Watch: Jaromir Jagr loved tribute from current Penguins player
NHL legend Jaromir Jagr is a huge fan of the tribute that current Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker sent his way on Wednesday night.
Following Zucker’s first-period goal against Buffalo, he celebrated with a salute that paid homage to the way Jagr used to celebrate goals during his time with team in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Jagr posted a video on social media on Thursday showing his appreciation for the tribute while also wearing a jersey with the Penguins logo on it.
Zucker broke out that tribute because it was the first game the Penguins played in their reverse retro uniforms that features the logo Jagr wore throughout most of his Penguins tenure.
It’s also a pretty big deal to see Jagr wearing that jersey in his video. Even though he is one of the greatest players in franchise history (and league history), his relationship with the organization has been tumultuous at times over the years.
Following the 2000-01 season he forced his way out of Pittsburgh after a decade of dominance.
There was also the 2012 offseason when the Penguins attempted to bring him back as a free agent, only to have the negotiations go south. Jagr eventually spurned the Penguins to sign with their chief rivals in Philadelphia. That decision renewed the bitterness that was left over from his exit.
Things have smoothed over the past few years, and it is expected that when Jagr officially announces his retirement from hockey that his No. 68 will eventually get retired by the team.