Jagr returning to the Pens next year?

Every year we hear rumors that Jaromir Jagr might return to play one last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Every year the rumors get debunked. Now without a contract in the KHL, the rumors of a return to the NHL for Jagr seem like a real possibility.

In a recent interview with  Sovetsky Sport's Pavel Lysenkov, Jagr talked about a possible return to the NHL:

"I have to see. There is time. I haven't thought about it. My contract just ended, and if I have a good offer [from Avangard] I will certainly consider it. Maybe some other teams will make me offers. As for the NHL, we'll see. I think that if I want to play in the NHL, I will come and I will be able to play in the NHL. I am not saying I will play on the first line, but I will be able to play."


According to TSN.com Penguins General Manager  Ray Shero intends to reach out to the former Penguins star at the IIHF World Hockey Championships. Shero intends to extend an invite to Jagr for a summer golf tournament in Pittsburgh to celebrate the 1991 Stanley Cup win that will act as a reunion for the championship team. By this, Shero is trying to re-establish a broken line of communication between the Penguins and Jagr.
Jagr left the Penguins after the 2001 season, after a ridiculousy good 11 seasons in Pittsburgh, in which he won five scoring titles, and two Stanley Cups. Jagr demanded a trade and did not leave on good terms with the team, the organization, and it's fans.

However, in the same article on TSN.com, Jagr had nothing but great things to say about his time in Pittsburgh.


"The fans in Pittsburgh, they all wanted to help me and they all liked me when I was younger," said Jagr. "Plus the biggest thing is I had a chance to watch and play with the best player ever and that's probably the best thing that happened to me in my life."

What if the Penguins could/would actually bring Jagr back next year? They already did such things by bringing back Mark Recchi and Alexie Kovalev.

Right now the lines could look like this next year:

Kunitz- Crosby-Jagr
Staal-Malkin-Neal
Cooke-Jeffery-Kennedy
Rupp-Adams-Tangradi

I like that. Good combination between youth, talent, grit, and superstardem. Some might be weary of signing Jagr because they might think he'll be a cancer in the locker room. Others will still be feeling the effects of the failed Kovalev experiment.

Let's make this clear. Jagr is not the same immature young man he once was. Also, Jagr is way more talented than Kovalev could ever dream of. Kovalev was good, Jagr was domiant. Jagr was the most skilled player in the NHL for much of his career.




With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on the team, Jagr would be a role player. He'd produce at a good pace on either of their wings. Think of what the power-paly could look like.

One thing is that Jagr would have to understand that the purpose of him coming back would be to win a Stanley Cup. This team is a perenial Cup contender. He may even need to take a pay cut, compared to what he was making in the Russian Super League.

I don't see it happening. If it does no one would be more excited than this guy right here.