Devils' Jagr equates climbing back into playoff race to losing weight

Please Jagr, don't leave us.

As he and the New Jersey Devils prepared for a Wednesday tilt with the Ottawa Senators, the legendary forward got creative while explaining how the club will attempt to climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

"We know we probably have to win 35 of 50 to make the playoffs and just go from there," Jaromir Jagr told Tom Gulitti of Fire and Ice in regards to a Devils squad that posted a record of 11-15-6 through 32 games.

And here's where things get interesting.

"It’s like somebody got really, really fat and then one day they lose four pounds," he opined. "You’re still not going to see it (at first), but if you set up the goal that he’s going to lose 100 pounds in three months, he can do it. He has to work day by day. I think that’s the thing to do, the easiest way to do it."

For his part, the 42-year-old has contributed five goals and 15 assists, and refuses to give up a positive attitude.

Nobody is really counting on us anymore," he said. "Everybody is saying we are done. We are a joke of the NHL. That’s fine ... I know we are not good right now, but it’s not done."

With a win over Ottawa, the Devils will draw even with the Senators in points (30), thereby creeping closer towards a wild card playoff spot.