Jagr, Hemsky, and Niemi all retire from EHE

The goal is always the same when entering a new NHL season: to win the Stanley Cup. It’s the hardest trophy to win in all of sports. But when you have a good team with a good group of guys, the journey becomes that much more rewarding. To share all the glory with your boys, whether losing or winning a championship together, those memories created will connect you with your teammates for life. Of course, players come and go, as at the end of the day, life after hockey is ultimately the thing every player must figure out. The Penguins are seeing that first hand with the retirements of Jaromir Jagr, Antti Niemi, and Ales Hemsky.

While the Penguins didn’t make it very far in the playoffs, there was a tight nit group in the locker room, and the stories told confirm that unity. When Niemi was acquired before the deadline, Dubnyk offered him the guest room in his house, and the two goalies immediately hit it off, spending their time together playing cards and participating in a book club with their wives and some members of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jaromir Jagr was brought in from New Jersey to add some scoring depth, but quicky became the de facto dad of the team, teaching the 23 years younger Will Butcher how to talk to girls. But the teaching went both ways, as Cam Fowler and Mattias Ekholm taught Jagr how to post an Instagram story of his workouts. 

Ales Hemsky, the third piece of the “Money Line”, with Brandon Saad and Paul Stastny, will be missed just for the namesake alone, as the name was a galvanizing point for the team during the dark times they endured midsesson.

”Yeah we had scored multiple goals in something like three or four consecutive games and Jags just said to us ‘You boys are EXPLETIVE money!’ and from there it stuck.” said Hemsky

This nickname lead to them picking up the team’s restaurant bill multiple times throughout the season, but they were happy to do so, further showing the closeness of the team.

”Ferda boys.” -Brandon Saad

Neemo, Jags, and Hemmer will be missed, but we wish them the best in life and they are always welcome to Pittsburgh as part of the Penguins family.

On another note, it sounds like one familiar face will stick around, as it’s believed that General Manager Ian Gurtowski just returned from Edina, Minnesota, home of RFA Jason Zucker, with positive developments on a new contract. For any and all news and information om the upcoming draft, free agency period, and season, please follow the official Twitter for the EHE's Pittsburgh Penguins (@PenguinsEHE) as well as the Twitter for the league itself (@EliteHockeySim)