A popular Hockey Insider suggests an intriguing idea that would see Jaromir Jagr back in the NHL
The NHL has revived the use of taxi squads once again due to COVID-19 decimating rosters throughout the NHL, leaving teams pretty bare and short-handed.
Teams need to be able to slot players into the lineup quickly should someone on the team test positive before a game, and therefore, bringing back taxi squads made sense for the NHL.
Teams typically fill their taxi squads with guys from their AHL affiliates. These guys know the system, know the coaches and they're hungry for an opportunity at the NHL level. But what if teams decided to go a different direction?
TSN's Frank Serevalli has made a very intriguing suggestion that teams could look at bringing retired NHLers back into the fold. More specifically, Seravalli wants to see someone ink Jaromir Jagr.
Number 2 on the all time NHL scoring list, the 49-year-old is still playing pro hockey with Kladno in the Czech Extraliga, where he's potted 8 goals and 19 points in 28 games. The guy still has it, and by it, I mean his beautiful trademark mullet.
This isn't to say that Jagr is getting offers at the moment, or that he's looking for one. It's a creative idea from Serevalli that, well, could actually work out for NHL teams and players who still have the legs for it.
How many teams AHL players would actually be better than Jagr, other than maybe top prospects? I would guess that more than half of the league's taxi squads would be better with Jagr on them, even just from a leadership standpoint.
It would be a draw for fans as well. Who wouldn't want to tune in to see Jagr lace up again at nearly 50 years old? The travelling Jagrs could even add a new member if he signs with a 10th different NHL team!
Do I think it will happen, probably not. But the idea of seeing Jaromir Jagr make one last run in the NHL is a fun one. The question is, is it just nostalgia running wild, or is it closer to reality than we think?
Jagr has not played in the NHL since 2017-18 season, when he played 22 games for the Calgary Flames.
