Last sentence - you clearly illustrate the importance of playing without the puck since your offensive position is dictated by where you were before you got the puck.Likewise defense.
Gretzky especially and Lemieux to an extent understood neutral ice positioning without the puck and its value both offensively and defensively for a center. Jagr was not a center but a RW. His responsibilities without the puck were fewer but he was not very good at focusing on them.
Let me put this in another context. If Jagr was better or more focused on his play without the puck then his scoring would have been higher and his defensive play would have been better.
Jagr's scoring was as high as it could get during the "Dead Puck Era. In his first 11 seasons in Pittsburgh he had 1079 Pts in just 806 games. That's a PPG of 1.34 and considering his first 2 seasons in the NHL he was below PPG, then what he accomplished is quite amazing. Jagr didn't really hit his stride until 1993-94 (he was 9th in league scoring that season and Lemieux was injured). Anything 1993-94 and post is considered significantly lower than the 80's and even the 70's. Starting in 1993-94 and going forward Jagr enjoyed a streak of dominance that is matched by very few in the history of the game.
Taking into account eras and scoring, Jagr's prime is top 10 all-time. Only Lemieux, Gretzky, Orr, Howe had better primes than him and then players like Beliveau, Lafleur, Esposito, Richard are in the same range.
He had 126 Pts in 150 games in his first 2 seasons. Remove those 2 seasons from his time in Pittsburgh, this is what you get: 953 Pts in 656 games, that's a PPG of 1.45. Outside of Gretzky and Lemieux, find me a player who had a more impressive 9 year stretch, you would be hard pressed to do so.
I respect your opinion and I do see where you are coming from but I have noticed that whenever someone brings up any good arguments that show Jagr's strengths and strengthen his case for top 10 all-time, you are quick to try and discredit everything he has accomplished.
Lafleur and Richard were no better defensively and position wise (as you yourself claims that Right Wingers have less responsibilities than Centermen) and yet their offense doesn't match Jagr's offensive output adjusted.
Jagr's offense adjusted is most likely just behind Gretzky and Lemieux' in terms of points, PPG.
Now include the fact that Jagr was even better than Gretzky at even strength and far ahead of Lemieux and you can see why so many people feel Jagr is a top 10 all-time player and top 5 forward.
