Florida Panthers

Jaromir Jagr turned 45 on Wednesday, and he celebrated in style by tallying the 1,900th point of his career with an assist in the third period of the Florida Panthers' clash with the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center.

NHL on NBC relayed video of the historic moment:

Jagr was already one of four players in NHL history with at least 1,800 points entering Wednesday's tilt, but he now resides in a more exclusive club following the milestone.

According to Hockey-Reference.com, Jagr and Wayne Gretzky are the only players in league history to top 1,900 points for their careers.

Sports Illustrated's Michael Blinn used the occasion to poke fun at Jagr's never-ending career: 

But as 13 WREX's Dan Cohen noted, Jagr doesn't stand a chance of catching The Great One even though he's proved to be an ageless wonder: 

Jagr's time on ice has continued to dwindle as he's entered his mid-40s, but he's proved to be remarkably effective during his short spurts on the ice.

Following Wednesday's 6-5 overtime win, he's now tallied 10 goals and 22 assists through 55 games this season. 

"It amazes me every day because just when you think he can't do it anymore, he has a phenomenal game," Panthers interim head coach Tom Rowe said, per the Los Angeles Times' Kevin Baxter. "You need to be with Jags every day and watch what he does. He spends an incredible amount of time exercising."

At this rate, there's no reason to believe his improbable journey will come to a screeching halt soon. 

Jagr has defied the odds ever since he arrived in South Florida, and the way he's maintained a steady output into his mid-40s has been jaw-dropping, to say the least. 

Now it's time to see if he can help push the Panthers into postseason position as the regular season prepares to wind down. 

Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola withdrew himself from consideration for the U.S. Secretary of the Army position Friday night.

According to Alex Harris and George Richards of the Miami Herald, Viola released the following statement regarding his decision to turn down President Donald Trump's nomination: "I am deeply honored to have been considered for this post, and appreciate the confidence President Trump showed in me. I offer my continued support for President Trump and his administration, and look forward to re-doubling my efforts to support the Army and its veterans as a private citizen."

The 60-year-old New York native has owned the Panthers since 2015 and graduated from West Point in 1977.

Had Viola accepted the post, he would have transferred ownership of the Panthers to his family.

He also would have needed to free himself of his interests in Eastern Air Lines and Virtu Financial but said doing so had "proven insurmountable."

Viola wasn't the first American professional sports owner nominated for a position by Trump, as he previously named New York Jets owner Woody Johnson the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

The Panthers reached the playoffs last season in their first year of ownership under Viola, and they are two points out of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference during the current campaign.

Billionaire financial magnate and Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola was named Secretary of the Army by President-elect Donald Trump on Monday.

"We are honored and humbled to see Mr. Viola nominated as the Secretary of the Army. We could not be more proud for Vinnie and his dedication to our country," Panthers president and CEO Matthew Caldwell said in a statement.

The Panthers will remain owned by the Viola family, but Vincent Viola will not have an active day-to-day role with the franchise. Douglas A. Cifu will take over Viola's role as chairman and governor of Sunrise Sports and Entertainment.

"Our hockey team has always been proud to be part of Mr. Viola's legacy. We admire his dedication to his country and are excited to watch him pursue this new endeavor," president of hockey operations Dale Tallon said.

Viola graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1977. He served in the 101st Airborne Division while in active duty before rising to the rank of major in the Army Reserves, all the while setting the stage for a future in big business. He rose from a trader to chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange, eventually amassing a net worth of $1.78 billion.

President-elect Trump said he was proud to nominate Viola:

I am proud to have such an incredibly accomplished and selfless individual as Vincent Viola as our Secretary of the Army. Whether it is his distinguished military service or highly impressive track record in the world of business, Vinnie has proved throughout his life that he knows how to be a leader and deliver major results in the face of any challenge.

