NHL Team's Bobblehead Shipment Stolen, Throwing Giveaway Plans Into Chaos

Bobbleheads intended as giveaways for Pittsburgh Penguins fans at their game against the San Jose Sharks have been stolen en route to California, according to a statement from the NHL. They had been designed to resemble former Penguins captain Jaromír Jágr, 52, who will attend tonight’s game.

It became apparent to the Penguins that the shipment was stolen when it didn’t arrive at the expected time. The team is currently working with both the manufacturer and local authorities to locate the stolen cargo.

“We were shocked to be a victim of cargo theft, and we are working closely with local and federal authorities on the investigation,” said Kevin Acklin, the Penguins' president of business operations. “While this unfortunate incident adds to the legend of Jaromír Jágr…we look forward to resolving this theft and delivering the prized Jagr bobbleheads to their rightful homes with our fans.”

While the bobbleheads will obviously not be given away at tonight’s game, attendees will receive a voucher with a one-time scannable barcode so they may pick up their bobbleheads at a later date. It’s unclear when that will be. NHL reported that the team is hoping to find the missing boxes of bobbleheads, but if those can’t be located they’ll produce new bobbleheads for fans.

It’s unclear whether the supposed thieves knew the boxes contained bobbleheads, or thought the contents were something much more valuable. They'll likely be disappointed if they were hoping to score a massive payday. Most Penguins bobbleheads resell on eBay and similar sites for $60 or less. The recognizable nature of the (now infamous) Jágr keepsake will no doubt make them even more difficult to unload.

Jágr’s No. 68 was retired by the Penguins during a pre-game ceremony in February. He remains the second all-time leading scorer in the NHL’s history. He is the owner of the Rytíři Kladno team, of the Czech Extraliga (ELH), for whom he also serves as a right-winger.