Jaromir Jagr made a comeback on Thursday, marking his first game since turning 52. He didn’t waste any time, scoring immediately and surpassing Gordie Howe to become the oldest player taking regular shifts in professional ice hockey.
Howe, also known as “Mr. Hockey,” was 52 years and 11 days old when he played his last NHL game in 1980. He later had a brief stint with the Detroit Vipers in the International Hockey League in 1997 at the age of 69. Howe passed away in 2016.
Jagr hadn’t played since Feb. 10, just five days before his 52nd birthday. He rejoined his hometown team, the Kladno Knights, a top-division team in the Czech Republic, for the second game of a playoff relegation series against Vsetin.
In his first shift, Jagr seized an opportunity and scored a goal to give Kladno a 1-0 lead just 1 minute and 59 seconds into the game. This marked his 16th game in his 36th professional season, and he also contributed an assist.
Kladno dominated the game, winning 7-2 and taking a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. During his time off, Jagr traveled to Pittsburgh, where the Penguins retired his iconic No. 68 on Feb. 18. He played 11 seasons with the Penguins, winning Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and 1992.
Jagr began his career with Kladno as a teenager and later returned to the club, which he now owns, in 2018 after being released by the Calgary Flames, where he remains the NHL’s second-all-time leading point-scorer.
As for his retirement plans, it’s uncertain when Jagr might decide to retire.
