New Jersey Devils trade Jaromir Jagr to Florida Panthers for draft picks
By Robby Sabo
With the franchise currently in unfamiliar territory, Lou Lamoriello decides to completely commit to the rebuilding plan for his New Jersey Devils.
It’s a situation that many teams face on yearly basis. The one that is rebuilding or retooling a team.
It’s a must to trade away veteran guys to contending hopefuls and reload on young talent and picks, hoping for value.
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For Lou Lamoriello and the New Jersey Devils, it’s something they’re not used to.
The Devils currently sit with 59 points and eight points out of a playoff spot in the East. Like he usually does with his plethora of coaches and veteran stars though, Lamoriello see’s the handwriting on the wall before it happens.
Today Lamoriello say that handwriting with veteran, and future Hall of Fame player Jaromir Jagr.
The Devils have traded the 43-year old man, who’s seemed to capture the anti-aging potion, to the Florida Panthers for a couple of draft picks.
One of the picks will be the Panthers second-rounder this year, while the other will be a Devils option between the Panthers or the Minnesota Wild’s third-round selection in 2016.
While Jagr has incredibly stayed relevant at his age, he has clearly lost a step or two this season. In 57 games played he has tallied just 11 goals and 18 assists for a New Jersey team watching their Metropolitan rivals dominate the division (New York Islanders and Rangers).
For the Panthers, the move is an indicator that management feels this season could still end up with a playoff berth. They currently trail the playoff tested Boston Bruins by only two points for that previously mentioned last playoff spot.
Jagr had already told the Devils he was in fact ready to move on to a possible contender, via Fire and Ice, NorthJersey.com:
“That’s all I really worry about,” he said Wednesday. “If I stay here and we’re not going to have a chance to make the playoffs, I don’t think I’m going to play at all. And I still like to play.”
The NHL legend was referring to the fact that the organization has already began the evaluating process of younger players, with an eye towards the future. He had recently played less than 13 minutes in each of the last two games with New Jersey.
Jagr will now join his eight NHL team. To think he is still playing despite the year 1990 being shown on the back of his hockey card as the year he was drafted is simply amazing.
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