In 2013, Viola purchased the Panthers franchise for $250 million. The franchise made its first playoff appearance under his ownership in 2015-16 before losing a first-round series to the New York Islanders.

“It is an honor to be nominated to serve our country as President-elect Trump’s Secretary of the Army,” Viola said in a statement. “If confirmed, I will work tirelessly to provide our president with the land force he will need to accomplish any mission in support of his National Defense Strategy.”

Viola will need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before taking office. 

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The Florida Panthers reportedly fired head coach Gerard Gallant on Sunday, according to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos. The Miami Herald's George Richards confirmed Gallant is on the way out.

TSN's Bob McKenzie reported the Panthers also fired assistant coach Mike Kelly, and general manager Tom Rowe will assume interim coaching duties.

The move comes shortly after the Panthers' 3-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Gallant's firing is a surprise. Although the Panthers are 11-10-1 and two points out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, they're only a year removed from winning the Atlantic division. Florida's 47 wins and 103 points were the most in franchise history.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman tweeted a rift between Gallant and Florida's front office had been growing:

According to Andy Slater of 940 WINZ in Miami, the Panthers will frame Gallant's firing as strictly based on the team's record this year.

Sportsnet's Chris Johnston tweeted the decision has done little to hurt Gallant's reputation throughout the league:

If he's willing to take on a long-term project, the 53-year-old could be an option for the Vegas Golden Knights, who will officially enter the NHL in 2017-18. Success rarely comes early for any expansion team, though, so Gallant may prefer to wait and see if any other openings become available over the course of the season.

For the Panthers, jettisoning Gallant could exacerbate their disappointing start.

Rowe coached the San Antonio Rampage and Portland Pirates in the AHL and was an assistant for the Hurricanes from 2008 to 2011 before taking over as Florida's GM. While Rowe has coaching experience, he's relatively unproven leading an NHL team from the bench.

Even if Rowe is a temporary solution, there's no guarantee the Panthers will find a full-time replacement who is a significant upgrade over Gallant.

Following last year's playoff appearance, Florida appeared to be headed in the right direction. Firing Gallant, however, is a step in the wrong direction.

The Florida Panthers and rising star Jonathan Huberdeau have agreed on a new, long-term contract extension. 

Per the Associated Press (via CBC.ca), Huberdeau's agent, Allan Walsh, confirmed the deal is for six years and $35.4 million and will go into effect starting with the 2017-18 season. 

Just 23 years old, Huberdeau was the Panthers' first-round draft pick (No. 3 overall) in 2011. He didn't make his debut in Florida until the 2012-13 season, playing in 48 games and scoring 31 points. 

Huberdeau's offensive output has increased in each of the last two seasons. He set career highs in points (59) and goals (20) last season and tied his career high with 39 assists. 

The Panthers inked Huberdeau to a two-year extension prior to the 2015-16 season. His current deal will pay him $4 million with a $3.25 million cap hit in 2016-17, per Spotrac. 

Coming off an Atlantic Division title last season, the Panthers are not resting on their laurels. Sporting News' Brandon Schlager noted Huberdeau's extension brings their total offseason spending to over $160 million. 

The Panthers slowly built a roster of young talent that finally started to jell last season. They ultimately came up short in the playoffs, losing to the New York Islanders in the first round, but their future is secure with players such as Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov signed to long-term deals. 

The Florida Panthers announced Sunday they rewarded Reilly Smith with a five-year contract extension after his strong first season with the team in 2015-16.

TSN's Gary Lawless first broke the news of the contract. Sportsnet's Chris Johnston provided Smith's yearly salaries as part of the deal:

Smith finished with 25 goals and assists apiece this past season. He also scored four goals and assisted on four more in six postseason games. HockeyViz's Micah Blake McCurdy offered a visual representation of the 25-year-old's contributions on the ice:

Smith is the third notable Panthers player to receive a lucrative extension with the team. Aaron Ekblad signed a new eight-year deal with Florida on Friday, and the Sun Sentinel's Harvey Fialkov reported the Panthers locked up Vincent Trocheck for six more years. Florida also signed veteran goaltender James Reimer for five years.

