After beating the Rangers to end Wayne Gretzky’s career, Jaromir Jagr embraces the Great One in his only Hart season. Will 2013-14 be his last?
usatoday.com

When Jaromir Jagr signed with the Devils last week, it guaranteed at least one more year for one of the game’s ambassadors. At 41, Jagr goes year to year which better explains his NHL tour. Since returning from Russia, he’s gone from Philadelphia to Dallas to Boston to New Jersey over two years. When No.68 lines up for the Devils in October, it’ll be his fourth stop. Will it be his final one? That remains to be seen.

At the twilight of a brilliant Hall Of Fame career, Jagr seems to enjoy the game more. It’s one of the things we noticed during his stay in New York. In three-plus seasons, he brought back respectability to a struggling franchise once considered a laughingstock. Following the ’04-05 lockout, he guaranteed the playoffs for the Rangers when many had them ranked 30th. With help from rookie goalie Henrik Lundqvist alongside respected vet Kevin Weekes, Jagr delivered on that promise with one of his best years. He shattered franchise single season marks in goals (54) and points (123). When it comes to ’05-06, he was gigantic. At a time when he was doubted, Jagr dominated. His 24 power play goals were a career best and nine game-winners should’ve been enough for his second Hart. Instead, voters chose Joe Thornton, who following a trade to San Jose posted 92 points (20-72-92) in 58 games to edge out Jagr for the Art Ross.

Astonishingly, he’s only won one MVP capturing it in ’98-99 with the Penguins when he amassed 127 points (44-83-127). Ironically. he also delivered one of his most memorable moments against the Devils in their first round series. New Jersey finished with the East’s best record and were expected to go far. They led the series 3-2 with Game 6 at The Civic Center. The old Igloo was home to the Pens’ first two Cups when Jagr teamed with Mario Lemieux in 1991 and 1992. During the first round, Jagr suffered a pulled groin in the first game. With his team facing elimination, he returned. The rest is history.

Jaromir Jagr Game 6 Pens vs Devils 1999

“I remember that like it happened yesterday,” Jagr told The Star Ledger’s Rich Chere a year ago when the Devils took on the Flyers during the second round. “I pulled my groin in the first game. We were losing, 3-2, in the series and if we would lose in the first round I think the team would move to Kansas City because they had no money. We had to make the second round to get the (money for) the payments.

“I came back and I tied it with a minute and a half to go and then I scored in overtime. That was probably my best game ever, I would say. My most important for sure. I’ll probably never score a goal that important. Probably if I hadn’t scored, the team wouldn’t be in Pittsburgh right now. (Sidney) Crosby would be in Kansas City.”

To this day, Jagr is public enemy number one whenever he returns to Pittsburgh. The divorce was bitter following their ’00-01 run to the Conference Finals that coincidentally ended against New Jersey. Without him, there probably are no more Penguins. They were that close to being extinct. Instead, the franchise survived and now play in a new arena home to Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

It will be odd to see Jagr donning his trademark number 68 in Devils’ red and black. With the exception of two months spent in Dallas, he’s always played for rivals. Even when he suited up for the Bruins, it was another team the Devils compete against. As forgettable as the shortened season was, they expect to be back in it when 2013-14 begins. Devil President and GM Lou Lamoriello has vowed to field a competitive roster following the KHL departure of Ilya Kovalchuk. When they reached agreement with Jagr, many wrote the Devils off. Considering that they picked up Cory Schneider to share the workload with another 41-year old legend Martin Brodeur, it’s hard to see them not being competitive.

Jagr admitted that he strongly considered the Devils after Kovalchuk left because it opened up a top six spot. It’s possible that this could be his final season. In an article back home in the Czech Republic, he hinted at that and wants to be in the best shape.

“I love hockey, and when you love something, you want to do it at the highest level, and that is the NHL,” he told Hokej Cz Wednesday. “If you love something, age is not important. It’s just a number.”

“It may be my last season and I want to do everything possible to be successful.”

Hopefully, he’ll silence the critics and write another chapter in a storied career.