Jaromir Jagr played just 11 regular-season games with the Boston Bruins. On Sunday, he drew even with a man who played in 625 contests with Boston.
Jagr, acquired by the Florida Panthers on Thursday, scored his 717th career goal in Sunday’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning to tie Phil Esposito for fifth on the NHL’s all-time goals list.
Jagr’s tally was his first as a member of the Panthers and helped his team earn a 4-3 win over the Lightning. More importantly, though, it put him on par with one of the best players in Bruins (and NHL) history.
Esposito began his career with Chicago Blackhawks, but it wasn’t until he came to Boston in 1967 that he rose to super-stardom. He became the first NHL player to score 100 points in a season during the 1968-69 campaign and led the B’s to Stanley Cup championships in 1970 and 1972.
The oldest player in the NHL at 43, Jagr has some work to do if he hopes to move further up the all-time ladder. Marcel Dionne sits in fourth place with 731 goals and Brett Hull is in third with 741, while Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky appear out of reach with 801 and 894 goals, respectively.
Thumbnail photo via Robert Mayer/USA TODAY Sports Images
