Former King & Hockey Hall of Famer: Jarome Iginla

The last stop of Jarome Iginla’s illustrious Hall of Fame career in Los Angeles was brief.  When GM Dean Lombardi acquired the 39-year-old Iginla towards the end of the 2016-17 season; it was clear that his best days were behind him.  The Kings were in desperate need of an offensive spark trying to claw their way into the 8th seed.  Iggy registered a respectable six goals and three assists in his 19 games with the Kings.  The romantic in me of course wanted a Ray Bourque-esque ending with Iggy receiving the Cup handoff from newly appointed Captain Anze Kopitar.

 

Unfortunately, the Kings failed to make the postseason.  The Kings gold anniversary was a complete letdown and the Kings were mathematically eliminated with four games remaining in the regular season.  I always thought keeping Iggy one more season in a mentor role could have done some players on that roster some good (Oh!  Hey there Tyler!).   It’s anyone’s guess if a guy who scored 625 goals in his career would have been happy in that role.  But once AEG cleaned house of GM Dean Lombardi and Head Coach Daryl Sutter; any chance of a reunion went out the door with them. 

 

That 2016-17 season was a busy one for Kings fans: the NHL celebrated 100 years, the Kings celebrated 50 years, Staples Center hosted the NHL All-Star Game, and Bob Miller was calling his last season of Kings hockey.   It felt like a player of Iginla's stature deserved more of a sendoff but most of us were too busy celebrating our own legend behind the microphone.

 

But there’s no denying we were watching one of the sports greatest ever on the ice.  His CV is absolutely ridiculous.  

• 1,300 points (625 G, 675 A) in 1,554 regular season games
• 68 points (37 G, 31 A) in 81 playoff games
• Art Ross Trophy (2001-02)
• Two-time Maurice Richard Trophy (2001-02, 2003-04)
• Ted Lindsay Award (2001-02)
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2003-04)
• Mark Messier Leadership Award (2008-09)
• Six-time NHL All-Star
• Three-time NHL 1^st Team All-Star
• Two-time Memorial Cup Champion (1993-94, 1994-95)
• World Junior Championship Gold Medalist (1996)
• World Championship Gold Medalist (1997)
• Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2002, 2010)
• World Cup of Hockey Gold Medalist (2004) 

I always admired Iginla for the way he played the game.  He was the rare combination of skill and toughness.  He was the ultimate throwback superstar that could register the Gordie Howe hat trick on any given night.  Calling him the league’s last great power forward doesn’t do his game enough justice.  Iginla fought 81 times during his career (72 regular season, 5 postseason, 4 preseason!!!). 

 

I’ll always remember Iginla’s final visit to the Saddledome in Calgary.  The Kings were trailing 1-0 midway thru the first period; Kopitar got dumped behind the net on a clean hit from Deryk Engelland.  Iginla immediately challenged Calgary’s tough guy and left him bloodied following a marathon of a bout.  The Kings would score four unanswered goals and win 4-1; Iginla netted a goal and an assist.  He literally willed the Kings to victory that night.  The win kept the Kings dwindling playoff hopes alive one more day.  It was a throwback performance from a truly a one-of-a-kind superstar.  Iginla will be remembered as a Flame forever but that night he showed he was a true King.