Jarome Iginla

Jarome Iginla played hockey hard and honest, skillfully and physically. He was the complete package, a modern day Gordie Howe if you will. Despite going to war night in and night out, he never made an enemy.

In 21 seasons and 1554 NHL games, Iginla did it all in his career, except win the Stanley Cup. Twice he won the Rocket Richard trophies as the NHL’s goal-scoring leader, and was once the NHL scoring champion with the Art Ross trophy. He won the Ted Lindsay award as the best player in the league as chosen by his peers.

Despite never winning hockey's coveted silver chalice, Iginla's lasting legacy will be golden. He was a significant contributor to two Canadian Olympic gold medal victories.

 In 2002, Canada ended a 50-year gold medal drought in men’s hockey, thanks in large part to the line combination of Iginla, Joe Sakic and Simon Gagne. The trio combined for eight points in the gold-medal final, a 5-2 victory over the United States.

Eight years later, at Canada’s home Olympics in Vancouver, Iginla punched the puck through to an open Sidney Crosby, who famously scored the overtime "Golden Goal." in the most pressured filled and scrutinized hockey tournament any Canadian team had ever faced. The result was not just hockey gold but hockey immortality.

Iggy was always willing to represent Canada, and he proudly represented the Calgary Flames most of his career as well. The modern day NHL sees even its most legendary stars turn to vagabonds late in their careers, and Iginla was no exception. He chased the Stanley Cup with brief stops in Colorado, Pittsburgh, Boston and Los Angeles.

If there was ever a player you wanted for that one big game, it was Jarome Iginla. He is a certain Hockey Hall of Famer come 2020.

Jarome Iginla Back To The Flames?

When the regular season ended for the Los Angeles Kings, many wondered if we had seen the last of
Jarome Iginla.

Maybe not.

The 39 year old veteran and future Hall of Famer has hinted he might continue you on for at least one more season.

"I'd like to keep playing," he surprised.

“I will be 40 in the summer and coming off of really my toughest year I’ve had in my career. Looking back it was a tough year but I’m also thankful looking back I haven’t had a lot of those tough years and I would like that chance to – and I really do think I can do better, but we’ll see where that’s at,” Iginla said philosophically. “Part of it is also understanding I’m not as prolific a goal scorer, point producer, whatever but I think I can still have a really good year and be effective for teams and compete hard and battle and stuff like that and try to do the strengths I do or have been able to do as a player.”

So Iginla is willing to see what is out there, and he is willing to play a lesser role. Is there any chance Iginla could return for one last season with the Calgary Flames, where he is arguably the greatest player in franchise history?

The idea was floated prior to this season's trade deadline. With Iginla's Colorado Avalanche buried in the standings, everyone including Iginla expected a trade. Iginla could control his destiny, and chose to go to LA even though at that point the Kings' playoff hopes were already slim.

Did the Flames make a move for Iginla then? Will they make an offer this summer?

It could be an awkward fit for the young and exciting Flames. They are built on speed and skill, while Iginla has lost a step. Iginla is a former 50 goal scorer struggled this season though he did find a bit of finish in LA. Perhaps if he were to play with a top young playmaker like Sean Monahan he could rebound to the 20 goal level? Or perhaps he could provide a leadership role from the bottom six while sliding up to a top line from time to time? Or would Iginla's stature in Calgary interfere with the good thing they got going?

Jarome Iginla has become a real vagabond late in his career, which is a little sad. He will always be a Calgary Flame in most of our eyes. It might be unlikely, but it would be nice to see him end his career with the franchise.

History Made: Jarome Iginla With 30 Goals Again

With two goals in Boston's 4-2 win over Washington on Saturday afternoon, the red hot Jarome Iginla hit the 30 goal mark for the 12th time in his career.

