Jaromir Jagr wins Emmy Award as his hockey career comes to an end
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Graham Montgomery
September 22, 2024 (8:11 PM)
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Photo credit: Sportsnet
NHL legend Jaromir Jagr has won an Emmy award as he enters the final year of his playing career, a testament to how impactful he has been for the sport.
Jagr is among the very best to ever play the game. He's second in all-time scoring, behind only Wayne Gretzky, and has appeared in well over 2 thousand career games combined between European leagues and the NHL. He's won just about every major award there is in the sport, including 2 Stanley Cups and five art-ross trophies. In his prime he was unmatched, recording five 100-point seasons in an era known for low-scoring.
Even at the end of his NHL career, Jagir was still a beast. He was playing better in his 40s than most players do in their 30s. So it is unsurprising that he went on to extend his career by returning to Czechia, where he has continued to play professional hockey. This year will be his 6th and final season playing for the team he owns, Rytiri Kladno.
Even at the age of 52, Jagr has shown that he can still do it all. Through three games this season, he already has a goal and an assist for two points, half the total he had last season in 15 games.
Now he has gotten recognition for excellence in another field altogether. The 52-year-old won an Emmy this week for his role in the documentary, "Celebrate 68: Jagr Retirement Ceremony," which covered his NHL career and was primarily set during his retirement ceremony which was held last season in Pittsburgh.
The hockey legend has already confirmed that this year will be his last, calling it a career after 24 years and 1733 regular-season NHL games, seven years in the Czech pro-league, three years in the KHL, and even two seasons in the former Czechoslovakian league before he was drafted. He's won just about every award there is in the sport and is well deserving of a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame. The only question there is now is what comes next? Will he come back to North America, perhaps in a coaching or front-office role? It seems likely, given his love for the sport. Be sure to stay tuned as he is bound to show up again sometime soon.