Jaromir Jagr could be the NHL’s last 700-goal man

[mooneyes]

Dybosia !!

I was raised partially Ukranian. My Grand-father had an unknown birth country. Nobody knows for sure if Belarus, Ukraine, Poland or Easten Romania.

My dad's Mother was one of 6 million Ukranians living and born in Poland. She spoke Polish, Ukrainian, Russian, Czech, and understood Yiddish as she was from the country, English was the language she knew the least.

Whenever we would Toast to Health, Good Fortune, Good-Luck, or in pleasant celebration….. Among all Ukrainians and some Poles, you would hear - Dybosia

I have even had Russians understand this goodwill toast.

Dybosia Tim

[centrehice]

Salut La from Quebec.

[MikeFitzpatrick]

I agree completely That Jagr falls into the great sports cannon of "what ifs".

1 lockout half season
1 lockout full season
3 KHL years

Nearly 300 games gone. And he is still going to break 700 goals. Think about those 'missing' games and give him harsh appraisal of 100 goals in those years. Which I do not think anyone could argue with Jagr would be 2nd all time in goals. If things had gone different I really believe he could be 1st overall when he retires, but we will never know. If we could rewind the hockey clock and stop injuries or other circumstances I really believe 100% that the leagues top all time Goal leaders would be Mike Bossy and Mario Lemieux.

Mike Bossy
752 Games played
573 Goals Scored

that's 0.7619 goals a game. He holds the record for highest goals per game avg. in the NHL then forced to retire due to back injuries who knows what his totals would have been if he could have played 18 or 20 seasons. logically his GPG avg. would have went down but the goal total is the big one.



Bigger still is Lemieux whose stats I always cut off and look at up to his retirement in 1997 not his comeback 5 years later. Already these stats have a half season with the lockout and are plagued with injuries like a 26 game season.

745 Games played (over 12 seasons 84'-97')
613 Goals Scored

This point in his career has lemieux at O.8228 goals a game (He subsequently came back in 2001 while effective was not the same
player at all. playing 170 more games tallying only 77 more goals at a GPG rate of 0.4529 nearly half what it was which is expected as talent and skill naturally declines with age.)

Still put in the 'missing' games in his career and the lost seasons and you'd have a prime Lemieux 'missing' nearly 500 games.


Not trying to hijack the thread but just putting Jagr into perspective of other greats who had more than the potential to be higher ..... much higher on the all time goals scored list.

[pwaldo]

I don't know if he will be the last or not but I think Jagr is a bit underrated. He has somehow flown under the radar playing in the shadow of Mario Lemieux and with his missed time over the years. He's a hockey legend that still plays but nobody seems to really care that much about him it seems.

[Wickabee]

I don't know if he will be the last or not but I think Jagr is a bit underrated. He has somehow flown under the radar playing in the shadow of Mario Lemieux and with his missed time over the years. He's a hockey legend that still plays but nobody seems to really care that much about him it seems.

Dallas to New Jersey will do that...

[mooneyes]

I think leaving Pittsburgh for Washington was weird, he never looked right in that uni, and it was a bad team...than checking out to Russia for 3, than bouncing from team to team hurt fan's ability to Identify with him and realize how great he is, but now his passion for the game is showing and that makes him more likable, plus he is a funny dude! In the end, regardless of his final #'s, he will be known as one of the All Time Greats.

[Jags16]

I also think that Jagr being a European does play a role in the "underrated" category. Had Jagr been from USA or especially Canada, everyone had talked about his great career and how good he was/is. He having an incredible career, maybe top 5 all-time, offensive. He still makes an impact on the league, nearly 42 years old(15.Feb), had Gretzky made this impact in the league at that age, everyone had talked about it. And Gordie Howe is legendary for his great career after going in to the 40s. But my wallet and PC are really happy that Jagr is from Europe. ;)