Is Jaromir Jagr...underrated?

Question

Of all the current NHL superstars, it seems to me that Jaromir Jagr just doesn't get the accolades he deserves. One, he's probably the best player of his generation. Take a look at his stats: 1191 games, 621goals, 907 helpers, 1528 points, well above a point per game. On top of that, Jagr tied Mike Gartner's record for most consecutive 30 goal seasons (15). Two, I just have always felt he was the NHL's answer to Scottie Pippen: a great sidekick, but as a stand alone star, next to nothing.

The bottom line is this: why is Jagr often slighted when hockey people talk about the league's stars? He even plays in New York! Am I even a Jagr fan? No (he burned too many bridges in Pittsburgh)! I just want to see a great player get his due.

Answer 1

Zam nailed it. It all depends on how he's playing. He plays well when he wants to.



While you may not be a Jagr fan, I dare you to watch "Against the Odds" or even he and Brendan Shanahan's 600th career goal ceremony last season, where Lemieux came out as his surprise presenter, and not feel a drop of nostalgia or think, "He was a such a good kid back in the day." (His smile for Mario was huge compared to the little one he gave his girlfriend, haha.) His biggest mistake and the final turning point was... when he cut "The Mullet". LOL.



I have a love-hate relationship with the guy. To me, he wasn't as much of a douche for wanting out of Pittsburgh as much he wanted out of Pittsburgh BECAUSE he was a douche. Of course he should have considered the fans and he'll forever be lame for his "dying alive" spiel, but he supposedly had a gambling problem. He denied that, but the FACT is that he had to pay for some things from the late 90's which includes $1 million to an online gambling site's owner and $6 million to the government. Jagr can't be blamed for the way the former owners and management of the team lead it to bankruptcy, and as we know, there was no cap and no CBA.



To me, as a Penguins fan, the point is that he was one of the greatest players to play for Pittsburgh. Presently, he gets all the accolades he deserves in light of the seasons he's had recently. I did hear some noise about his last season. If he plays as well as that or better this season, he'll get more credit. I think more people will look back at his career stats and recognize his status as one of elites in the NHL when he retires.

Answer 2

I am a fan of his. I don't see what everyone in Pittsburgh wants to hold against him. It was THEIR OWN FAULT. For the record I was living in Pittsburgh at that time so yeah I got the Pittsburgh news and opinion so not a lack of hearing the story. He doesn't get his due because PITTSBURGH made him Mario Jr, rather then let him be Jagr, and then WASHINGTON gave him NOTHING ELSE. So by the time he got to New York with that HUGE Contract that the Caps gave him it was just the look of an overpayed star that went to New York. Too bad he will be able to have his own Cup like he wanted but he is too old to do that now.



Hey Puck, Bobby was his FATHER(also a Pro Baseball player and the only reason I am pointing this out) it is BARRY.

Answer 3

Don't compare Jagr to Scottie Pippen. Even without Jordan, Pippen was great in the 94 and 95 seasons. Although Pippen didn't win any titles without Jordan, but vice versa for Jordan.



Jagr is not underrated on the other hand, he is always commented as one of the best player in the world, but on the other hand he is also critized for not playing defense, so my thought is that Jagr is not a complete player, another reason why you shouldn't compare him to Pippen.



Also now, he is getting toward the end of his career, of course the media need to talk about the future stars in Crosby, Malkin, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin, Staal brothers, Spezza and many more young stars.

Answer 4

I loved him in his first year. I grabbed him with the last pick in our hockey pool and the guys were all going who??? (this was before the internet kiddies). He scored 100 pts that year. He just rubs people the wrong way because he doesn't act the way we expect our hockey stars to act. He's rude, self-centred, greedy and egotistical. Which is probably why he fits in better in NY than he did in Pittsburgh or Washington.

He could retire tomorrow and know he's in the HHOF. I could compare him to Bobby Bonds (not about the steroids though) in terms of how he and the fans ended up getting along. If he's on your team he's great. If he isn't he's a jerk.

Nice answer Erica. Zam's comment reminded me of how he tried to throw an elbow during the Devils series two years ago and ended up separating his shoulder. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard about a guy hurting himself (simpson's football in the groin excluded).

Answer 5

Jagr is a fantastic player and you guys discussing "loyalty" is bunk! So imagine you're awesome as a RW playing alongside Lemieux, winning cups and then he leaves and you are left with a bunch of rookies in a city that has had a tough time in hockey. Being there you won't win the cup, especially when you don't get along with the coach.



