In North America, Pittsburgh Penguins legend Jaromir Jagr was recently in the news when Alex Ovechkin scored against his 179th NHL netminder, surpassing Jagr’s long-standing record of 178.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the globe in Czechia, where the 52-year-old is still playing pro hockey with Rytíři Kladno, he’s been in the news both on and off the ice.
First, ESPN reported that Jagr was selling 80% of Rytíři Kladno to businessman Tomas Drastil, opting to remain a minority owner.
The timing of this news is interesting because the Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Penguins, is looking to sell a minority stake in the franchise.
So Pittsburgh writer Jesse Marshall wondered if these moves were just a coincidence or if they were related.
Jagr’s former teammate Mario Lemieux bought the Penguins in bankruptcy and remains part of the ownership group. Could the pair reunite in the boardroom and help usher in the post-Sidney Crosby era?
Related: Does Mario Lemieux Still Own the Penguins?
On the ice, the future Hockey Hall of Famer was trending on social media for snipping his fifth goal of the year on Sunday, scoring a highlight reel goal by curling inside the faceoff circle and picking the top corner on a screened opponent.
After starting the season with a goal and an assist in the first two games, Jagr registered a single assist in the 11 games.
However, he’s ramped up his production recently, finishing December with three points in six games and tearing things up in January with six points in ten games, including a four-game point streak from Jan. 12 to Jan. 24.
Before the Czechia season, Jagr announced that the 2024-25 campaign would be his last. In 31 games, he’s scored five goals and eight assists for 13 points. According to Elite Prospects, he’s on pace for six goals, ten assists, and 17 points in his 37th season of pro hockey.
