Jagr on ice

Huberdeau, Barkov want linemate back next year

But the Panthers veteran may go back on the ice.

Although the underachieving Florida Panthers are watching the Stanley Cup playoffs instead of participating in them, General Manager Dale Tallon believes the talent-laden, youthful roster needs only a few tweaks to get back on the winning track.

While Tallon is busy interviewing coaching candidates to succeed interim coach Tom Rowe, he’s also in the process of determining whether 45-year-old icon and impending free-agent right wing Jaromir Jagr can still contribute to a contending team.

“It’s a matter of what’s best for Jaromir,” Tallon told SportsNet Canada on Saturday. “He had another good year, 46 points and played all 82 games without Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau.

“If it makes sense for both of us, we’ll probably do something.”

Tallon will meet with Jagr’s agent, Petr Svoboda, this week at the IIHF World Championships about a possible one-year contract, something Jagr has played on in each of the past six seasons, including a $4 million deal with Florida in 2016-17.

The Panthers aren’t expected to sign any of their own free agents — including Jagr, Jakub Kindl or Thomas Vanek — before June 17, when they have to submit their protected list for the June 21 expansion draft.

While Jagr deftly avoided the issue on exit day last month, he left the door open for a return to the Panthers, where he has

“It’s a matter of what’s best for Jaromir. If it makes sense for both of us, we’ll probably do something.” GM Dale Tallon

MICHAEL DWYER/AP “I still love the game and still want to get better every day I step on the ice,” Jaromir Jagr says of continuing to play in the NHL.