Dejan Kovacevic at the Trib argues that the Penguins should reacquire Jaromir Jagr – not because he’s a great name from the Penguins’ past, but because he can help the Penguins now. Kovacevic’s argument is the best one I’ve seen so far in favor of adding Jagr, and it’s pretty convincing.
Remember power-play goals?
Jagr still can work the half-wall as well as anyone in hockey, both from a shooting and passing standpoint. And if you don’t think that’s the Penguins’ greatest need going into next season, then we weren’t watching the same team these past few months …
I watched Jagr up close just last year at the Olympics in Vancouver, and he was nothing less than the tournament’s best forward in the early going. Still had those tree-trunk legs churning. Still had the devastating finish. Still saw the whole ice. He faded some, then was crushed on an open-ice check by Alex Ovechkin, punishment for skating through the middle with his head down. Even so, on a Czech team loaded up front, the “old man,” as Jagr jokingly called himself, stood tallest.
Everything I’ve seen so far suggests that adding Jagr is a good idea, not only because he fits the Penguins from a positional standpoint, but because he can help on the power play. All that remains to be seen is whether both sides have legitimate interest. There have been reports that each side does, and there seems to be more and more smoke here each day, but there’s nothing to do but wait and see.