Jaromír Jágr's Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Delayed After Helping His Team Play Game | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Michael King NHL legend Jaromír Jágr pushed back his timeline for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame due to making his return to professional hockey on Sunday.
According to Sam Carchidi of Philly Hockey Now, the 50-year-old Jágr played for the Kladno Knights, which is the Czech Extraliga team he owns.
Illnesses left Kladno short on players, so rather than asking for the game to be postponed and potentially risking punishment from the league, Jágr decided to play in a pro hockey game for the first time since April.
Jágr seemingly didn't miss a beat, as he recorded two assists, although Kladno fell to HC Bílí Tygři Liberec by a 7-3 score.
Jágr's on-ice return also ensured that he won't officially become a Hall of Famer until at least 2026 since the Hockey Hall of Fame does not allow a player to be inducted until they have been retired from professional hockey for at least three years.
Jágr has not played in the NHL since the 2017-18 season, which he spent with the Calgary Flames, but he has seen at least some action for Kladno in each of the six seasons since then.
The Czech legend is a surefire, first-ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible thanks to what he accomplished during a 24-year NHL career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers and Flames.
Jágr ranks fourth in NHL history in regular-season games played (1,733), fourth in goals (766), fifth in assists (1,155) and second in points (1,921) behind only the legendary Wayne Gretzky.
He is also a two-time Stanley Cup winner, a five-time winner of the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading point scorer and a one-time winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy as NHL MVP.
On top of that, Jágr won an Olympic gold medal for the Czech Republic in 1998 and followed it up with a bronze in 2006.
While Jágr's Hall of Fame wait has been extended, he proved Sunday that even at the age of 50, he can still play at a high level in one of the top professional leagues in the world.
