"You really wouldn't know it, the way he trains and practices," Laviolette said. "I think sometimes age is what you make it to be. He doesn't look for days off. He doesn't use that. Actually, it's the exact opposite.
"He's been a terrific influence on our younger players . . . having them after practice or getting them extra work or coming back to the rink for some extra work."
Jagr signed a one-year, $3.3 million contract before the season. He would like to sign another one-year deal with the Flyers.
"I don't think it's going to be a problem - because, from my side, I'm happy," he told reporters after the morning skate. "I like this team too much. I don't want to go anywhere."
Jagr said his happiness outweighs the size of the contract.
"If it were about money, I wouldn't have come here when I could have made three times more in Russia," he said.
Pronger struggling
Chris Pronger's wife, Lauren, told CSN her husband has "good days, bad days. It's been a lot of trauma going on, and we're just praying right now. . . . He's battling. He wants to be out there more than anybody. It's tough for all of us to watch him go through this."
Pronger, the Flyers captain, is expected to miss the rest of the season with a concussion. He was not able to attend Wednesday's Flyers' wives fashion show because it was a "bad day" for him, said his wife, who hosted the event.
"It breaks his heart, breaks my heart," Lauren Pronger said.
Holmgren said that Pronger recently started wearing glasses and that it "helped him a little bit." The GM said that he thought of himself as a "glass half-full kind of guy," but that it was extremely doubtful Pronger would be able to play in the playoffs.
Breakaways
James van Riemsdyk, who missed his third straight game because of a concussion, worked out briefly Thursday and showed no ill effects, Holmgren said. . . . The Islanders' Steve Staios, who hit Max Talbot in the head eight nights ago, was a healthy scratch. . . . Blair Betts has been struggling in his knee rehab and probably won't play this season, Holmgren said.
Svoboda is also talking to Holmgren about his other Flyers client, Jakub Voracek. . . . The Flyers lead the NHL with nine players who have reached double-digits in goals.
Contact staff writer Sam Carchidi at scarchidi@phillynews.com or on Twitter @BroadStBull.