The Associated Press' Tim Reynolds was happy to see the Panthers keep their key contributors around:

The franchise took a major step forward last year, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2011-12 and just the second time since 1999-00.

Exiting the postseason in the first round is rarely a satisfying way to end a season, but there's plenty of reason to believe it's only the start of things to come for Florida. Smith is just beginning to enter the prime of his career, and the quartet of Ekblad, Trocheck, Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau were all in their age-22 seasons or younger in 2015-16.

Some might argue the Panthers are overpaying slightly for Smith. But he has finished with at least 40 points in each of the last three years, including a 51-point campaign (20 goals, 31 assists) in 2013-14. Given his age, he should continue improving.

It's probably a bit too early to start labeling the Panthers a Stanley Cup contender. Still, general manager Tom Rowe hasn't been shy about making the kinds of moves that not only help Florida in the short term but also set the team up to be a consistent playoff threat in the years to come.  

The San Jose Sharks acquired James Reimer midway through last season to shore up their netminding situation, but he never got the chance to make an impact. Reimer hopes that will change with the Florida Panthers.

The veteran goalie and the Panthers agreed to a five-year, $17 million contract on Friday, per ESPN's Craig Custance.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet had the breakdown of Reimer's deal, which pays him $5 million next season and $3 million each of the four seasons after that. 

Reimer, 28, split 2015-16 with San Jose and the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was 17-14-7 overall, putting together a career-best 2.31 goals-against average in 40 appearances. The Leafs traded Reimer to San Jose midway through the season, when it became abundantly clear they were not headed to the playoffs.

Unfortunately for Reimer, Martin Jones never allowed him to make much of an impact. Reimer made only eight regular-season starts in a Sharks uniform, compiling a sterling 6-2 record and three shutouts. But when the playoffs started, Jones kicked it into high gear as San Jose made a spirited run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Reimer appeared in only one postseason contest, giving up one goal in a blowout loss to the St. Louis Blues. Despite seeing a marked downturn in his role from Toronto, Reimer was consistently supportive of his teammates and seemed to understand where he stood, per Kevin McGran of the Star:   

The day of the outright No. 1 is getting less and less because there are so many more good goalies. But I think when you get down to the playoffs, the chance of a coach making a change for the sake of making a change becomes less and less likely.

But as a professional you always stay ready. You never know what’s going to happen, what’s going to transpire. For the team’s sake, you hope everything stays status quo, and things go well. But as a player you have to stay ready.

Reimer spent his first five-and-a-half seasons in Toronto, where he was part of a goalie platoon throughout. He has never made more than 37 or fewer than 27 starts in his NHL career.

As the top goalie on the market, Reimer was always going to have interest. But he also had to contend with a deep trade market of guys, as the depth at goaltender around the league has arguably never been better. Reimer will likely settle into another platoon with Roberto Luongo, which has suited him just fine and will work out well at this price point.   

Florida Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo reportedly underwent hip surgery once the team's season came to a close, according to the Sun Sentinel's Harvey Fialkov on Thursday.

Continue for updates.

Latest on Luongo's Timeline for Return

Saturday, June 4

Fialkov, citing a source, reported Luongo "is expected to make a complete recovery in time for next season."

Luongo Important to Panthers' Success

Luongo was stellar throughout the 2015-16 season, finishing the campaign with a 35-19-6 record and .922 save percentage. The 37-year-old also posted a 2.35 goals-against average in his 16th NHL season as he continued to defy the odds and thrive past his prime.

Shortly before the playoffs started, Luongo reflected on how fortunate he had been in the injury department over the course of his career, per ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun: 

I've been blessed that I've been pretty healthy my whole career. I've never had any major injuries. I'm thankful in that regard. I just like working on my game all the time. I always try to get better. I always feel that I can get better and improve. As long as that desire is there, I'll be able to be part of this league.

