Jaromir Jagr passes Mark Messier for No. 2 in all-time NHL scoring

Jaromir Jagr passed Mark Messier for second in all-time NHL scoring on Thursday night, notching the 1,888th point of his career.

Author:
SI.com Staff
Publish date:
Dec 22, 2016

Jaromir Jagr checked another milestone off his list, passing Mark Messier for second in all-time NHL scoring with a third-period assist against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

The helper, which came on the Florida Panthers' lone goal in a 3-1 loss, gives the 44-year-old forward 1,888 in his career, behind only Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857.

“For me, it's like No. 1,” Jagr said recently when asked what passing Messier would mean. “I don't really count Wayne Gretzky. He was from another planet. I don't think he was from this planet. Whatever he did, it's unbreakable.”

Jagr, a veteran of 26 NHL seasons, reached the mark in his 1663rd game. He would have reached it sooner had he not played in Russia from 2008-2011, or been affected by several league work stoppages.

After being selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the No. 5 pick in the 1990 draft, Jagr was the youngest player in the league when he notched his first point—a goal against the New Jersey Devils in his second NHL game on October 7.

He’s come a long way since then, though he’s made good on his promise to bring back the famed mullet this season. Jagr has spent time in the NHL with the Penguins, Capitals, Rangers, Flyers, Stars, Bruins and Devils, in addition to the Panthers.

Classic Photos of Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr

June 16, 1990 — NHL Draft

Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr

June 1991

Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemiuex

June 1, 1992 — Stanley Cup Finals, Game 4

Jaromir Jagr

S Levy/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images

Feb. 6, 1993 — NHL All-Star Game

Luc Robitaille and Jaromir Jagr

Feb. 1995

Jaromir Jagr

April 4, 1997

Jaromir Jagr

Feb. 20, 1998 — Nagano Winter Olympics

Jaromir Jagr

March 28, 1998

Jaromir Jagr

Nick Cardillicchio for Sports Illustrated

April 2, 1999

Jaromir Jagr

Damian Strohmeyer for Sports Illustrated

May 2, 1999 — Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 6

Jaromir Jagr

July 16, 2001

Jaromir Jagr

Dec. 28, 2001

Jaromir Jagr

June 1, 2003

Jaromir Jagr

Nov. 19, 2004

Jaromir Jagr

Dec. 29, 2005

Jaromir Jagr

April 9, 2006

Jaromir Jagr

April 15, 2006

Jaromir Jagr

April 16, 2008 — Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 4

Jaromir Jagr and Sidney Crosby

May 4, 2008 — Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 5

Jaromir Jagr

Feb. 21, 2010 — Vancouver Winter Olympics

Jaromir Jagr

Oct. 12, 2011

Jaromir Jagr

Jan. 1, 2012 — Winter Classic practice

Jaromir Jagr and Bryce Salvador

May 3, 2012 — Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 3

Jaromir Jagr

Sept. 19, 2012

Jaromir Jagr

Feb. 8, 2013

Jaromir Jagr

June 1, 2013 — Eastern Conference Finals

Jaromir Jagr

June 2, 2013

Jaromir Jagr

Feb. 14, 2014 — Sochi Winter Olympics

Aaron Ekblad, Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov

2015-0409-Jaromir-Jagr-Aleksander-Barkov-Aaron-Ekblad.jpg — Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

April 9, 2015

Jaromir Jagr and Ryan Miller

Joel Auerbach/AP; Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

Dec. 20, 2015 — 732nd goal (fourth in all-time goals scored)

For Messier, dropping down to No. 3 has been a long time coming.

“This is kind of anticlimactic for me in a way,” said Messier, a former teammate of Jagr with the Rangers. “I understand the amount of time that he put in overseas when he left the NHL and came back and the amount of points he amassed over there and where he would be if he would have stayed (here). So I guess in my own mind, he surpassed me a long time ago.”

San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton is the next active leader in points with 1,363 in 17 seasons, ranking 25th in NHL history.