Iggy and the Off-Season

While the Boston Bruins celebrate and prepare for their second trip to the Stanley Cup in three years, there's some murmurs about what should have Jarome Iginla done in the aftermath of this whole series. Of course, Iginla publicly was going to head to Boston at the trade deadline, only to veto that and head to Pittsburgh instead. Little did anyone know that they would meet in the Conference Finals and that the Bruins would manhandle the Penguins.

But do you really blame Iginla?? For the Penguins, they were the top dog coming out of the East and it was almost unthinkable to believe that they would get steamrolled the way they did. Hell, Iginla had 4 goals and 12 points heading into the playoffs and looked to be that secondary scoring that the Penguins need should the top line get into a funk. No one thought that the Bruins would shut the entire roster down.

Now, with the Penguins out, Iginla a free agent, and the future being unknown-- did Iginla lose his last chance at getting with a real contender?? The Penguins probably won't bring him back unless he takes a massive pay-cut and assumes the role of maybe a bottom-six guy. It's not that Iginla doesn't bring some intangibles, but he'll be 36 next year and if he doesn't find a way to find more speed in his legs; not many contenders will use him to the fullest.

That's not to say a team won't be salivating to get a leader like Iginla on their team, but they could shy away from what he could be asking for in order to be on that team. The league knows he wants to be with a contender in order to win a Stanley Cup, but will he and his agent, Don Meehan, be willing to take the pay-cut in order to get that ring??

For the most part, Iginla's ego won't be hurt to take the decreased pay, but at the same time-- will his agent be able to convince him that a possible low-ball deal be able to get him to a Cup Finals or will Meehan really go for that top dollar and try to sway Iginla for a fringe team on their way up over a sure thing?? A team like the Blues could benefit from Iginla being on the team, but would Iginla benefit from being there and maybe get to the second round rather than being on a top contender?? Maybe the Marian Hossa trick could be it, where Iginla goes to Boston in the summer-- doubtful-- but it could give him a puncher's chance.

It's a tough spot for Iginla to be in, as he is a figure who is almost universally loved by fans because of what he meant to an organization like the Flames and the country of Canada for his play. Not only that, but he was talked about as being one of the league's top players before Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin started the youth movement in the league. Whatever he chooses this summer, Iginla will make a decision after weighing all the options and will most likely go with his heart rather than go with the dollars.

Is Iginla's Fire Flickering??

On the Wild's only regulation goal of the night, Jarome Iginla tried to get the puck out of the Flames' zone and it deflected off Ryan Suter's skate and right to Devin Setoguchi. Iginla appeared to be coasting after the blotched clearing attempt, all the while Kyle Brodziak received the Setoguchi pass, made a move and scored. Iginla was the closest back-checking Flame, not looking to make an effort to make a play on it.

That's not the mark of a passionate player Not the leadership by example Iginla has been known for. Not what anyone wants in a franchise player.

The Fan 960's Rhett Warrener said as much when it comes to Iginla this morning.

Of course, if Iginla gets traded, he's going to have to approve it and who knows if he would or not. While he loves being in Calgary, is he more of a detriment to the team than an asset, even as a captain. For a guy who is on the last year of his contract, you don't see the intensity that Iginla has had in the past.

Maybe it's because he didn't intensely skate during the lockout and it's taking a while to get his step back, but he's not showing the signs of being the Jarome Iginla that made him a folk-hero in Calgary and the NHL starting back in the 2004 playoffs.

To be honest, Iginla is on a team that he is a superstar on a team who doesn't seem to have much else in the past, which put him into the role that he is in right now. If he gets traded to a contender, he wouldn't be in such a prime role that he is in Calgary. He'd be a depth player who wouldn't be called on to be the superstar player that Calgary fans and coaching think he should be right now.

If Iginla wants to be traded, he'll be able to choose his destination and the Flames management will have to work around what he wants because of the No-Move Clause in his contract. Most teams may not see that he still has that spark he seems to be missing, which means little return for the Flames; but are they better off with him slumping and looking out of sort or are they better off without him??

On the Topic Of Loyalty and Trade Rumors

Despite having a No-Movement Clause in his contract, rumors of Jarome Iginla being traded out of Calgary continue to be a hot topic the hockey world. While Iginla and GM Jay Feaster said that there's no trade imminent or even being considered-- these things still pop-up.

The biggest argument seems to be the desire for others around the league to see Iginla raise the Stanley Cup in almost a Ray Bourque-esque fashion. Yet, there's a guy across the country that had some questions about his future with the team he's been with his whole career; but it seems that he's been forgotten about when it comes down to it. That person is Daniel Alfredsson.

