Long before he became a charming cult hero, Jaromir Jagr was the NHL’s No. 1 villain.
He was probably the best player in the world at that point in 2001 — the first since Wayne Gretzky to lead the league in scoring for four years straight — but also appeared to turn his back on the Pittsburgh Penguins. What followed were the lost years of a Hall of Fame career, a period of frustration, disappointment, big money and turmoil with the Washington Capitals.
“I guarantee if you talk to Jaromir he would admit that was kind of a rough time in his life, a rough time in his career,” said Tim Hunter, a former assistant coach with the Capitals.