Jaromir Jagr: 'I don't think I am so bad' that playing in the NHL at 45 is out of reach

The unsigned forward, still in search of a team, is campaigning for himself

Since hitting the open market July 1, Jaromir Jagr has been publicly discarded by the Florida Panthers, been offered a perk-heavy contract by a determined minor-league team and poked fun at his apparent lack of phone calls from free-agent suitors.

Now the 45-year-old forward, a staple of NHL history with countless records and five Art Ross Trophies to his name, is standing up for himself and wondering aloud why he wouldn't be welcomed back for the 2017-18 season.

"I don't think I am so bad that I couldn't play there," Jagr said of the NHL this week, as reported by Czech hockey writer Zdenek Janda and relayed by TSN.

The quote -- and, more so, the situation itself -- is prime joke material or, better yet, a real-life representation of the "how the mighty have fallen" theme. But Jagr seems neither arrogant nor off base with his comments.

Even at 45, he has the track record and the recent résumé to warrant attention. That he played all 82 games with the Panthers in 2016-17 is reason alone to take him seriously. That he posted 30 assists for the second straight season is even more impressive. The numbers suggest Jagr remains reasonably reliable, especially if he's paired with accompanying talent, and common sense says a handful of postseason seekers should still have him on their radar this summer.