We’ve known all season long that Jaromir Jagr is a huge admirer of Claude Giroux‘s game in Philadelphia but he’s got another young star who he can’t help but laud after last night. Flyers rookie Sean Couturier netting a hat trick in the Flyers’ 8-5 Game 2 win over Pittsburgh got Jagr gushing and comparing him to another former Penguins teammate.
As Jagr told Seth Rorabaugh of Empty Netters, he’s almost run out of great things to say about Couturier.
“I don’t know if I know if I know any words to describe his game today. Awesome? Maybe something better than that,” Jagr asked. ”I would say he’s our best defensive forward. Age 18-, 19-year-old. Ron Francis was kind of like that. “
Jagr compared Claude Giroux to Mario Lemieux at the beginning of the year and again on Twitter after the game, but comparing Couturier to Francis for the work he’s done in keeping likely MVP Evgeni Malkin quiet so far and in scoring goals makes Francis an apt, but lofty one for now.
With the Flyers up 2-0 in the series and heading back home with a chance to put the Penguins away, it’s tough to say that Jagr is wrong for his compliments. Now it’s up to the Penguins to silence Jagr and prevent him from comparing other Flyers to his former Penguins Stanley Cup-winning teammates.