While the severity of the hip injury is unknown, the fact that Luongo opted for surgery shortly after the Panthers were bounced from the playoffs means he'll be able to kick-start the recovery process in a timely fashion and hopefully return to the crease for the start of the 2016-17 season.

The NHL's eldest statesman will be back for at least one more year, as the Florida Panthers announced on Thursday that they have signed 44-year-old forward Jaromir Jagr to a one-year deal. 

Next season will be Jagr's 23rd in the NHL and his second full year with the Panthers, the eighth team of his illustrious career. 

According to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston, the deal has a base salary of $4 million with a possible games played bonus worth $1.5 million.

He's the most accomplished player currently in the league as his career numbers are among the best in NHL history:

His presence on a young Panthers team was invaluable for them, as they made the playoffs for just the second time in 15 years. 

Jagr led the team with 66 points (27 goals, 39 assists) while creating one of the most potent lines in hockey with 20-year-old Aleksander Barkov and 22-year-old Jonathan Huberdeau as the trio combined for 75 goals. 

The NHL showed just one instance of how well the line worked together:

Head coach Gerard Gallant spoke with the team's website after the news of Jagr's signing. 

"Jaromir has had a tremendous influence on our younger players and has been a key offensive contributor on our team,” Gallant said. “We are happy to have him back as we look to build off this year’s playoff appearance."

He proved at 44 that he still is capable of producing some pretty big numbers, but obviously at this age, the risk of slowing down is greater than a player 10 years younger than him. That could be the main reason why Jagr didn't receive more years on his deal. 

But with the Panthers becoming a force in the Atlantic Division, a player like Jagr, who has two Stanley Cup wins under his belt even if they were in 1991 and 1992, could continue to be a huge help as the team continues to develop. 

Stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com.

It seems hockey's version of the ageless wonder, 44-year-old right winger Jaromir Jagr, isn't ready to hang the skates up yet after the New York Islanders eliminated his Florida Panthers in six games in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.    

On Tuesday, Panthers general manager Dale Tallon told Harvey Fialkov of the South Florida Sun Sentinel that "Jagr told him he wants to come back."

Jagr completed his 22nd NHL season in 2015-16 with the Panthers, the eighth team of his storied career. His one-year, $3.5 million contract is now up, via Spotrac, and if he doesn't ink a new deal with Florida, then he will be an unrestricted free agent starting on July 1. 

Despite his age, he put up one of his most productive seasons in the past nine years with 27 goals and 39 assists.   

The last time he scored over 25 goals was when he was with the New York Rangers as a 36-year-old in 2007-08. 

The emergence of Florida's young stars, along with linemates Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov, helped his resurgence.

At 22 and 20, respectively, Huberdeau's and Barkov's ages don't combine to Jagr's, but their line was one of the best in the league. The NHL showed one of the many times they were able to break down opposing defenses:

It was a historic season for Jagr as he played his 1,600th career game, recorded his 1,100th career assist and, with 749 goals, moved past the great Brett Hull for third on the NHL's all-time scoring list. He also moved past Gordie Howe for third-place in points with 1,868.

Here's goal No. 742, the one that moved him past Hull via the NHL:

It was also a historic season for the Panthers, who recorded 103 points—the most in franchise history—while winning their division for just the second time ever.  

There's little question Jagr can still produce; he's shown that with his tenacity and still-dangerous scoring ability. But an elusive third Stanley Cup could be the fire that's fueling his desire to return. 

In his first two years in the league, Jagr won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins as a 19- and 20-year-old in 1991 and 1992. He hasn't won one since. 

With the young core the Panthers have and with the great season they just finished, Jagr is more than capable of adding one more season to a Hall of Fame career that could possibly end in storybook fashion. 

Stats courtesy of Hockey-Reference.com.