3 Pittsburgh Penguins players to have their jersey numbers retired ft. Jaromir Jagr

The Pittsburgh Penguins, one of the NHL's most storied franchises, have been home to some of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Over the years, certain players have left an indelible mark on the team, their contributions extending beyond mere statistics to define an era of success and excellence. As the organization has previously retired the jersey numbers of a select few who have earned this distinguished honor.

In this article, we will explore three Pittsburgh Penguins players who have undoubtedly etched their names into the team's history.

#3. Pittsburgh Penguins #21 Jersey

The Pittsburgh Penguins unofficially retired the #21 jersey in honor of rookie Michel Briere, who wore it during the 1969-70 season. Tragically, Briere lost his life in a car accident on April 13, 1971. The team never assigned the number to another player, and it was officially retired on January 5, 2001, with a ceremony at the Mellon Arena that included raising a #21 banner to the rafters.

Following this, the Penguins sent their old jerseys to Briere's former team in Shawinigan. However, when the players wore them for six games, they experienced six consecutive losses, leading to the jerseys being unofficially retired and never worn again.

#2. Mario Lemieux - #66

Mario Lemieux's #66 jersey was retired initially from November 19, 1997, to December 27, 2000. He formally announced his retirement on January 24, 2006. The Penguins honored him with a new banner that was raised during the home opener on October 5, 2006.

On his 41st birthday, a ceremony took place, projecting an image of Mario Lemieux's retirement banner onto the ice at the Mellon Arena before the Pittsburgh Penguins faced the Philadelphia Flyers. It marked a significant moment, as Lemieux's number 66 had been retired previously from November 19, 1997, to December 27, 2000.

#1. Jaromír Jagr #68

On Friday, the team announced that they will be retiring the No. 68 jersey of Stanley Cup Champion Jaromír Jagr during a pre-game ceremony at PPG Paints Arena in February. Jagr, a 10-time All-Star with a remarkable NHL career spanning over two decades, holds the record for the most game-winning goals in league history, with an impressive 135.

Having been drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round of the 1990 NHL Draft, Jagr dedicated the first 11 seasons of his 24-year NHL journey to the Penguins, participating in 806 regular-season games. To celebrate this iconic player, the Penguins are organizing "Celebrate 68" events. Fans attending the February 18th game against the L.A. Kings will receive a replica Jagr No. 68 banner, and on March 14th against the San Jose Sharks, a commemorative Jagr bobblehead will be given to all fans in attendance.