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Jarome Iginla

 
Black Biography: Jarome Iginla
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hockey player

Personal Information

Born on July 1, 1977, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, to Elvis (Adekunle) Iginla (a lawyer) and Susan Schucard.

Career

Drafted in the NHL's first round by the Dallas Stars, 1995; named to Canada's team for the World Junior Championships, 1995; traded to the Calgary Flames, 1996; first appearance in an NHL game in Flames playoff game, 1996; named to Canadian team for the World Championships, 1997; member, Team Canada, Salt Lake City Olympics, 2002.

Life's Work

Following his 2001-02 season playing for the Calgary Flames, Jarome Iginla became the first black player to lead the National Hockey League (NHL) in scoring. In 2002, as a member of Team Canada, Iginla added Olympic gold to two other medals he has won as part of Team Canada's hockey program--one for the 1995 World Junior Championships and one for the 1997 World Championships. He was also nominated for the NHL's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2002.

His amazing power and deft scoring are only a small part of what makes Iginla an outstanding athlete. He donates $1,000 for each goal he scores to Kidsport Calgary, which provides hockey equipment for underprivileged children. He also works with the NHL's diversity task force in trying to spread the game to places where hockey has never been popular, such as American inner cities. It is rare that an elite athlete combines top athletic skills with incredible generosity and authenticity, but Iginla fills the bill.

Iginla in the NHL

Iginla's father emigrated from Nigeria at the age of 18. Adekunle Iginla put himself through law school and changed his name to Elvis because people in Edmonton could not pronounce his real name. He met and married Susan Schuchard, whose family came to Edmonton by way of Medford, Oregon. Jarome was born in 1977, but his parents divorced before his second birthday. Iginla grew up with his mother, a practicing Buddhist, and was introduced to hockey by his grandfather at the age of seven. Despite his late start in the game (by Canadian standards) he quickly distinguished himself as a superior talent and was playing junior hockey by the age of 14. At the age of 17 Iginla scored 71 points in 72 games and was drafted by the NHL in the first round (11th overall) by the Dallas Stars. In his last season of junior hockey, Iginla scored 63 goals in 63 games and added 73 assists for a total of 136 points. Despite his incredible season in juniors, Iginla was traded by the Stars to the Calgary Flames, along with another young player, for established NHL star Joe Nieuwdyk.

Though Iginla appeared in two playoff games as a Calgary Flame at the end of the 1995-96 season (in which he netted two points), his first full campaign in the NHL came in the 1996-97 season. As he had done on every other level of play, Iginla flourished. In his first 20 games in the league, he tallied 16 points and racked up a plus-minus rating of plus six. But Pierre Page, his coach at the time, focused more on Iginla's character than on his skills, when telling Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about his new star: "I don't know if there has been a young guy like this in the last few years. I don't know if I've ever heard the word 'money' come out of his mouth. He's so refreshing. Our game needs more and more like that, to sell the game and represent the game. I don't know if any coach can think of any 19-year-old this fundamentally sound. He makes good decisions under pressure. The more pressure, the better he plays." In the 1996-97 season Iginla netted 50 points with 21 goals, and was named to the NHL All-Rookie team. The following year he battled a wrist injury and scored only 13 goals in 70 games, but returned to form in the 1998-99 season, scoring 28 goals and 23 assists.

Prior to the 1999-2000 season, Iginla had a dispute with his team over money. He held out through all of training camp as well as through the first three games of the regular season, before finally settling on a three-year, $5 million deal. When he joined the team, it was obvious that he was rusty. Iginla did not score in his first 11 games and the Flames went winless in the team's first 19 games. Iginla, whose nickname is Iggy, was accustomed to reading headlines about Iggy Pop or Iggy Top, but after his slow start, the Calgary Sun called him Iggy Flop. After the first real taste of adversity in his career, Iggy Flop came back with strength, leading his sub-par team to within three points of a final Western Conference playoff berth. Iginla was named NHL Player of the Month in February of 2000--a time period in which he scored in 16 straight games and racked up 21 points. As always Iginla answered his critics on the ice and not with unseemly comments in the papers. He ended the season with a career-high 63 points, including 29 goals. During the 2001-02 season he improved further, scoring 31 goals and tallying 71 points. People around the league were now starting to notice Iginla, most notably NHL legend and Canadian hockey deity Wayne Gretzky, who served as the executive director for Team Canada during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

A Monster Season

When Gretzky summoned Canada's best to a pre-season orientation for the upcoming Olympics, Iginla was left off the roster at first. After an injury to Philadelphia's Simon Gagne, "The Great One" called on Iginla to join hockey's most elite training camp. The 24-year-old forward told Jean LeFebvre of the Calgary Sun about his reaction to hearing the news: "I was really excited. I thought: 'That's awesome.' Then I thought: 'Ah, wait a minute here. It could be a joke. How embarrassing would it be to show up and not really be invited?'" But despite his trepidation about whether he belonged in such company, Iginla had indeed been invited to the pre-Olympic audition.

