Jaromir Jagr Teases Return to Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins might be ready to welcome back a franchise icon.

Feb 18, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins former right wing Jaromir Jagr (68) reacts during warm-ups against the Los Angeles Kings at PPG Paints Arena. The Kings won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Between a head coaching change, trade speculation, and a new report that Mario Lemieux is considering buying back the team, it’s been a busy offseason for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Lemieux might not be the only former franchise legend returning to the Penguins organization.

Jaromir Jagr showed up at PPG Paints Arena, posting a video to his Instagram page of him admiring his retired jersey number. Before looking to the rafters, Jagr posted a video of him unpacking bags of Penguins gear and a nice bottle of wine.

With the caption “Tryout camp,” it seems Jagr is teasing some sort of return to the Penguins, likely as a member of the staff.

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A post shared by Jaromír Jágr (@jj68jaromirjagr)

“There’s some stuff for workout,” Jagr said in the video. “I was thinking they just want to talk, but I guess they want me to work out.”

In Jagr’s own sense of humor, he quipped that the Penguins might be trying to add Jagr to the roster.

“I was hoping they know what kind of player they’re getting,” Jagr said. “I’ve been playing professional hockey for the last 37 years.”

Jagr last played in the NHL during the 2017-18 season, finishing a 24-year career in North America, but he’s continued playing in his native Czechia. At 53 years old, Jagr has been playing professional hockey since 1988, and was with the Penguins between 1990 and 2001.

During Jagr’s jersey retirement weekend, it was made pretty clear that the Penguins would welcome Jagr back to the organization in almost any capacity. Unpacking from workout gear from the team and appearing at PPG Paints Arena the same day new head coach Dan Muse gives his introductory press conference, it’s too many factors to be a coincidence.

While the Penguins are a team in transition, a new element somewhere in the organization might be one of the game’s all-time greats.

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