Jagr, on hometown team, starts 36th pro season

PRAGUE — Jaromir Jagr has made his ice hockey season debut at age 51 for his hometown Kladno Knights in the Czech league.

Jagr began his 36th professional season with an assist to help Kladno come back from 3-0 down at league leader Pardubice. Kladno eventually tied the score but conceded a short-handed goal to lose 4-3.

He skated for 13 minutes, 44 seconds. He didn’t talk to reporters after the game, but coach Otakar Vejvoda called Jagr’s contribution “excellent.”

His return is expected to be a boost for Kladno, which is second to last on the table.

He started the season in Kladno’s 26th game, but late starts are not uncommon for Jagr, who entered last season in game No. 27.

Jagr made his debut for Kladno as a teenager and returned to the club, which he now owns, in 2018 after the Calgary Flames released the NHL’s second-all-time-leading point scorer.