Dallas' Jaromir Jagr still a star at age 40

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

DETROIT - Jaromir Jagr's presence in the NHL for his 23rd professional season qualifies as a love story.

"You love the game, and when you love it, you want to be with that game," Jagr said. "It's like a marriage. Do you ever imagine you would stay with your wife that long? If you love her, you will stay with her."

At 40, the Dallas Stars forward might not be quite as dashing as he once was on the ice. But as a league personality, he is as quick-witted and dynamic as ever. The playfulness, impish grin and insightfulness are vintage Jagr. He hasn't lost a step in his ability to stickhandle through an interview with three national news reporters.

He chews for a second or two on a question about passion before he decides he has had it for as long as he can remember.

"I've always wanted to be the best every day," he says. "Probably you look at hockey a little bit differently. Now you want to be the best for the team. When you were younger, you didn't think much about the team. You are a little more selfish when you are younger. When you are older, you want to do it the best to help the team. … You don't want to be the guy who makes mistakes."

Frankness comes easy to Jagr, a benefit of being a legendary figure. When you are approaching 700 career NHL goals, you have license to say what's on your mind.

At the morning skate Tuesday, Jagr and coach Glen Gulutzan were huddled together talking about power-play strategy.

"Some of the things he's talked about on the power play we've utilized, and they've worked for us and will be part of our PP going forward," said Gulutzan, a year older than Jagr.

Gulutzan doesn't mind having a give-and-take with Jagr because he already has proved he's committed to doing what it takes to win. He asked for a key to the team training facility so he could work out late at night.

"He's 100% on board," Gulutzan said. "He's not 99% on board. He's 100% on board."

Jagr proved he can still play at a high level with a four-point game in the Stars' season opener.

"Obviously, he has come in and made an impact on the ice," Stars forward Eric Nystrom said. "But he has been great in the room. He's a lighthearted guy, a funny guy, a pleasure to be around. He's great to watch and learn from."

Jagr always is interesting, whether he's joking about how heavy his skates feel or insisting the move to Dallas has resulted in more sunshine than he had previously known.

"He is still probably doing the same things he did 20 years ago," Nystrom said. "He's always in the weight room, joking around or messing with his stick. He definitely loves the game."

But the Stars signed Jagr for his one-timers, not his one-liners.

"You think of Jaromir as all the skill," Gulutzan said. "But you watch just the subtleties he has to score goals — he goes to the tough areas to score, he goes there with his stick down, he will go to the front of the net, he causes traffic, he's a big body."

Jagr has never liked to take days off. "My body doesn't get tired," he said. "I would rather feel tired and strong than fresh and weak."

Jagr signed with Dallas last summer after he grew impatient with Philadelphia Flyers management as it sorted out personnel decisions. But he liked the idea of playing in the Western Conference for the first time, and he presumably liked the idea of being able to play on the top line for a Dallas team that is hungry to make the playoffs. He's currently playing with Loui Eriksson and Derek Roy. Likely, he will end up with Jamie Benn when he finally re-signs.

Winning, Jagr insists, is his objective. That raises the question of why he went to Dallas, where winning isn't a recent tradition.

"Nobody can guarantee anyone who is going to win," Jagr said. "How many favorites have won the Cup in the last 10 years? Not many. … There are not many geniuses in the league who can say this team is going to win."

Jagr clearly likes challenges.

"The challenge here is to make the playoffs," he said. "That's the first goal. The team didn't make the playoffs, not for four years. That's the first step."

He is on a one-year, $4.55 million deal but seems as if he will be playing beyond this season. And he won't be done with hockey after he retires. He's majority owner of the team in his hometown of Kladno, Czech Republic. He's married to the sport, a till-death-do-us-part arrangement.