Former NHL star Jaromir Jagr scores in his first game since turning 52
KLADNO, Czech Republic (AP) — Jaromir Jagr returned to action Thursday for the first time since turning 52 and immediately scored as he surpassed legend Gordie Howe to become the oldest player taking regular shifts in professional ice hockey.
Howe, known as “Mr. Hockey,” was 52 years, 11 days old when played his final NHL game in 1980. The Canadian later played a single shift with the Detroit Vipers in the International Hockey League in 1997 at the age of 69. Howe died in 2016.
Jagr hadn’t played since Feb. 10 — five days before he turned 52 — and rejoined his Kladno Knights, a top-division team from his Czech Republic hometown, in the second game of a playoff relegation series against Vsetin.
The former NHL great in his first shift was unmarked when he collected the puck in front of goal and scored to give Kladno a 1-0 lead 1:59 into the game.