By Jacob Messing

The NHL is a month and a half into free agency, and the growing trend of ageism is claiming another group of veterans.

Jarome Iginla, Thomas Vanek, and future first-ballot Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr are just a few of the formidable players still searching for new contracts.

Jagr, 45, remains a force on the ice despite having his worst full season in terms of point production. Last year, he tallied 46 points; the year before, with similar ice time and games played, he reached 66 points. However, he was stuck on a surprisingly underwhelming Florida Panthers team that was dealing with a reconstructed defense, significant injuries, and front-office turmoil.

The man from Kladno, Czech Republic, recently stated that he wants to hit the 2,000 career points mark, but since he currently sits at 1,914 points, he would need to play for two more seasons -- a 86-point year is extremely unlikely, even for him. Being he also sits at 765 goals, he could very well score 35 goals across two more seasons to reach 800 career goals, as well.

That makes him one motivated veteran. Even at 45, Jagr continues to dominate possession numbers, and given his uncharacteristically low shooting percentage from 2016-17, he’s due for better luck and some form of a bounce-back season.

Arizona Coyotes

First things first, wherever -- and whenever -- Jagr signs, it will likely be with a stronger Cup contender. But Jagr’s ability to rediscover his scoring touch upon joining the Panthers during the 2014-15 season was largely due to the influx of youth on the roster.

Jagr openly spoke about how the young team made him feel like a kid again and his 130 points in 181 games with Florida shows that. That same youth of Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov mutually benefitted from learning from one of the greatest players in NHL history.

His dedication to the game and expansive knowledge was certainly passed down to his teammates. In Arizona, an even younger team with a brighter future would also see a major benefit from Jagr teaching Max Domi, Clayton Keller, and Dylan Strome the ropes of the NHL.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus has had a slight overhaul of its offense but hasn’t filled its roster holes with proven NHL talent. For a team coming off its best year in franchise history, it would be foolish to hand prospects those spots and expect the same results.

Bringing in Jagr to fill the second-line, right-wing role alongside Brandon Dubinsky and Nick Foligno would be a huge follow-up behind a top line of Cam Atkinson, Alexander Wennberg, and Artemi Panarin.

Jagr wouldn’t add to the grittiness the Blue Jackets roster has been built with over the past several seasons, but he brings more pure skill and experience than the rest of the team. However, Dubinsky and Foligno play with enough grit and strength for an entire team and would help alleviate pressure on Jagr while maintaining an ability to score.

Florida Panthers

After news surfaced that the Panthers promised Jagr an extension following the expansion draft, more rumors came out stating that the team wanted to shed some salary. In 2015-16, Jagr signed a one-year, bonus-laden deal worth just north of $5.4 million, followed by another bonus-laden, one-year deal at $5.5 million.

Jagr is reportedly seeking similar money that Florida is reluctant to offer given his decline from the past several years. However, the Panthers’ losses of Jonathan Marchessault, Jussi Jokinen, and Reilly Smith leave the team rather short up front.

The team then signed Evgeni Dadonov of the KHL and Radim Vrbata, adding age and risk to the offense. Jagr’s track record and chemistry with Barkov and Huberdeau should help Florida ultimately decide to sign him to another one-year deal for the 2017-18 season.

Nashville Predators

After a roller-coaster regular season, the Predators were finally healthy and able to find their game as a team during the playoffs, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history.

The team lost James Neal and Mike Fisher in the offseason -- and Mike Ribiero, who was sent to the AHL midseason -- and replaced them with veterans Nick Bonino and Scott Hartnell. Aside from an impeccable top line, Nashville is suddenly facing a step backward in offensive depth and questions over Bonino’s reliability as a permanent second line center.

Jagr would slot in as a more-than-formidable second line right wing and steady the top six with strong possession numbers and the ability to make his linemates better. The Predators remain a Cup contender, and Jagr should have mutual interest.

New York Rangers

While the New York Rangers have a solid top-nine group of forwards, you’d be hard-pressed to find a team that Jagr wouldn’t help improve. The Rangers have been on the edge of a Stanley Cup for years now and in any “X player deserves a Stanley Cup” argument, goalie Henrik Lundqvist’s name will always pop up. Lundqvist is the only constant since Jagr last suited up for the Rangers in 2007-08, and reuniting the two motivated veterans could help push New York over the top.

The Rangers are already clogged on the right side, but swapping some wings and moving Kevin Hayes into a full-time center role -- where he took almost 1,000 draws in 2016-17 -- would help balance the team.

Jagr’s consistency in controlling play would help alleviate the Rangers’ defense, spark the offense, and bring 2016-17’s 10th-worst possession team toward the higher end of the league.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @JMessing23.