Jaromir Jagr, Panthers Agree to New Contract: Latest Details, Comments, Reaction

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.