NHL legend Jaromir Jagr’s No.68 jersey set to be RETIRED by Penguins during pregame ceremony in 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that Jaromir Jagr will be honored for his contributions to them by seeing his number 68 jersey retired in 2024.

NHL legend Jaromir Jagr’s No.68 jersey set to be RETIRED by Penguins during pregame ceremony in 2024

Jaromir Jagr (Pic Credit: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

The Pittsburgh Penguins are now set to honor the great Jaromir Jagr. In an announcement on social media, the NHL team informed that they are retiring his number 68 jersey. This historic moment will take place on February 18, 2024, during a pregame ceremony.

The 51-year-old is regarded by many as one of the best players of this generation. A 24-year NHL career saw him appear for several teams, but none were more significant than the Penguins. In his eleven years in Pittsburgh, Jagr hoisted the Stanley Cup twice while recording 1,079 points in 806 games for them.

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Jaromir Jagr

He last appeared in the NHL during the 2017-18 season with the Calgary Flames. Since then, the Czech international has been playing in his home country. The relationship between him and the Penguins seemed to have been damaged after he was awkwardly traded to the Washington Capitals for a rebuild in 2001.

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He appeared to be making his way back to the team in 2011, but rejected the offer and joined the Philadelphia Flyers. This saw mixed reactions from the fans, as some of them booed him. Things seem to be cleared between them now, as the team shared a video on their X account that shows him saying, “Pittsburgh, I’m coming home.”

Jaromir Jagr becomes third player to see jersey number retired by Penguins

In the professional realm of sports, several players have left their mark on a team. Their incredible performances have seen them help the team achieve great success. To honor them, several teams decide to retire their jersey numbers. This feat is considered one of the greatest moments in sports. Jaromir Jagr is now set to become the third player in Penguins history to see their jersey number retired.

Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr (Pic Credit: AP)

Given the long history of the Penguins, some would be surprised that this has only been done twice so far by them. While current captain Sidney Crosby is the likely candidate to join this list in the future, Jagr will now take his place alongside Michel Briere (21) and Mario Lemieux (66).

The club first unofficially retired the number 21 due to the tragic death of Briere. The rookie lost his life at a young age due to a car crash during the 1969-70 season. Since then, the Penguins have stopped assigning the number 21. On January 5, 2001, the club officially raised the number of rafters honoring his life.

The other number is an iconic one for the Penguins. It was worn by their greatest player who later went on to become their owner. Lemieux has the most points in Penguins history and is considered a franchise icon. These two numbers will now be a third one in 68 of Jagr raised proudly beside them.

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