Jaromir Jagr wasn't one to talk about his latest accomplishment on Monday night.
"That's for you guys[to discuss]," Jagr said to the media after the 5-4 overtime loss to Boston when asked about tallying another point and moving into 3rd all-time on the NHL scoring list.
Head coach Gerard Gallant said something similar in the post-game press conference in that the coaches nor the players have been distracted in any way with Jagr's recent records.
How could they? They are so focused on hanging on to a playoff spot in what was a commanding lead in the Atlantic Division. Florida now sits in third place, two points behind Boston and Tampa.
It looks as if it will take every game of the regular season to decide playoff seeds and participants. It will be very interesting to see how a roster full of experienced veterans and untested youngsters respond to the adversity that is already visiting them.
The Panthers are now 4-3-3 in their last 10 games, which is an untimely stretch of mediocre play when other teams are making a move. Their standing in the Eastern Conference race is so tenuous they could easily miss the playoffs altogether should their current slump continue.
They have won only one of their last five games.
The good news is they are almost fully healthy. Invaluable utility player Derek MacKenzie should be back for Thursday's game against Ottawa, and it has been reported captain Willie Mitchell's return is imminent as well. That would round out the roster GM Dale Tallon envisions for the playoff push.
For the astonishing run that Jagr has been on as a Panther, it's all about winning games. There have been several records and memorable moments for him over the last few months, but a deep playoff run is all that he wants. His selfless leadership has been contagious in the locker room since his arrival, and the roster getting healthy should only help his effectiveness on and off the ice.
He could set every record in the world, but if the team isn't winning, he's not happy. He's mentioned several times that he plays for the love of the game, not records. He would likely trade all the accolades and accomplishments for another shot at a Stanley Cup before he calls it a career.
So while the records are nice, he doesn't care about them when he's looking at the standings. Neither does his team. There is a lot more at stake for the 44-year-old as he tries to lead this team to unchartered territory this century.
He does lead the team in points, for goodness sake. His 21 goals and 28 assists are simply remarkable, but maybe not nearly as impressive as his 18.6 shooting percentage.
Jagr has proven to be so much more than expected since arriving in South Florida just over a year ago. His importance to this team can never be overstated, and they will need every bit of his talent as they hold on down the stretch.
Dan Spiegel
Florida Panthers Media
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