As the Penguins retire his jersey, Jagr at 52 is still going strong on his Czech hometown team
The legendary mullet is gone. He’s not as quick as he used to be. And yet the way Jaromir Jagr moves on the ice belies his age and evokes memories of his glory days in the NHL.
Strong on the puck, tough to beat by the boards, precise in his passing and always in the right place to get involved in the play – Jagr, who turns 52 on Thursday, showed many of his resolute skills in a recent training session with his hometown club Kladno, for which he serves in dual roles as player and owner.
In his 36th season as a professional ice hockey player, Jagr will take a short break from the Czech league this week and travel to, where he made his name in the NHL and where his No. 68 jersey will be retired at a ceremony on Sunday. Then it’s quickly back to the Czech Republic to prepare for the next game with the Kladno Knights, who are struggling in last place in the domestic league after a 17-game losing streak.