That puts Iginla in some pretty fine company. Only 11 other players - all Hockey Hall of Famers - have had 30 goals or more in 12 seasons in their careers:

Mike Gartner - 17
Jaromir Jagr - 15
Wayne Gretzky - 14
Marcel Dionne - 14
Gordie Howe - 14
Bobby Hull - 13
Brett Hull - 13
Phil Esposito - 13
Mats Sundin - 13
Luc Robitaille 12
Brendan Shanahan -12
Jarome Iginla - 12

"Iggy" now has 558 career NHL goals, ranking him 25th all time.

Jarome Iginla: Greatest Flame Of All Time? (Plus Top 5 Memories)

Over the years there have been a lot of great players to wear the red and white of the Calgary Flames. Jarome Iginla knows, because he grew up watching them.

Who is the greatest Flame in Calgary history? Iginla, who actually grew up an Oilers fan but knew the Flames intimately thanks to the heated Battle of Alberta in the 1980s, has an answer for that:

"It's a very tough question because you have Lanny McDonald, Mike Vernon, (Al) MacInnis, (Kent) Nilsson. But to me, from having seen him growing up and having a chance to play with him, I would say Theo (Fleury) .

"I was a pretty young guy watching them, and the one guy who was always making an impact would be Theo Fleury. He was a game-breaker, but he was also causing havoc and probably one of the greatest pests of all time. He did that role was so well. I don't how many times he scored 50 (he had a 51-goal campaign in 1990-91 and 46 tallies in 1995-96), but he scored a lot of key goals for them."

Iginla may very well be right. After all, Fleury was a key component of the 1989 Stanley Cup championship, Calgary's only title, and was the heart and soul of the franchise in the 1990s.

Joe Nieuwendyk and Miikka Kiprusoff also deserve to be part of the conversation, but Iginla, to no surprise, left his own name off the list of the best. But I think it is pretty clear that the man they call "Iggy" is the undisputed greatest Flame in Calgary hockey history.

Iginla needs 3 goals to overtake Fleury as the all time leading goal scorer in franchise history. By the end of next season, health willing, he should overtake Fleury for the all time points title as well. Earlier this season he passed Al MacInnis on the all time games played list. He's contracted to Calgary for another 6 years, and he has no intention of leaving or slowing down, so he will pad his totals quite nicely in that time.

Moreover, the long time Flames captain has won a NHL scoring title, two NHL goal scoring titles, a Lester B. Pearson Trophy as the player's choice for player of the year, and was runner up for the Hart Trophy. He was instrumental on the international stage, helping Canada win two Olympic gold medals and a World Cup.

I think within time most will agree Iginla will rank as the greatest Flame. But the only thing missing from his resume that would cement that status for him - a Stanley Cup.

Iginla led the Flames to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in 2004, finally bowing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. That may be close enough as far as history's rear view mirror is concerned.

There is no doubt in my mind that Jarome Iginla leaves Calgary as the greatest player in franchise history. Let's look back at Iginla's top memories:

1: Jarome Iginla vs Vincent Lecavalier, Stanley Cup Finals 2004. The fight has entered hockey lore as one of the few legendary fights that people talk about endlessly. For Iginla and the Flames, it was all part of a magical spring.



2: Jarome Iginla's international play: He was an absolute force when helping Canada end it's 50 year gold medal drought at Salt Lake in 2002:



And, of course, in 2002 Jarome Iginla set up what is perhaps the most famous goal in Canadian hockey history:



3: Jarome Iginla's classy good-bye to respected rival Trevor Linden. There are few more classy players in league history than these two.




4: Jarome Iginla's 500th goal (plus video tribute):




5: Jarome Iginla's 1000th point:

Thank You Iggy!

Jarome Iginla is a healthy scratch for tonight's game against Colorado. Iggy, one of the classiest players the NHL has ever known, has likely played his last game in Calgary, as a trade is likely imminent. Stay tuned for more details.

Classy Iginla Surprises Fan. Will He Surprise You Next?

Calgary Flames Captain and Scotiabank Hockey Ambassador, Jarome Iginla, surprises a fan with a $25,000 cheque for following Scotiabank’s Mortgage-Free Faster tips! This is a fantastic and genuine moment for a true fan.



