Melrose Minute: Panthers would be wise to keep Jagr

Last week word came out of south Florida that the Florida Panthers were interested in bringing Jaromir Jagr back for the 2015-16 season. Jagr turns 44 next season, but despite his age he's proven to be a valuable commodity, and I said back when the Panthers acquired him in February that I thought he could be a valuable addition to the team. So far it looks like he has been.

The Panthers aren't entirely out of the mix for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, particularly after a big win Sunday night and with a big game against the Boston Bruins on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; SNE, SNO, SNW, FS-F, NESN), but making the playoffs will probably mean running the table. That's tough to do. Jagr's impact, however, doesn't have to be limited to this playoff race. The Panthers have plenty of young kids, but what's the use in having 12 good young forwards without anyone showing them how to win? Someone has to teach the young players in Florida how to be pros, how to play hard every night, how to take care of yourself off the ice.

If I'm a young player, especially a European player, and Jaromir Jagr tells me something, I'm going to listen.

Someone like Jagr being in the locker room is a great tool for a talented young team like Florida. He'll teach them how to play and how to control the puck and take care of their bodies. There comes a point when you're rebuilding where you've got to get past having young players and take a shot at winning. Florida looks like it's at that point right now, and Jagr is the right piece to help this team take that next step.

Even if the Panthers don't make the playoffs this season, next season they will certainly be in the mix and Jagr can help get them there. It's one thing to have coaches tell players the proper ways to play and prepare. Jagr is a teammate with experience and numbers that force you to take notice. This is a guy who arguably would be No. 2 in every major scoring category in NHL history if he hadn't spent some time in the Kontinental Hockey League or played through three separate work stoppages over his career. When he tells you how to play and you see him do it on the ice, that's pretty strong motivation.

Young teams need good veterans around their young stars and Jagr gives the Panthers that element. Not only that, but the way he plays is the right way to play in the NHL now. He doesn't throw the puck away, he protects it so well with his body. Possession is big in the NHL right now and that's his game. Is he as dynamic or fast as he once was? No. But his fundamentals are fantastic and he can provide the example a young team full of potential needs to fulfill it.

Obviously nothing is signed and nothing is in stone, but bringing Jagr back next season would be a great move for the Panthers as they continue to grow.

LETANG'S IMPACT

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is a player whose game can sometimes put him in vulnerable situations. He holds the puck a lot, he plays with abandon, and sometimes he gets himself into some real tough situations. The latest news that he has a concussion following a hit from Arizona Coyotes forward Shane Doan has to give Pittsburgh some concern. Those same things that make Letang vulnerable are part of what make him so valuable.

Letang is the Penguins' best defenseman. He runs the power play, he plays a ton of minutes and he's an excellent player on a team that isn't great defensively anyway. Simply put, he is a player Pittsburgh can't afford to lose for any significant period of time, and while we don't know how long he'll be out, an extended absence could be a huge hit to the Penguins' Stanley Cup hopes.

Obviously the Penguins will make the playoffs, but I think without Letang it's doubtful they'll even win a playoff round. The Penguins have looked inconsistent at times and they'll be competing with the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and a Washington Capitals team that is playing great right now. Outside of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Letang might be the toughest loss Pittsburgh can have personnel-wise. The Penguins are going to need him back in the lineup to have any chance of coming out of the Eastern Conference.