Off-Season Targets: Jaromir Jagr

The lifespan of an NHL hockey player is a very delicate one. Not one player that ever suits up for an NHL game is guaranteed a long and fruitful career. This fact is perhaps most brilliantly exemplified by the series of events that unraveled with both Jonathan Cheechoo and Dany Heatley. In their prime they were both 50-goal scorers who could do no wrong with their respective teams but, as the years wore on they quickly fizzled under their high expectations. Now they can’t even crack one of the 30 rosters deployed. No one is safe from the harsh realities of the NHL.

That is unless you are Jaromir Jagr.

The 45-year-old Czech legend has done almost everything that a hockey player can do in his career. From lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup alongside Mario Lemieux to lining up against a baby-faced Connor McDavid is 2017, he is by far the most accomplished player currently playing. Since returning from the KHL in the 2011/12 season, Jagr has played with a total of 5 teams, continuing to be a very effective player with each and every one of those clubs. Now, with his most recent contract with the Florida Panthers coming to an end, could the traveling Jagrs make a permanent trip to the Alberta capital?

Why Is He Out There?:

As mentioned above, Jagr’s contract with the Florida Panthers is expiring on July 1st and the NHL veteran might be looking to make a few runs for The Cup before hanging the skates up for good. The Panthers are certainly not in a position to be serious contenders next year, so it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Jagr adds yet another NHL jersey to his collection.

There is also a variety of other things that could prompt the Panthers to let him walk. When some deals start to kick in for the likes of Ekblad, Huberdeau, and Smith next year, the Panthers will have 10(!) players making more than 4-million per-year. Add that to the fact that upcoming guys like Matheson and Marchessault demanding big pay raises in the near future…well, Florida will have to make some tough cap decisions. Another interesting point is that the team will have to find potential replacements for Mark Pysyk and Dmitry Kulikov.

Jagr could very well return to the Sunshine State…but there are plenty of things preventing that from happening.

What Does He Do Well?:

While Jagr might not be that dynamic scoring machine he was in his youth, don’t discredit the big man.

At the ripe old age of 45, Jaromir Jagr has kept his body in incredible shape. He can still grind away and be the most skilled player on the ice at times. When you combine his hulking 6-f00t-3 frame with his unrivaled strength, you got yourself a fairly effective power-forward. Something that Edmonton has had a fancy for under the control of Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan.

He is also one of the most driven and passionate players in the game today. It takes a soldier to play as long as he has, and it shows on the ice. He isn’t afraid to get to the dirty areas of the ice, and he can still contribute offensively. Jagr followed up a superb 66pt 2015/16 campaign with a respectable 44pts in 2016/17. He also plays on the RW, which is an area where the Oilers will need to find more scoring help from.

Lastly, I will point out the obvious. Jagr brings the most experience you possibly can to a lineup. The veteran of 1711 NHL games has seen all that this league has to offer and if he able to pass just a fraction of that knowledge to the Oilers youngsters, then I see that as a tremendous win for the Oilers.

Where Should He Play/Where Will He Play:

Believe it or not…but I still think Jagr is a top 6 winger in this league. He has slowed down in recent seasons but, let us not forget that he is only a year removed from an impressive 66pt season. When you look at the size and strength that he possesses, Jaromir Jagr is still a very skilled and difficult player to play against.

In Edmonton, I think the Oilers could accommodate this. If the team decides to trade Jordan Eberle this summer there will be a massive hole on the team’s right-wing. Instead of plugging a guy like Puljujarvi in a top 6 role, management could opt to sign Jagr to act as a shortstop for the young Finn. Having a guy like Jagr flank either McDavid or Draisaitl would be interesting, to say the least, but I do think that the old man still has the skill and sense to play at a high level for at least one more season.

What Will He Cost?:

In his last contract, Jagr had a cap-hit of 4-million.

I am not entirely sure if I am love with that number when it comes to Edmonton looking at him but, seeing as Jagr is another year older and still a skilled player, I cannot definitively say whether or not teams will stay static on that number or not.

In a perfect world, I would value Jagr to be worth slightly less than that number….I would like to see a one-year deal in the neighborhood of 3.5-million.

Obviously, the term on any deal would be either 1 or 2. Jagr has been dodging retirement for some time now, and you never know when it’ll finally get him.

Closing Thoughts:

I would be absolutely fine if the Edmonton Oilers decided to sign Jaromir Jagr this summer. He is a big man who can score, as well as bring a plethora of experience with him. A one-year deal, even at the 4-million price tag would not be a huge hit to the team in the long run, and they buy another year for Puljujarvi to develop properly.

I do have my doubts that he leaves Florida, however, as I believe both Jagr and the Panthers have grown accustomed to each other. It could go both ways, and we won’t exactly know the immediate future of the Czech legend until we get closer to July 1st.

If he does hit the open market, Edmonton could very well be a landing spot.

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