Goal of the Day - Jaromir Jagr, '92 Cup Finals: Is #68 playing in his last NHL game tonight?

In Game 3 of the Rangers/Penguins series Jaromir Jagr showed glimpses of the unequivocal talent that brought him to prominence. While it is no secret that Jagr has lost a step, he is still capable of being the best player on the ice even when in the company of Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby.

This goal scored against the Chicago Blackhawks (sorry Mike) in the 1992 Stanley Cup finals wasn't just another pretty goal by the then-20 year old Czech. It was a sign of a star bursting through the hockey universe. With superstar Mario Lemieux side-lined, Jagr dismantled the Hawks and silenced Chi-town helping the Pens capture their second straight Stanley Cup.

If Jagr's former team sweeps the Rangers tonight it may very well be the last time Jaromir Jagr skates as a member of an NHL team. Jagr's contract stipulated an extension would be put in place if he amassed 84 points in the regular season or won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Jagr has failed to meet the first requirement and the possibility of him meeting the second is linked with the Rangers' post-season lifeline. In all likelyhood, Jagr's expires at around 10 pm tonight after which the only certainty is uncertainty.

It is widely publicized that Jagr wishes to finish his career in Europe. First in Russia where he was reborn playing for Avangard Omsk and then possibly for his hometown Kladno in the Czech Republic.

Recently there was rumblings that Dynamo Moscow offered Jagr $12 million US to play in Russia next season. While I doubt that Jagr will play for a Russian squad other than Omsk, I have no doubt that he will be able to garner a paycheck of such proportions. And with the maximum Russian income tax being half of what is mandated in the US, that salary looks even better. It is also a salary the New York Rangers cannot match due to the NHL's stringent salary cap structure.

Only time will tell whether Jagr opens next season in Prague as a member of the Rangers, in North America once again vying for the Stanley Cup, or in Russia helping to build the new Continental League. Either way, Jagr has put on displays of tremendous amounts skill and power that are rarely seen in a game that is not lacking in either category.
Those that have seen him play can say they have seen one of the greatest in history.