Game 5 represented extreme emotional swings for Philadelphia Flyers winger Jaromir Jagr. Before the contest, he was seen razzing fellow aging future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur for turning 40, sporting a huge smile the whole time. After the 3-1 loss that knocked Philly out in five games, he told reporters such as Frank Seravalli that he basically wanted to cry.
“This was the most enjoyable year I’ve ever had,” Jagr said. “It’s a sad day for me. I want to cry right now.”
Jagr’s joy during the 2011-12 season and playoffs has been as obvious as all-world skills were in his prime. He raved about playing in Philly, lavishing praise on Claude Giroux and even compared to Sean Couturier to Ron Francis.
He didn’t tip his hand about coming back next season - to Philly or otherwise - but if this ends up being his last season, he certainly stopped and smelled the roses. It just didn’t end as he (and the Flyers) hoped.
Related: Re-signing Matt Carle is reportedly a bigger priority for Flyers than bringing back Jagr.