He returned to the Flames after the Olympic orientation camp and proceeded to lead the league in scoring almost from the first game of the season. At first he was stunned to read his name at the top of the scoring list, but by November Gretzky had called him the best forward in the league, and it was obvious to all observers but Iginla that he would be headed for Salt Lake City. Iginla told Lonnie White of the Los Angeles Times about the difference in his game during the 2001-02 season: "I don't think it was as much getting on the legs and going and skating at that speed before camp; I think it was more mental. You know, there were the best players, some of the best players in the game, and competing alongside of them and being part of it really helped my confidence."

Once Iginla got to the Olympics he was at first star-struck by his teammates. In his first game he played tentatively, passing up chances to shoot and playing as if he were afraid to make a mistake. Canada lost 5-2 to Sweden and the pressure on the team began to mount after only the first game. Again the turning point came when Iginla received a boost of confidence. Team Canada teammate and Colorado Avalanche superstar Joe Sakic was dropped from NHL-legend Mario Lemieux's line to play with Iginla and Philadelphia's Simon Gagne, another young player. Sakic's reaction was crucial to Iginla's sense of belonging.

Iginla told Michael Farber of Sports Illustrated what happened: "Joe's like, 'Oh, it's going to be fun playing with you young guys.rsquo; Iginla added, "A part of me was saying, He must be thinking, Why me? Going from Mario to us. But even if he felt it was a demotion, he never acted as if it was. That meant a lot." The new line combination got better and better with each game of the tournament and became an important part of a squad that ended up in the gold medal game with the United States. In the most important international match in 50 years for the hockey-crazy Canadian nation, Iginla scored two goals and linemate Sakic scored two more, as the pair led their team to a gold medal in a 5-2 victory over the Americans. Iginla became the first black man to win a Winter Olympics gold medal, but he remained humble, taking almost no credit for the historic Canadian victory.

A Star at Many Levels

Many professional athletes talk about their love of the game and for their fans, but during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, Iginla showed his respect for the fans, his game, and his country. After one of Team Canada's games Iginla was having dinner with his family when he was told there were four fans from Calgary at the next table. Iginla got up and talked to the four men, who had driven all the way to Utah to see the Canadian hockey team without tickets or even a place to stay. He discovered that they had been sleeping in their car in a hotel parking lot. The hockey star excused himself from the conversation. The four men were thrilled that they had spoken with one of their home-town heroes, but Iginla returned to their table about 15 minutes later. He informed the four shocked fans that he had booked them into the same hotel as his family. The men later found out that Iginla had also picked up the tab.

When Iginla returned to the NHL he picked up where he left off in the level of his playing. Though he was somehow left off the NHL All-Star ballot, he was even more confident than he was before the Olympics. Iginla powered through the rest of the season and achieved some startling statistics on a team that failed to make the playoffs for the sixth straight year. After the 2001-02 season Iginla captured the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for leading the league in goals scored, with a total of 52. He won the Art Ross Trophy for leading the league in scoring (goals and assists) with a total of 96, adding his name to those of NHL greats Gretzky, Lemieux, and Jaromir Jagr, who have won the Art Ross Trophy since 1980. He accounted for 52 of his team's 201 total goals over the course of the season.

The Flames were also pushing for Iginla to win the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player. Many NHL observers questioned whether a small-market Canadian team with an unfavorable exchange rate as compared with American clubs, could compete with a wealthy American team for what very well could be the league's best player. But as always, Iginla has taken a humble attitude toward his success. He lost to Théodore José of the Montreal Canadiens. The 2001-02 season was the last year of Iginla's contract, and his next contract will put him into the $5 to $7 million per year range. He told Damian Cristodero of the St. Petersburg Times: "Thanks be to God I've been able to have the best season of my career going into it [the new contract]. I don't overly think about it.... But it has crossed my mind."

