PITTSBURGH — Number-retirement ceremonies have a sense of closure about them, especially this one. Fans have clamored for Jaromir Jagr’s number to be retired, and it finally happened on a magical Sunday afternoon at PPG Paints Arena when time stood still and Jagr was rightfully immortalized by an organization that doesn’t honor just anybody.
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It was magnificent. Everything about the ceremony — Jagr’s speech, his mother’s emotions, Mario Lemieux’s presence and the crowd’s overwhelming adoration — was perfect.
Now what?
It feels like the end of a chapter, the end of a saga, the end of an era. Jagr finally came full circle and came home where he belongs. Everyone hugged and posed for pictures. It was quite lovely, all of it.
At some point, though, it occurred to me that this shouldn’t be the end. It really should be the beginning.
Yes, Jagr is technically still playing in Czechia. And yes, he followed in the footsteps of Lemieux and is now a team owner in his home country. So he’s a busy man and it’s a complicated situation, but the Pittsburgh Penguins would be ridiculous if they didn’t attempt to include Jagr in the organization.
It became pretty clear over the past few days that Jagr really did feel burned by the city and by the Penguins because of all the strange things that happened over the years. There was “dying alive.” Jagrwatch. Playing in Philadelphia. Playing everywhere else. All the boos when he would return to Pittsburgh. Jagr, remarkably, even said two hours before the ceremony that he hoped the crowd wouldn’t boo him. He said it with a smile, but it was one of those moments when you’re half serious, half joking.
Think about that.
Then, consider what happened.
The Jagr love fest was off the charts, and it was very, very clear that Jagr embraced and appreciated it.
As fascinating as the ceremony was, something he said earlier in the day inspired me to write this column. Jagr was asked if he would consider returning to Pittsburgh more often.
He offered a minor tidbit that is worth exploring. Jagr didn’t say yes or no, but he did say he isn’t leaving Pittsburgh until Wednesday and will be chatting with the Penguins’ brass some more.
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No, I don’t think this means Jagr is going to be hired by the Penguins this week. I don’t mean to imply that. What is happening, however, is that the relationship between Jagr and the Penguins is thawing noticeably.
Kevin Acklin and Phil Bourque got the ball rolling. Don’t ignore their roles in this. Bourque went to Czechia specifically to talk with Jagr, to explain the way things are, to smooth things over. Jagr needs to feel loved. It’s simply part of his personality. Bourque made him feel loved and started the process of making him realize that Pittsburgh — not the people who booed for all those years but the real fans — always loved him, always appreciated his greatness, always considered him to be family.
Acklin, the Penguins’ president of business operations, deserves much credit as well. He made it a mission to make this happen. He was relentless. He developed a relationship with Jagr, which isn’t easy. I found it interesting that Jagr didn’t mention the Fenway Sports Group in his speech — I wouldn’t read into that — but he specifically mentioned Acklin. There’s some trust there now because of Acklin.
Jagr wants to talk with the Penguins more. He wants the love fest to continue, I suspect. This is relevant in many ways.
Remember this about the Penguins: They are an organization of superstars. Always have been, always will be. It’s who the Penguins are. The brightest star of them all finally showed up for a game Sunday, and it was a big deal. But we all know things between Lemieux and the Fenway Sports Group aren’t so great. Perhaps things will improve in time. Perhaps.
But things between Jagr and the Penguins look pretty great to me. Having him around at more functions makes sense because of how much the superstars mean to this fan base. Wouldn’t you like to see Jagr in town a couple of times a year, maybe more? He might like that, too. He meant it when he said he felt like he was at home.
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Then, there is this: Jagr is a genius. I’m not talking about on the ice, even though he was.
I’m talking hockey. I’m talking business. Everything about the guy is genius level, and I assure you that having him in the organization in some capacity would be extraordinarily wise. Seriously, make him a European ambassador for all I care. Get him involved in some way. It will only help the cause.
What happened this weekend was nothing short of incredible. Jagr, timid about making his return, realized Pittsburgh still loves him, the Penguins still love him, Lemieux still loves him.
Along the way, we also realized Jagr is different. At 52, he’s all grown up, and there is something special about him.
In his younger days, Jagr could be a tremendous petulant. He could be moody. He could be a diva. We all know this. No one was interested in speaking about those things this weekend because, frankly, it wouldn’t have been appropriate.
This Jagr is so, so different. He spoke at length about being something less than a nice person in his prime playing years because he felt like he had to be. He had to be the hunter, to focus on hockey and nothing else. He said he is now only interested in how God judges him and in being a better person.
Hearing him speak was startling. He held the room in his hand. There was a sincerity that was very, very clear.
This is the new Jagr, the one who wants to give back. He has so, so much to give his old team.
This shouldn’t be the end of the Jagr story in Pittsburgh. Many more chapters exist.
Maybe Lemieux really is done with the Penguins, except for the occasional appearance. It’s not like he hasn’t done enough.
Maybe the boy who once idolized him can pick up the slack in some capacity. I don’t think Jagr took the ice during the pregame warmup completely for self-indulgence. I think he did it to apologize for choosing the Philadelphia Flyers once upon a time.
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He wants to be around. He wants to give back. It’s time for Acklin, Bourque and company to keep going. There’s something special about Jagr, and the more he’s involved with the Penguins, the better things will be.
They need a lot right now. Jagr and the Penguins being married again, in small ways or large, is only a good thing.
(Top photo: Jeanine Leech / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)