Jaromir Jagr passes Mark Messier for second on points list

— -- Jaromir Jagr has taken sole possession of second all-time in NHL points with 1,888 with an assist in the third period of the Florida Panthers' game against the visiting Boston Bruins.

Thursday night's assist broke a tie with Mark Messier.?Only Wayne Gretzky's total of 2,857 is better than that, and Jagr -- the 44-year-old forward who has said he can see himself playing until he's 50 -- says the top spot is going to stay far from his reach.

Jagr would have been No. 2 long ago if not for his leaving the NHL to play in Russia from 2008 through 2011. Jagr collected 146 points in those three seasons, deciding to play there in part because of the proximity to his parents in the Czech Republic. But he missed the NHL, returned to play with Philadelphia in 2011-12 -- and has been collecting jerseys since, also logging time with Dallas, Boston, New Jersey and now Florida.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.