When you look at the two, there's a lot of similarities between the two:

• Both played with the same team their whole career
• Both the face of their franchise
• Both long-term captains
• Both right wingers
• Both helped their team to the Stanley Cup Finals
• Both won Gold Medals (though Iginla has two)

Though, as Spector's Hockey's Lyle Richardson pointed out on the November 30th FOHS, Iginla seems a little more of a desirable acquisition because of his playing style. He's a gritter player than Alfredsson, willing to go to the dirty areas for a puck, as well as stick up for himself when play gets rough.

Yet, at the same time-- you'd think that Alfredsson's offensive upside is what's needed when it boils down to needs-- especially with their ages coming into effect. Coming into the season, Alfredsson had a 0.97 points-per-game average, while Iginla had only a 0.91 average. Albeit, Alfredsson is older and has played less due to injury, but he knows how to put points on the board when he is healthy. Iginla's age is definitely another nod to his upside for teams looking to put something together that will apparently never happen. That said-- while he's a 35+ contract, Alfredsson doesn't have a No-Movement Clause in his contract; so if he wants to go-- he can be shipped out, but you know the Senators will respect his wishes if he wants to stay or not due to his tenure.

In the end though, neither of these guys are likely to be traded this season. Next season, maybe a different story for Alfredsson, but Iginla controls his own destiny. Plus, as Lyle said during the show, too-- not every player wants to have the Bourque moment and could be fine without winning the Cup, legacy be damned. Most fans and some GMs just like the return and if they don't get the return-- they resent the player and deem them to be selfish. The player is screwed if he wants out, screwed if he wants to stay.

The fact of the matter is that while Iginla is getting all the publicity; it's interesting to see Alfredsson pretty much getting pushed to the side, though they do have parallel careers in length and decent enough upsides-- though Iginla has the grit X-factor going for him. Just food for thought.

Jawing About Jarome

There has been a lot of heat on the Calgary Flames (pardon the pun) when it comes to them losing leads recently. Considering the fact they're 11 games into the season and already have had two closed door team meetings; it almost seems like this is a team divided amongst itself. The main focus on this team is definitely Jarome Iginla, many wondering if he would waive his no-movement clause to get out of the situation he's in and start anew.

The main point about people against Iginla is that he's off to a slow start. Yet, if you look at Iginla in the month of October, he's not too overwhelming. Sure, he's had spots of greatness, but in the grand scheme of things-- the first month of the season hasn't been too kind to him with 61 goals and 138 points in 153 games in October throughout his career. The Flames as a whole aren't usually stellar in October either, but still-- when you look at a guy like Iginla, who is the figurehead for that team-- he'll get most of the attention regardless of who or what's going on around him.

That said, Iginla has said in the past that he would be willing to waive his NMC if it would help himself and the team in the long run. All signs point to the ownership of the Flames not looking to move him, but you almost have to look at it and see if it's going to be worth it. It's hard to not look at that $7M cap hit for the next two seasons after this one and wonder what you could do with that and how you could develop a team with that free space. Sure, the team would lose someone who has been an institution for the team throughout his career, but there's a time where you have to let go of the past and look towards the future.

For Iginla, the change of pace could do him good. He'd probably be shipped to a team that has other stars and offensive threats, which would take the primary pressure off of him; plus he'd be able to play his game as an aggressive winger more freely and not have to worry too much about being the leader and trying to spark the team in one swoop. He'd have the aid that he had craved for so long in Calgary and probably have a better chance at a playoff run with someone else.

When you look at the October 30th game against the Capitals, Iginla was somewhat invisible during the game, occasionally popping up to try and give a hit or what-have-you, but he seemed to blend into the crowd during the eventual routing. As a captain, as a team leader, you would think that he'd be more prominent in trying to change the tide, especially when it was still close. Of course, if he tries to get into a fight; that takes him off the ice, which isn't where you want your star player either-- he's in a rough spot in that instance. That said, when you're invisible, people take notice (ironically) and rumors and questions like these shall arise.

This will be a wait-and-see situation that will probably go nowhere. Iginla is dedicated to the Flames through thick and thin and the ownership is dedicated to Iginla. Even when the going gets tough, Iginla doesn't seem to budge off his stance, nor should he if he has faith in his teammates, coaches, and management. It could be a bad decision in the long run for his career, yet he seems ready to go down with the ship and not having any second thoughts.