from Adam Proteau of The Hockey News,

There’s speculation the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to hire franchise icon Jaromir Jagr in a front office role whenever he decides to retire from active competition, and you can certainly see why a team would want the opinion and insight a surefire Hockey Hall of Famer like the Czech legend would provide.

And it’s not as if Jagr is the only elite athlete teams would want to remain in, return to, or join their organization once their playing days are over. In Ottawa, longtime star and former captain Daniel Alfredsson is currently apprenticing as an assistant coach under interim bench boss Jacques Martin. In Edmonton, all-time great defenseman Paul Coffey is presently an associate coach for the Oilers. And there are whispers Columbus cornerstone Rick Nash is being considered as the Blue Jackets’ next GM.

But wait – there’s more: in Montreal, Martin St-Louis has enjoyed a lot of success in his first stint as an NHL coach. In Vancouver, Rick Tocchet is thriving as Canucks coach. In Detroit, Steve Yzerman has the trust and respect of Red Wings supporters in his GM role. And on Long Island, Patrick Roy is trying his damnedest to push the New York Islanders into a playoff spot. Where there’s a vacuum of leadership, there’s an opportunity for retired elite players to step in and try their luck at coaching and management.

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