points, adding two Stanley Cups and the Hart Trophy (MVP) for the 1998-99 season. He currently stands fifth all-time in assists with 1,155, fourth in goals with 766, and second in overall points with 1,921, with 135 game-winning goals, the most in history.

Source: The Athletic
Jaromir Jagr, the Hockey Hall of Fame and an impasse with no end in sight

Source: Hockey-Reference
Jaromir Jagr Stats