So says Pittsburgh Tribune-Review columnist Dejan Kovacevic, who broke the news last night:
An image bearing [Jaromir Jagr's] likeness was quietly removed this summer from a ring of Penguins greats that circles the upper wall of the oval-shaped room, replaced with that of another standout alum, Mark Recchi.
Team officials declined comment on the move, other than to say the Penguins didn't want a currently active opponent having such a presence in that area.
Jagr, 41, is unquestionably one of the Penguins' all-time greats. His mullet, too. But he last played for the Pens in 2001, and he's now with the New Jersey Devils—his sixth team since leaving Pittsburgh. So why now? The time for the Pens to scrub the image—if it was worth doing at all—was when he spurned them to play for the hated Flyers. But that was two years ago. Besides, Jagr is still featured prominently at the Consol Energy Center; the above image is still right outside the entrance to the Pens' locker room, and there's also this:
Makes sense. The Devils happen to be in Pittsburgh tonight to open this season. So what's Jagr's take on being erased (and not being erased)?