You can enter to win a $25,000 pre-payment towards your Scotiabank mortgage or $10,000 cash! Enter Scotiabank’s Mortgage-Free Faster contest.

Jarome Iginla Nets 500

Congratulations to Jarome Iginla for scoring his 500th NHL goal of his amazing career. Iginla is the 42nd player to reach the milestone and just the 19th to do it with one team.

The other players who scored 500 goals with the same team are Jean Beliveau, Gilbert Perrault, Bryan Trottier, Stan Mikita, Maurice Richard, Johnny Bucyk, Guy Lafleur, Mike Bossy, Joe Sakic, Bobby Hull, Luc Robitaille, Mario Lemieux, Steve Yzerman, Marcel Dionne, Brett Hull, Mike Modano, Gordie Howe, and Wayne Gretzky.

Of that list Iginla joins Modano, Beliveau, Perreault, Mikita, Richard, Bossy, Sakic, Bobby Hull, Lemieux, and Yzerman as having scored all his career goals with just the one organization.

Also of interest:

• The 500th goal was also the 34th career goal against the Minnesota Wild. He has also scored 34 against Edmonton and Colorado, the most goals he has scored against any one team.
• 80 of his goals have been game winners, including the Saturday night goal against Minnesota.
• 115 of his career goals came on a Saturday.
• He has taken just shy of 3800 career shots, for a career shooting percentage of about 13%.

Health willing, Jarome probably has 3 productive seasons left in him, and he could continue to play beyond that. He could challenge 600 goals and 1200 points, very impressive numbers in any era, but especially considering some of his strongest seasons came in the dead puck era.

He is a three time First Team All Star on right wing. He is a two time Maurice Richard Trophy winner as top goal scorer in the league. He also won an Art Ross Trophy, Pearson Award and was once a runner up for the Hart Trophy. He is the undisputed face of his franchise.

Iginla does not have a Stanley Cup ring, and some believe that is a pre-requisite for Hall of Fame inclusion. I disagree, especially in this era of 30 teams. Besides, Iginla played top line roles in three Olympics with Team Canada, winning two gold medals. Some of his most memorable moments came at the game's highest level.

Even without a Cup ring, it could be argued Iginla had more playoff success than a few of the Hall of Fame players listed above, namely Mike Gartner, Marcel Dionne, and Gilbert Perreault. Iginla led Calgary to game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup finals, leading all players in goals. Oh yeah, and he was a significant part of two Memorial Cup championships, 1 World Junior Championship, 1 World Cup and 1 World Championship.

Congratulations to Jarome Iginla - hockey's classiest superstar.

Classic Hockey Fight: Iginla vs Lecavalier

Scotiabank's NHLPA Mailbag

Scotia Hockey Club has teamed up with the NHLPA to create the Scotiabank NHLPA Mailbag.

This season hockey fans will be able to interact with NHL players on Facebook. Post your questions to each week's participating NHL player, and he will answer selected questions.

This summer Jarome Iginla is already answering selected questions.

Scotia Hockey has been kind enough to give me 10 hockey tshirt gift packs to give away. Simply join me on Twitter @HockeyLegends and tell me which players you'd like to see participate in the Mailbag feature this season, and what questions you'd ask them.

Jarome Iginla: Hall of Fame Worthy?

Congratulations to Jarome Iginla for becoming just the 10th player in NHL history to score 30 or more goals in 10 consecutive seasons. Here's the list of others who accomplished this amazing feat, listed by number of consecutive seasons:

15 Mike Gartner, 1979-80 to 1993-94
15 Jaromir Jagr, 1991-92 to 2006-07
13 Phil Esposito, 1967-68 to 1979-80
13 Wayne Gretzky, 1979-80 to 1991-92
13 Bobby Hull, 1959-60 to 1971-72
12 Marcel Dionne, 1974-75 to 1985-86
10 Mike Bossy, 1977-78 to 1986-87
10 Jari Kurri, 1980-81 to 1989-80
10 Darryl Sittler, 1973-74 to 1982-83

That is very impressive company. All are Hall of Famers with the exception of the still-active Jagr, and once he is retired he is a lock.

