Pittsburgh Penguins to Retire Jaromir Jagr's No. 68

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Friday the only player to have worn No. 68 for their franchise will forever be that only player.

Jaromir Jagr, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the team, is set to get his number retired by the Penguins in a pre-game ceremony on Feb. 18, 2024, before their game against the Los Angeles Kings.

Jagr, 51, has not officially retired from professional hockey. The majority owner of Kladno in the Czech Extraliga has played there since the 2017-18 season after he last played in the NHL with the Calgary Flames.

Overall, the Kladno, Czechia, native trails only Wayne Gretzky's 2,857 career points for the most in NHL history, with 1,921. He also ranks fourth in most games played (1,733), fourth in goals (766), fifth in assists (1,155) and first in game-winning goals, with 135. In the post-season, Jagr ranks sixth in points (201), 15th in games played, 11th in goals (78) and 10th in assists (123).

The 6-foot-3, 230-pound right winger joined the NHL in 1990-91 season after the Penguins selected him fifth overall in the 1990 draft. He played 11 seasons for the team, including three as captain from 1998-99 to 2000-01, and recorded three seasons of more than 100 points, including his career-high 149 in 1995-96.

During Jagr's time in Pittsburgh, he won the Art Ross Trophy four times, the Ted Lindsay Award twice, the Hart Trophy in 1998-99 and, best of all, two Stanley Cup championships in 1990-91 and 1991-92.

The Penguins have only retired two numbers in franchise history up to this point – the No. 21, which Michel Briere wore in his rookie year as a promising player before dying of injuries suffered in a car accident, and the No. 66, worn by Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux.