A Missing Number

The Tipsport Extraliga season is underway in Czechia with all fourteen teams having played around six games already. The Kladno Knights played their sixth game today against White Tigers Liberec, and they fell short on the scoreboard with a 4-1 loss as the decision. That loss puts Kladno at a 1-4-0-1 record through those six games in which the Knights have only scored eight goals. Despite some new talent on the roster and new ownership, the Knights find themselves sitting in 13th-place in the 14-team league so they need to turn things around if they want to start the rebuild. Not everything is the same, though, as there's one specific number missing from the Kladno roster through the first two weeks that was once a fixture.

It may have been a surprise to see an unsigned Jaromir Jagr on the ice with Kladno in the preseason, but the 53 year-old played six preseason games, essentially earning a roster spot alongside linemates Antonín Melka and Kelly Klíma. It looked like he was ready to start his 38th season of professional hockey, but Jagr curiously is absent from the lineup again. What's going on with #68 this year?

As you can see on the linked roster, there is no sign of Jagr's name or number showing on the Kladno roster. He had signed a deal to play this season on Tuesday, September 9, but, according to the team, Jagr's been nursing an injury that has kept him out of the lineup since the season started as his debut for the 2025-26 season is on hold.

"We lost three players just before the start of the Extraliga, but these are all short-term things," head coach David Čermák told reporters without naming the players. "They should be back soon."

Čermák was right about two of those three players as the only skater who still isn't in the lineup is Jagr. With games against the powerful HC Dynamo Pardubice and middle-of-the-pack teams HC Skoda Plzen and HC Oceláři Třinec this week, getting an offensive weapon like Jaromir Jagr in the lineup should be a priority for Kladno. Of course, Jagr playing hurt might not be the best solution to the Knights' goal-scoring woes, but they definitely need some help denting twine.

On the other hand, Father Time has proven to be a fickle opponent for Jagr as he hasn't hit the double-digit mark in goals in four seasons, and he hasn't put up more than 19 points in any of those seasons. He did have five goals and 16 points last year, but that goal total was the same as what he had from 2022-24 combined. If Jagr has any water pressure left in that fountain of youth he seems to own, he may need it for Kladno to make a run for a playoff spot.

What is certain is that we know Jagr is meticulous about his own health, and I doubt he'll rush back onto the ice if he's not feeling 100%. The problem is that there may be pressure on him to return earlier than he wants if Kladno keeps amassing losses, and I'm not sure his 53 year-old body can play through the tweaks as well as he once could. That being said, it's also hard to say if Jagr is still the player who can changes the fortunes of his team offensively when he steps off the bench based on his last few seasons in the Extraliga.

I'll fully admit that it doesn't feel like hockey season until Jaromir Jagr plays a game somewhere on the planet. It seemed like we were set to see the 38th-straight year of that happening, but an injury is keeping that from being reality. I wish Jagr well in his recovery, and here's hoping he's back on the ice for the Kladno Knights soon!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!