Which raised the question: Is Jarome Iginla Hall of Fame Worthy?

My first - and lasting - thought is "of course!"

He still has, health willing, probably 5 productive seasons left in him, and he could continue to play beyond that. Next season he should reach the magical 500 goal and 1000 point marks. He could challenge 600 goals and 1200 points, very impressive numbers in any era, but especially considering some of his strongest seasons came in the dead puck era.

Individual accomplishments? He is a three time First Team All Star on right wing. He is a two time Maurice Richard Trophy winner as top goal scorer in the league. He also won an Art Ross Trophy, Pearson Award and was once a runner up for the Hart Trophy. It does not hurt to be the undisputed face of a franchise either.

That brings us to team success, which mean championships. Iginla does not have a Stanley Cup ring, and some believe that is a pre-requisite for Hall of Fame inclusion. I disagree, especially in this era of 30 teams. Besides, Iginla played top line roles in three Olympics with Team Canada, winning two gold medals. Some of his most memorable moments came at the game's highest level.

Even without a Cup ring, it could be argued Iginla had more playoff success than a few of the Hall of Fame players listed above, namely Mike Gartner, Marcel Dionne, and Darryl Sittler. Iginla led Calgary to game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup finals, leading all players in goals.

Oh yeah, and he was a significant part of two Memorial Cup championships, 1 World Junior Championship, 1 World Cup and 1 World Championship.

So yes, Jarome Iginla, even with several years left to play, is already lock to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in my books.

Canada's Elite Role Players

One of the interesting things Team Canada 2010 did was to include elite role players at the expense of more offense. In fact 8 of Canada's top 15 scorers in the NHL were actually left off the 2010 Olympic team, including the NHL's highest scoring defenseman.

Steve Yzerman, Mike Babcock and company obviously studied their Canadian hockey history. Successful Canadian hockey teams of the past have included elite role players.

Yzerman knows that more intimately than anyone. In 1987 and again in 1991 Yzerman, the NHL's third best offensive player, was not invited to the victorious Canada Cup teams.

Instead Canada brought along guys like Brent Sutter, Kevin Dineen, Rick Tocchet, Dirk Graham and, on defense, Normand Rochefort and Mark Tinordi.

The 2010 Canadian Olympic team includes Brendan Morrow, Mike Richards, Jonathan Toews and Patrice Bergeron. All four are likely to fill out Canada's last line and 13th forward spot, yet all are excellent candidates to move up to any of the scoring lines whenever Canada needs a little grit or emotion.

The next key to the championship puzzle will be for coach Babcock to get superstar players to accept lesser roles than they normally have played. That's what Mike Keenan was able to do most famously with Dale Hawerchuk in 1987.

Who is the candidate most likely to be asked to accept lower roles in 2010? How about Jarome Iginla?

Many people expect Iginla, a star of 2002 and arguably the best player of the decade, to play on the top line with Sidney Crosby. But Iginla provides a physical presence unlike most of Canada's star forwards. In order to maximize that element in Canada's game plan, Iginla very possibly could find himself playing with Richards and Morrow on what would be an excellent grind line. He could move up and down from Crosby's line depending on the tempo of the game.

Iginla an excellent candidate for this because he is a leader. He knows he can maximize the role players contribution by being part of them. He can influence the rest of the team by doing so, especially when he does move up to the scoring lines.

Iginla understands the importance of someone accepting a lesser role. He understands that in doing so he may be playing the most important role of all.

Why Crosby And Iginla Should Not Play Together

A year ago the chatter amongst Canadian hockey fans began clamoring for 2010 Olympic team top line featuring Sidney Crosby centering Jarome Iginla with any number of possibilities on the left wing.

It remains a distinct possibility - the young superstar, most comfortable setting up physical wingers, playing along side the Olympic legend known for guidance, sandpaper and his sniper's mentality. The duo were on the same line - with Rick Nash - on day one of orientation camp.

Chemistry 102

But here's why the two Canadian leaders should not play together.

