Jaromir Jagr’s 38th Season Showcases Him Continuing To Defy Father Time
Jaromir Jagr has decided to lace up his skates for yet another season. At 53 years old, the man who seemingly discovered the fountain of youth somewhere between Pittsburgh and Prague is back on the ice for his 38th professional season. Yes, you read that correctly—38 seasons. Most people are planning their retirement at this age, but Jagr? He’s out there making teenagers look slow.
The Return Nobody Saw Coming (But Everybody Should Have Expected)
Friday night in the Czech Extraliga, fans witnessed something that shouldn’t exist in the natural world. Jagr suited up for Rytiri Kladno, the team he owns—because of course he does—and proved once again that the laws of aging apparently don’t apply to him.
His agent, Jaroslav Zidek, had reportedly convinced everyone that the 2023-24 season would be Jagr’s swan song. The hockey legend appeared in 39 of Kladno’s 51 regular-season games, managing five goals and 16 points.
But here’s the kicker—during a TNT appearance in June, Jagr dropped the bombshell that should have surprised absolutely no one: “I said it might be my last year, but I’m not sure about it. I still love the game. I love to practice.” Translation: “Did you really think I was done? Please.”
The Price of Persistence: Hockey Hall of Fame Waits
Due to Hockey Hall of Fame rules requiring a three-year waiting period after retirement, Jagr’s decision to keep playing pushes his inevitable induction back to at least 2029. The man who sits second only to Wayne Gretzky in NHL career points with 1,921—accumulated over 1,733 regular-season games across 24 seasons—is essentially telling the Hall of Fame to take a number and wait in line. It’s both admirable and mildly insane, which pretty much sums up Jagr’s entire career approach.
The Kladno Struggle Bus Continues
Let’s talk reality for a moment. Kladno isn’t exactly setting the Czech Extraliga on fire. They’re currently sitting 13th out of 14 teams with a stellar four wins in 14 games. The team hasn’t finished higher than 13th since being promoted back to the top Czech league in 2021. So what does Jagr do? Double down and keep playing, because apparently, someone needs to teach these kids how it’s done.
The irony is palpable. Here’s a guy who helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, accumulated 439 goals and 1,079 points in 806 games with Pittsburgh alone, and had his No. 68 jersey retired by the organization in February 2024. Now he’s trying to drag a bottom-feeder Czech team to respectability at an age when most people are complaining about their knees.
The Business Side of Never Retiring
In a move that screams “I’m not ready to be a full-time owner yet,” Jagr acquired full ownership of Kladno in 2017, then sold an 80% stake in January 2025. Smart business move or elaborate scheme to keep playing? With Jagr, it’s probably both. The man has turned his inability to retire into an art form.
As he mentioned during that TNT appearance, there’s “no pressure” to play after selling his controlling stake. Right, because playing professional hockey at 53 is totally pressure-free. The man who once scored 62 goals in a single NHL season is now treating hockey like weekend golf with the guys.
What This All Means
Jagr’s continued defiance of Father Time raises questions about dedication, stubbornness, and whether there’s actually a difference between the two. He’s pushing his Hall of Fame induction further into the future while simultaneously cementing his legend in the sport itself. I don’t know how he does it? At this point, we should all just accept that Jaromir Jagr will retire when he’s good and ready—which, at this rate, might be never.
