Jaromir Jagr, the legendary hockey player, had his jersey number retired by the Pittsburgh Penguins this past weekend. This momentous occasion marked Jagr as the third player in Penguins history to receive this honor, following in the footsteps of Mario Lemieux and Michel Briere. After winning two Stanley Cups and spending 11 years with the Penguins, Jagr returned to the place that held so many memories for him.
During a practice session on Saturday, Jagr took to the ice and dazzled the crowd with his skills. The following day, before the official celebrations began, the Penguins players decided to pay tribute to Jagr themselves. They all sported Jagr’s iconic mullet hairstyle and jersey during warm-ups, eliciting cheers from the fans. However, the loudest cheers came when Jagr himself walked out onto the ice.
The fans were not only impressed by the show put on by the players, but also thrilled to see Jagr actively participating in the celebrations. The Penguins captain, Sidney Crosby, even joined in on the fun, as seen in a viral video of him warming up with Jagr’s jersey and mullet. The video generated buzz on social media and added to the excitement surrounding the event.
During the jersey retirement ceremony, Jagr spoke about his time in Pittsburgh and reflected on his historic career. He expressed that his years with the Penguins were the best of his life and thanked the organization and fans for their support. Jagr was drafted by the Penguins in 1990 and formed a formidable partnership with Mario Lemieux, contributing to the team’s back-to-back Stanley Cup victories in 1992 and 1993.
Throughout his prolific career with the Penguins, Jagr scored 439 goals and accumulated 1,079 points, ranking fourth in franchise history behind Lemieux, Crosby, and another Hall of Famer. He expressed his gratitude for the 11 years he spent in Pittsburgh and referred to the city as his second home.
Jagr also mentioned the ‘Celebrate 68’ event, which highlighted his career throughout the weekend. He paid tribute to his former coach, Bob Johnson, by quoting him and expressing how much this day meant to him. Despite the Penguins losing the game to the Los Angeles Kings, their focus remained on honoring Jagr and recognizing his status as one of the greatest players in the team’s history.
According to the Source firstsportz.com