NHL legend Jaromir Jagr, 51, begins 36th season of professional hockey

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Jaromir Jagr became a professional hockey player in the Czech Republic at age 15 for the Kladno Knights way back in 1987. 

Thirty-six years later, the eventual Hall of Famer is again playing for that same club.

The NHL legend suited up for the club on Thursday, marking his 36th season as a professional hockey player at the ripe age of 51.

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Jaromir Jagr kicked off his 36th pro season on Thursday.

He skated for 13 minutes, 44 seconds in his debut and even handed out an assist.

Jagr bought the Knights in 2018 after playing 24 seasons in the NHL with nine teams. He made his NHL debut in 1990 after the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted him fifth overall earlier that year.

When he made his debut, he was the youngest player in the NHL – when he played his final NHL game five years ago, he was the oldest.

To put the ageless wonder into perspective, he was teammates with both Bryan Trottier (born in 1956) and Matthew Tkachuk (born in 1997). 

Calgary Flames right wing Jaromir Jagr during the warmup period against the Chicago Blackhawks at Scotiabank Saddledome. (Sergei Belski-USA Today Sports)

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He's also the only player to play in the Stanley Cup Final in both his teens and 40s – although he only won in his younger days. His 21-year Final appearance drought, from 1992 to 2013, is also the longest ever.

Last season, he played 26 games and scored five goals while dishing out nine assists.

Jagr is a member of the Triple Gold Club as a winner of the Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold and IIHF World Championships.

He holds several NHL records, including the most game-winning goals, and his 36th pro season extends that record, as well. He also became the oldest player to score a hat trick, when he did so in 2015 as a member of the New Jersey Devils at 42 years, 322 days old.

Jaromir Jagr controls the puck during a training session with his hometown club, the Kladno Knights, in Kladno, Czech Republic, in 2018. On Dec. 20, 2023, the 51-year old winger made his season debut for the Knights in the Czech league in his 36th professional season. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek/File)

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Jagr's 1,921 points in the NHL are the second-most in league history, behind only Wayne Gretzky. 

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