So you seek greener pastures and they ship you to Washington...and they have no one for you to play with. The fans aren't there and the team generally sucked. And again, you don't get along with the coach.



So now he is in NY and he is motivated...because there is a chance to win and he is not pulling all the work. That's how you make him happy.



He is fantastic. Stop kidding yourselves.

Answer 6

Jagr is the highest scoring non-Canadian player EVER, not to mention 12th overall in ALL TIME points (3 behind Coffey) in NHL history.



People tend to take him for granted, focusing on his moods and overplayed attitude issues instead of his on ice impact and production.



The 2 1/2 seasons in Washington did very little for his reputation, but he's the only guy who can post 96 points with a bum shoulder and be categorized as having an 'off' year.



Is he underrated? Damn straight, not to mention underappreciated.

Answer 7

Jagr has quit time again on his team and teammates because of a general lack of interest, most notably in Washington where after several lazy seasons he admitted he just didn't feel like playing there (he liked the $10-mil he got per season however). I just think he's another one of those talented guys who takes off far too many nights off to be considered a real heart-and-soul superstar.



He picks up his points but I have trouble remembering any instance where he went through walls to lift his team to a higher level, like Yzerman, Sakic, Gretzky, Messier, etc. He's fancy but not a consistent force. If he played like Ovechkin ... who dies trying out there on every shift despite playing for a crummy team ... I think he would be more highly regarded.



One of the reasons he picked up his game last year was because of his centre Michael Nylander, a side-to-side euro-style puck feeder. He may have trouble adjusting to Gomez and Drury because they are strictly up-and-down centres.



There must be some Caps fans out there who can fill us in on his laclustre years in Washington.

Answer 8

Zam said exactly what i was thinking. He has a reputation of not always giving his all. Imagine if he had played all his career like he did in the playoffs last year. Sadly it did more to show how often he doesnt give his all then show how much heart he has. Maybe he is realiseing all this in the twilight of his career and that is why he working so hard at wining a cup, which with the teamate he has this year there is a good shot. For now his legecy is tied to Lemieux, as a side kick, im thinking he want to be able to say he did it as the leader just once.

Answer 9

I agree that Tortorella could hold his own. Jack Capuano looks to be sort of a bar brawler type as well... BQ - No. He's 38 (I believe) and has played the last what, two years? in a lesser league. If he was younger, like 10 years younger, he'd be able to catch up to NHL speed and physicality in training camp but I doubt he can do that now at 38-ish.

Answer 10

Being an objective observer, as in not follwing Jagr's carrer that closely...most people believe he is a superstar. Plain and simple.



Faithfullness only means something to the fan. Professional athletes don't care one iota about it...ARod, Shaq, Damon....loyalty means nothing.

Answer 11

UNDE ?? NO HES NOT UNDE



jagr is a great player and everyone knows it. Just because people don't talk about him doesn't make him unde ! Everyone knows who Jaromir Jagr is. If you want to talk unde lets talk Kris Draper.

Answer 12

A real hockey question? Cool.

I don't think he's really underrated. Seems to get plenty of accolades when his effort matches his talent. Great numbers though, I did not realize they were that high.



Or try this answer, keeping in tune with what seemed to be tonight's theme. Yeah, you go girl, you really should try to date him.



Sorry Snoop, I had to!!

Answer 13

Rick Jenerette(I have no clue if I spelled that right) for the Buffalo Sabres said it best. It was something to the effect of "Jager is a great, talented kid, and we should be seeing some big things from him in the future."



Im a Buffalo fan and even I can admit Jager does deserve his dues.

Answer 14

Jagr was on his way to greatness--until he left Pittsburgh! One aspect of champions is loyalty--no matter the stats he can never be as great as Lemieux, one reason---faithfulness!

Jagr said he wasnt out for cash but thats the only thing hes out for. Hockey fans want faithfulness in return for fan loyalty!!

Answer 15

I agree with Snoop. It seems he's regarded with the same kind of shrug that great players who never won Cups are (Sittler, Gartner, Dionne), yet he's of course won two.

Answer 16

It is because he is probably one of the laziest backcheckers in the history of the NHL. Picking and choosing the times in the game when you decide to work will never gain you immortal status among hockey purists.



Imagine those numbers if he worked harder and played both ends of the ice. You can not deny his talent, but it is without a doubt, much harder to give credit to a career floater.

Answer 17

Are you kidding? Almost everyone says he's a Top 5 player in the NHL. Is that not as recognized as you'd like? To me, he's a little overrated. He's getting old and is approaching being past his prime.