Jagr Signs in Calgary

**subban7677** · 10-03-2017, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by 30ranfordfan View Post

Also... I just looked it up.... there were 17 players in the NHL last year that were born in the 70s. The ones in red are not back this year (though they may not have officially announced their retirement)

Jaromir Jagr, 1972-02-15
Shane Doan, 1976-10-10
Matt Cullen, 1976-11-02
Zdeno Chara, 1977-03-18
Jarome Iginla, 1977-07-01
Shawn Thornton, 1977-07-23
Mark Streit, 1977-12-11
Michal Rozsival, 1978-09-03
Andrei Markov, 1978-12-20
Marian Hossa, 1979-01-12
Brian Gionta, 1979-01-18
Jason Chimera, 1979-05-02
Brian Campbell, 1979-05-23
Chris Neil, 1979-06-18
Joe Thornton, 1979-07-02
Patrick Marleau, 1979-09-15
Chris Kunitz, 1979-09-26

Iginla, Neil, and Gionta (in theory) are still "looking" for contracts. Doan might be too?

As of opening night.... 10 guys left that were born in the 70s.

I remember how cool it was when there were finally players in the league that were the same age as me. Now, I'm just happy I'm younger than Jagr and Cullen.

**30ranfordfan** · 10-03-2017, 04:20 PM

Ha!

All the names on that list are older than me. Looking at last year's players, I can also add Mike Ribero to the list of player born before me. That's it :(

Not sure what makes me feel older.... that fact, or the fact that last year there were 5 players in the league born after I turned 18.

Originally Posted by subban7677 View Post

I remember how cool it was when there were finally players in the league that were the same age as me. Now, I'm just happy I'm younger than Jagr and Cullen.

**Leafsman** · 10-03-2017, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by 30ranfordfan View Post

I bolded a comment below... because I could not agree more.

How do you win hockey games? You win by scoring more than your opponent does. It's not rocket science.

Every aspect of how you (a player) plays a game - that does something (either positive or negative) to impact your team's chances of scoring, and your opponent's chance of scoring. Play is too soft? Too old? Too slow? Not a good two way player? They're all fine arguments - if you believe that all of your players need to be able to do everything.

I've never believed that you can't have a forward who is a total liability in his own end. If you've got a guy like that on your team - that's fine: If he generates enough offense, if you can put him with players that excel in their own end, and if you don't have too many of them.

So a slower, older, version of Jagr. His 46 points ranked him 122nd overall in the NHL last year. He out-pointed about 700 players that are younger than he is. Maybe he shouldn't be on a line with two guys that having blazing speed - but show me a team that has 7 of those up front (you can't).

I agree with your point very much. This is a guy that knows how play hockey... and despite his age, he's still really, really good at it.

Can he be a first line game breaker for a team? Probably not. Those years are behind him. Again though - how many of those are on any particular team?? 1?? 2??

Would I want Jagr on a 3 year contract? Not a chance. Would I want to pay 6 million dollars to him, because of how great his career has been? Also no. Flames didn't do that though. They got a guy on a 1 year deal, and are paying him 1 or 2 million bucks. That's great value for a guy that will put up 40-50 points.

There isn't a single team in the league that wouldn't be improved by adding him.

I bolded your comment above because I can show you a team with 7 speedy players up front: Toronto has Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Van Riemsdyk, Hyman, Marleau, and Brown.

Disagree? I don't.

Back to the original point though, I expect Jagr to have a good year. I can see him on their third line and the power play.

**Leafsman** · 10-03-2017, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by 30ranfordfan View Post

Ha!

All the names on that list are older than me. Looking at last year's players, I can also add Mike Ribero to the list of player born before me. That's it :(

Not sure what makes me feel older.... that fact, or the fact that last year there were 5 players in the league born after I turned 18.

Regarding the player list that had just retired or are still without contract, I am older than a few of those players!

Jason Chimera, 1979-05-02
Brian Campbell, 1979-05-23
Chris Neil, 1979-06-18
Joe Thornton, 1979-07-02
Patrick Marleau, 1979-09-15
Chris Kunitz, 1979-09-26

I was born in March of 1979 - God I feel old! But Jagr is older and a hell of a lot better at playing hockey than I will ever be.

I'm very pleased he's back. He has hinted that this may be his last season though.

**sparty07** · 10-03-2017, 10:09 PM

Soupy (Campbell) and Roszival are done. One retired the other on LTIR. I'm glad I picked him in the Eastern Conference draft.

Jagr was drafted 5th overall in 1990, 14 spots ahead of Keith Tkachuk. He will be playing with Keith's son Matthew. That is crazy.

**30ranfordfan** · 10-04-2017, 09:46 AM

"Speedy", and "Blazing Speed" are not the same for me.

Lots of teams are built around speed (the Leafs especially) and wile guys like Hyman, JVR & Marleau would beat Jagr in a foot race - his being "slow" compared to them, IMO, would not make incompatible as linemates.

Could Jagr keep up the pace with the likes of Matthews, Marner, or Nylander? Probably not. Combining them on the PP would work well (third line, power play time, that exactly what I said in a post a while back about what I'd like to see Edmonton do with him, lol) but you wouldn't want them on a regular shift together.

My point is - Age means Jagr isn't as fast as he used to be... certainly not as fast as some of the guys less than half his age... so yes, that affects how a team could mix him into the lineup. Nobody's team is filled with so many of those guys that Jagr couldn't play in the top-9 forwards.

Originally Posted by Leafsman View Post

I bolded your comment above because I can show you a team with 7 speedy players up front: Toronto has Matthews, Marner, Nylander, Van Riemsdyk, Hyman, Marleau, and Brown.

Disagree? I don't.

Back to the original point though, I expect Jagr to have a good year. I can see him on their third line and the power play.

**sparty07** · 10-04-2017, 02:04 PM

News agency morning of October 2nd: "The Flames are looking at signing a older player who has many fans in Calgary and has been an inspiration to many"

Fans: "Like Iginla?!"

Flames: "haha, no"

**30ranfordfan** · 10-04-2017, 02:41 PM

Never thought of that, but jeeze. Yeah, you're right.

Originally Posted by sparty07 View Post

Soupy (Campbell) and Roszival are done. One retired the other on LTIR. I'm glad I picked him in the Eastern Conference draft.

Jagr was drafted 5th overall in 1990, 14 spots ahead of Keith Tkachuk. He will be playing with Keith's son Matthew. That is crazy.

**subban7677** · 10-04-2017, 03:10 PM

Originally Posted by sparty07 View Post

Soupy (Campbell) and Roszival are done. One retired the other on LTIR. I'm glad I picked him in the Eastern Conference draft.

Jagr was drafted 5th overall in 1990, 14 spots ahead of Keith Tkachuk. He will be playing with Keith's son Matthew. That is crazy.

Good grief. Since the draft in 1990 I have moved to Ottawa, started high school, finished high school, finished college, got married, had 3 kids, bought a house, sold a house, bought another house, and now I am of an age where doctors want to "keep and eye" on my cholesterol levels. How on earth is he still around? This is mind-boggling.