By the Letters: Double “J” Juggernauts—Jagr, Juneau, and "Jumbo Joe"
In the Professors’ Press Box, writing a series on hockey history alphabetically has been a blast. For any long-time hockey fan, letter “J” sticks out immediately for several reasons. For example, three legendary NHL icons come to mind when letter “J” is uttered: Jaromir Jagr, Joe Juneau, and “Jumbo Joe” Thornton.
Jaromir Jagr: The Ageless Legend
You can’t talk about letter “J” without starting with Jaromir Jagr. Drafted 5th overall by Pittsburgh in 1990, Jagr is currently sitting second all-time with 1,921 NHL points. Over 1,733 NHL games, Jagr played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, and Calgary Flames.
Cool Fact: Jaromir Jagr is a member of the Triple Gold Club; winning the Stanley Cup (1991, 1992), Ice Hockey World Championships (2005, 2010), and Olympic Gold Medal (1998).
Joe Juneau: The Engineering Elite
Joe Juneau was a bit of an anomaly—a guy who was as brilliant in the classroom as he was on the power play. He actually finished an aeronautical engineering degree in just three years with a 4.0 GPA before fully committing to the NHL. During the 1992–93 season with the Boston Bruins, Juneau set an NHL record for the most assists by a rookie left-winger with 70—a mark that stood for nearly thirty years.
Cool Fact: Joe Juneau wore #90 for the majority of his career; his reason for choosing #90 was due to his preferred #9 being retired or worn by different players.
“Jumbo Joe” Thornton: Hockey Hall of Famer
The #1 draft pick from the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, "Jumbo Joe" Thornton, won the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy in the same season he was traded from Boston to San Jose (2005-06), proving he could carry a franchise on his back regardless of the jersey. “Jumbo Joe”, who helped Canada win Gold at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, is a member of the NHL’s exclusive 1,000-assist club.
The Power of the Double “J”
From Jagr’s historic climb up the NHL’s scoring ladder to Juneau’s record-breaking rookie year and the era-defining vision of “Jumbo Joe”, letter "J" represents some of the elite moments in NHL history. These three players didn't just wear the jersey; they helped shape the modern game into the high-skill sport it is today.