Jaromir Jagr passes Mark Messier for No. 2 in all-time NHL scoring
Jaromir Jagr checked another milestone off his list, passing Mark Messier for second in all-time NHL scoring with a third-period assist against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
The helper, which came on the Florida Panthers' lone goal in a 3-1 loss, gives the 44-year-old forward 1,888 in his career, behind only Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857.
“For me, it's like No. 1,” Jagr said recently when asked what passing Messier would mean. “I don't really count Wayne Gretzky. He was from another planet. I don't think he was from this planet. Whatever he did, it's unbreakable.”
Jagr, a veteran of 26 NHL seasons, reached the mark in his 1663rd game. He would have reached it sooner had he not played in Russia from 2008-2011, or been affected by several league work stoppages.
After being selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the No. 5 pick in the 1990 draft, Jagr was the youngest player in the league when he notched his first point—a goal against the New Jersey Devils in his second NHL game on October 7.
He’s come a long way since then, though he’s made good on his promise to bring back the famed mullet this season. Jagr has spent time in the NHL with the Penguins, Capitals, Rangers, Flyers, Stars, Bruins and Devils, in addition to the Panthers.
Classic Photos of Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr
June 16, 1990 — NHL Draft
Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr
June 1991
Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemiuex
June 1, 1992 — Stanley Cup Finals, Game 4
Jaromir Jagr
Feb. 6, 1993 — NHL All-Star Game
Luc Robitaille and Jaromir Jagr
Feb. 1995
Jaromir Jagr
April 4, 1997
Jaromir Jagr
Feb. 20, 1998 — Nagano Winter Olympics
Jaromir Jagr
March 28, 1998
Jaromir Jagr
April 2, 1999
Jaromir Jagr
May 2, 1999 — Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 6
Jaromir Jagr
July 16, 2001
Jaromir Jagr
Dec. 28, 2001
Jaromir Jagr
June 1, 2003
Jaromir Jagr
Nov. 19, 2004
Jaromir Jagr
Dec. 29, 2005
Jaromir Jagr
April 9, 2006
Jaromir Jagr
April 15, 2006
Jaromir Jagr
April 16, 2008 — Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 4
Jaromir Jagr and Sidney Crosby
May 4, 2008 — Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 5
Jaromir Jagr
Feb. 21, 2010 — Vancouver Winter Olympics
Jaromir Jagr
Oct. 12, 2011
Jaromir Jagr
Jan. 1, 2012 — Winter Classic practice
Jaromir Jagr and Bryce Salvador
May 3, 2012 — Eastern Conference Semifinals, Game 3
Jaromir Jagr
Sept. 19, 2012
Jaromir Jagr
Feb. 8, 2013
Jaromir Jagr
June 1, 2013 — Eastern Conference Finals
Jaromir Jagr
June 2, 2013
Jaromir Jagr
Feb. 14, 2014 — Sochi Winter Olympics
Aaron Ekblad, Jaromir Jagr and Aleksander Barkov
April 9, 2015
Jaromir Jagr and Ryan Miller
Dec. 20, 2015 — 732nd goal (fourth in all-time goals scored)
For Messier, dropping down to No. 3 has been a long time coming.
“This is kind of anticlimactic for me in a way,” said Messier, a former teammate of Jagr with the Rangers. “I understand the amount of time that he put in overseas when he left the NHL and came back and the amount of points he amassed over there and where he would be if he would have stayed (here). So I guess in my own mind, he surpassed me a long time ago.”
San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton is the next active leader in points with 1,363 in 17 seasons, ranking 25th in NHL history.