In what might have been his final professional hockey game, Jaromír Jágr, now 53 years old, stepped off the ice without a clear farewell. On Sunday, Rytíři Kladno played their last home game of the Czech Extraliga season in front of a sell-out crowd of 5,200 — and lost 5-0 to HC Vítkovice Ridera. With that result, Kladno was officially eliminated from playoff contention, though they are safe from relegation.
Jágr confirmed he won’t be playing in Kladno’s final match of the season on Tuesday in Mladá Boleslav. But as for whether this was his last game ever, the hockey legend remained mysterious, as he always does.
Another Season Ends, But Is It the Last?
After the game, Jágr spoke to Czech Television reporter Darina Vymětalíková. He made it clear that he would not travel with the team for their final game and wouldn’t even show up for practice.
“I definitely won’t be going to Mladá Boleslav,” Jágr said. “I won’t be here for practice tomorrow either.”
But when asked directly if this was the end of his playing career, Jágr gave one of his classic, unclear replies:
“Now I’m going to get my teeth fixed and then I’ll see. When I get them fixed, I’ll see what I look like.”
No Official Goodbye — Yet
Throughout this season, fans and journalists expected this to be Jágr’s final year. But he never officially announced a retirement, and nothing about Sunday’s game felt like a farewell.
There were no ceremonies, no speeches, no celebrations. Just a wave to the crowd. Some reporters, like Filip Ardon, even said it felt like just another season ending.
“It didn’t feel like his last game,” said Ardon on the Zimák Živě podcast. “I don’t doubt that he will continue.”
Panel Thinks Jágr Isn’t Done Yet
On that same podcast, five experienced hockey journalists discussed whether Jágr will return next season. Most of them believe that he’s more likely to play again than retire.
They even joked about him possibly joining another team — though it’s hard to imagine him playing anywhere other than Kladno, especially since he still owns 20% of the club.
Some wild theories include:
- Sparta Prague, where Jágr played in an exhibition game recently.
- Plzeň, where former teammate Martin Straka is GM.
- Or even Pardubice, teaming up with fellow veterans Roman Červenka and Tomáš Plekanec, forming what would probably be the oldest forward line in hockey history.
Jágr’s Final 2023–24 Stats
This season, Jágr played 39 games, scoring 5 goals and 11 assists, for a total of 16 points. He also logged 14:48 of ice time in Sunday’s game, including a minute on the power play. It was his 37th professional hockey season — a feat few can even imagine.
“It’s a Failure,” Jágr Says
While Jágr didn’t say if this was his last game, he did express disappointment in how the season ended.
“It’s a failure,” he said. “I wanted to play in the playoffs. Even if it was just one more week of hockey, you never know. I believed we could have surprised a team like Litvínov.”
Whether or not this was Jaromír Jágr’s final game, one thing is certain — his career remains one of the most legendary in the history of hockey. But for now, the man himself isn’t ready to close the book. Without an official retirement or a send-off game, fans and the hockey world are left guessing. Will Jágr return next season? Will he play elsewhere? Only time — and maybe a dentist — will tell.
