When Jaromir Jagr went on a Twitter rant last week talking about how no teams were calling or interested in adding him to their roster, it was a planned shot across the bow to GM Dale Tallon and the Florida Panthers.
While his phone might not have been ringing, Tallon was publicly saying he was in touch with Jagr's agent regularly.
That may have been true, but what was revealed by Jagr privately and eventually by Tallon to the media is that an offer was never made to the future Hall of Famer.
Florida is NOT rebuilding. They are resetting into a vision that more resembles the team of two years ago that amassed 103 points. Yes Jagr was part of that team after being traded for in February of 2014 and immediately created a spark.
He had just turned 42 years old and looked as youthful as ever...until the playoffs the following year where he was clearly tired and lost a step.
To his credit he only missed three games over the last two seasons and played all 82 last year.
While Jagr is a physical marvel doing what he does at his age, diminishing returns accelerate quickly.
Once Tallon was given full control of the club after a series of mistakes including trading Erik Gudbranson, firing Gerard Gallant, and allowing too many voices in the room, it was time to get back to what was known to work.
It is time to get back to a tough, fast team.
The fast was the problem with Jagr.
There is no question Jagr still has value. He compiled 16 goals and 46 points in a season where he rarely had his linemates of Jonathan Huberdeau and Sasha Barkov playing with him. If they were healthy, Jagr could have easily been a 55-60 point player.
His puck handling is remarkable and is still a strong, big body that makes it tough on opposition along the boards.
But new head coach Bob Boughner's philosophy revolves around speed, and Jagr and Jussi Jokinen were the two players that didn't fit in this new direction.
From a fan perspective, few players are more popular and a draw than Jagr. For him to produce at his age is special. It's rare. It's history.
There comes a time where hard decisions have to be made, and Tallon said not sending an offer to Jagr for him to return tore him up.
It was a matter of being practical for the future vs. being emotional about what happened in the past.
The future is beyond bright in Sunrise.
The core of this team is locked up long term, and several of players in the system will be ready to contribute next year and beyond. In two seasons this team will be completely different and loaded with home grown speed and skill.
This is Tallon's team. He shops for the groceries and wants his stamp on the cupboard. That is why Jonathan Marchessault was left unprotected. That wasn't one of his guys. That is why Reilly Smith was shipped out of town. He didn't sign the 5-year $25 million extension he received last summer.
That is why it was reported Tallon might have tried to swing a deal to get Gudbranson back from Vancouver. While it was said he signed off on the original trade, both he and Gallant were not happy. That was the beginning of the tailspin that were the 2016-17 Panthers.
Tallon did trade for Jagr a little over three years ago, and it proved to be a brilliant move. That is why it was so hard for Tallon to say no to a player that has meant so much to this young team and organization in such a short amount of time.
If he does sign somewhere else, Jagr's mark on this team will be felt for years to come. He truly is an enigma.
Anytime the Panthers were on the road Jagr was the draw for the home media. You just can't get enough of his style and sense of humor, and he never disappointed when asked tough questions.
All good things must come to an end, and it appears now is the time for Jagr in a Panther jersey.
From a team production standpoint, it shouldn't be hard to replace 46 points with Evgenii Dadonov now on the first line. It also shouldn't be hard to be better on the second with Radim Vrbata replacing Smith on the Trocheck line.
There are still some holes to fill on this roster, but the emotions of some people are getting the best of them. Jagr is a fan favorite, but not favored over youth and speed by Tallon and Co. moving forward.
Everything that could go wrong last year did. There is nowhere to go but up.
With Boughner steering the ship and and new blood taking over for some of the weak links in the chain, Florida "should" step back into contention in the Atlantic Division next season.
Newly drafted sniper Owen Tippett will soon get his chance to contribute as well as Henrik Haapala, Henrik Borgstrom, Jayce Hawrlyuk, and Maxim Mamin.
The speed revolution is in full swing, and Jagr was the odd man out. It is a hard pill to swallow, but one that was coming sooner than later.
The resetting the Panthers have in mind focuses on youth. Father Time took Jagr out of the equation.
Dan Spiegel
Florida Panthers Media
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