One of the keys to establishing chemistry in such a short tournament like the Olympics is to establish roles.

Far too often in these tournaments we see these all star teams get together and play with too much respect for their new teammates. They always look to pass, no one wanting to show up the superstar. Younger players in particular too often make unnecessary passes to veteran players instead of bearing down and going after the goal. The result is usually disastrous. No one takes the lead, no roles are established.

It's OK to be greedy

In the Olympics players should not be afraid to be greedy. Jarome Iginla gets this. He will not be afraid to shoot and shoot some more, going for the badly needed goals. He is not afraid to grab the hero role. This is one major reason why he is so highly regarded as a leader for Team Canada.

Sidney Crosby gets this too. He proved that in the 2009 playoffs when he changed his game from playmaker to sniper. When the games were the most important, Crosby was not afraid to lead his team and be the hero.

Canada should not be so concerned that Crosby would change from his game plan in big games just because he is playing along side Iginla. Assuming they produce, Canada would have two established top lines with a pecking order established and roles assigned. If Canada can do that early and on the top two lines, roles and chemistry should be established early and therefore increasing Canada's chances of success.

Besides, it's not like Canada is lacking in fire power. Regardless of which line Sid and Iggy play on, they will have offensive linemates of the finest quality. If it does not work out they can always be paired together later on.

A lot of people suggest Iginla and Crosby should be together so that Iggy can guide Crosby with his experience, grit and leadership. That can still be established without the two being on the same line. They can be roomed together, or have their lockers side by side, for example.

Canada needs heroes. Who is going to step up in 2010? The best bets are Sidney Crosby and Jarome Iginla.

Jarome Iginla: Calgary's Greatest Flame?

Over the years there have been a lot of great players to wear the red and white of the Calgary Flames. Jarome Iginla knows, because he grew up watching them.

Who is the greatest Flame in Calgary history? Iginla, who actually grew up an Oilers fan but knew the Flames intimately thanks to the heated Battle of Alberta in the 1980s, has an answer for that:

"It's a very tough question because you have Lanny McDonald, Mike Vernon, (Al) MacInnis, (Kent) Nilsson. But to me, from having seen him growing up and having a chance to play with him, I would say Theo (Fleury) .

"I was a pretty young guy watching them, and the one guy who was always making an impact would be Theo Fleury. He was a game-breaker, but he was also causing havoc and probably one of the greatest pests of all time. He did that role was so well. I don't how many times he scored 50 (he had a 51-goal campaign in 1990-91 and 46 tallies in 1995-96), but he scored a lot of key goals for them."

Iginla may very well be right, as Fleury is the Flames all time leader in goals and points. He was a key component of the 1989 Stanley Cup championship, Calgary's only title, and was the heart and soul of the franchise in the 1990s.

But Iginla left his own name off the list of contenders for the title of best ever, a list that would not be complete without mentioning Joe Nieuwendyk and Miikka Kiprusoff. But soon, if not already, Jarome Iginla will become the undisputed greatest Flame in hockey history.

Iginla needs 3 goals to overtake Fleury as the all time leading goal scorer in franchise history. By the end of next season, health willing, he should overtake Fleury for the all time points title as well. Earlier this season he passed Al MacInnis on the all time games played list. He's contracted to Calgary for another 6 years, and he has no intention of leaving or slowing down, so he will pad his totals quite nicely in that time.

Moreover, the long time Flames captain has won a NHL scoring title, two NHL goal scoring titles, a Lester B. Pearson Trophy as the player's choice for player of the year, an Olympic gold medal and a World Cup.

I think within time most will agree Iginla will rank as the greatest Flame. But there is one thing missing from his resume that would cement that status for him - a Stanley Cup.

Iginla led the Flames to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in 2004, finally bowing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. That may be close enough as far as history's rear view mirror is concerned.

And let's not forget - the Flames are a real threat to go a ways this post season and in the future. With Iginla, Kiprusoff and Dion Phaneuf locked up with long term contracts, the Flames should be contenders for the foreseeable future.