52-Year-Old Jaromir Jagr Took Part In Penguins Practice Like It’s 1992

NHL legend Jaromir Jagr — who is still an active pro hockey player in his native Czechia at the age of 52 — is in Pittsburgh to see his iconic No. 68 raised to the rafters inside of PPG Paints Arena.

It's a fitting honor for Jagr, who started his NHL career with the Penguins in the early 1990s and had his best seasons there.

What is funny is that he has to get back to Czachia rather quickly to suit up for the Kladno Knights, his hometown team that he plays for and owns.

What I didn't expect to see — rather naively in retrospect — was Jagr throwing on a Penguins sweater for the first time in more than two decades and taking practice with the boys.

But of course, that is exactly what he did on Saturday,

He even got to sit next to Sidney Crosby, which as a Flyers fan, the sight of those two next to each other almost made me huge under my desk.

I mean, obviously, Jags was a Flyer at one point too, but whenever he wasn't, he was one of history's great Flyer killers just like Crosby is.

Another video featured Jagr talking about wanting to practice with the team to get a feel for some of the speed everyone talks about with the current NHL. The game was definitely picking up when Jagr last played in the league around 2018, but it has ramped up even more.

So, cool of the Penguins to give him a taste.

It's not every day someone steps on the ice for morning skate and there is an audible cheer from the crowd. However, the first time Jaromir Jagr takes the ice in a Penguins jersey since 2001, is more than worth the ovation.

It will not shock you that Jagr doesn't have the speed he once did. He's 52 for the love of God, and I don't feel like speed was ever the biggest part of his game. In fact, in his last few NHL stops — I especially remember this when he was with the Panthers — Jagr morphed into more of a passer and racked up assists feeding young guns like Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Nick Bjugstad.

So, while he may not have the speed, you can't tell me this dude couldn't hop into an NHL game tonight, play about 8 minutes, win some board battles, and finish up +1 with an assist.

What a legend this dude is…

Jagr's jersey retirement will take place on Sunday before the Pens host the Los Angeles Kings.