Awards

First team All-Star for the Canadian Hockey League and the World Hockey League, 1995-96; named to the NHL All-Rookie Team, 1996-97; Team Canada gold medal, Salt Lake City Olympics, 2002; Maurice Richard Award, 2002; Art Ross Trophy, 2002; Hart Memorial Trophy, nominee, 2002; Scurfield Humanitarian Award, 2002.

Further Reading

Periodicals

  • Calgary Sun, December 16, 2001.
  • Los Angeles Times, November 6, 2001.
  • Sports Illustrated, March 11, 2002.
  • St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 20, 1996.
  • St. Petersburg Times, March 14, 2002.
On-line
  • Legends of Hockey, http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=HMT &year=2001-02

— Michael J. Watkins

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Wikipedia: Jarome Iginla
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
Born July 1, 1977 (1977-07-01) (age 32),
Edmonton, AB
Height
Weight		 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
209 lb (95 kg; 14 st 13 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Right
NHL team Calgary Flames
Ntl. team  Canada
NHL Draft 11th overall, 1995
Dallas Stars
Pro career 1996 – present

Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla[1][2] (born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). A five-time NHL All-Star, he is the Flames' all-time leader in goals, points, and games played. Named the Flames captain at the start of the 2003–04 season, Iginla is the first black captain in NHL history. He has represented Canada internationally on numerous occasions, helping Team Canada to its first Olympic gold medal in 50 years at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

As a junior, Iginla was a member of two Memorial Cup-winning teams with the Kamloops Blazers, and was named the Western Hockey League's Player of the Year in 1996. He was selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, but was later traded to Calgary and has played his entire professional career with the Flames. He led the NHL in goals and points in 2001–02, and won the Lester B. Pearson Award as its most valuable player as voted by the players. In 2003–04, Iginla led the league in goals for the second time and captained the Flames to the Stanley Cup Finals, leading the league in playoff scoring. Iginla scored 50 goals in a season for a second time in 2007–08. Known for his polite and generous nature, Iginla participates in numerous community events, and donates $2,000 to charity for each goal he scores.

Contents

Early life

Iginla was born in Edmonton, Alberta, July 1, 1977. His father, a lawyer, was born in Nigeria and changed his first name from Adekunle to Elvis when he arrived in Canada.[3] His surname means "Big tree" in Yorùbá, his father's native language.[4] Iginla's mother, Susan, is originally from Oregon, and has worked as a massage therapist and music teacher. Iginla grew up with his mother and grandmother after his parents divorced when he was a year old.[3] While his mother is a Buddhist, he identifies himself as Christian, his father's faith.[5]

In addition to hockey, Iginla played baseball as a young man and was the catcher on the Canadian National Junior team.[4] He grew up admiring other black hockey players, including Edmonton Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr. Emulating Fuhr, Iginla played goaltender in his first two years of organized hockey before switching to the right wing.[6] He played his entire minor hockey career in St. Albert, leading the Alberta Midget Hockey League in scoring as a 15-year-old with 87 points for the St. Albert Midget Raiders in 1992–93.[4]

Junior career

Iginla played three years with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL). As a 16-year-old in 1993–94, he recorded six goals and 29 points in 48 regular season games before playing an additional 19 in the playoffs.[7] The Blazers captured both the league title and the 1994 Memorial Cup, Canada's national junior championship.[8] In reference to the Blazers' dominance of the league at the time (they had won their third WHL title in five seasons), Iginla described the expectations of success as being similar to those placed on the Montreal Canadiens, the NHL's most successful franchise: "When you put on a Blazers jersey, it's like putting on the Canadiens'. You've got to perform."[9]

Iginla scored 33 goals and 71 points in 1994–95, his first full WHL season.[7] The Blazers repeated as league champions, earning a trip to the 1995 Memorial Cup. Iginla scored five goals in the tournament to lead the Blazers to a second consecutive national championship. He received the George Parsons Trophy as the most sportsmanlike player of the tournament.[10]

The Dallas Stars selected Iginla with their first round selection, 11th overall, in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft; however, on December 20, 1995, they traded him to the Calgary Flames, along with Corey Millen, for forward Joe Nieuwendyk.[11]

In his final season in Kamloops in 1995–96, Iginla finished fourth in league scoring with 136 points, including 63 goals in 63 games played, and was awarded the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy as the league's most outstanding player.[12] The Blazers were upset in the Western Conference final by the Spokane Chiefs, but Iginla still finished fourth in playoff scoring, recording 29 points in 16 games.[13] His performance during the season earned him an invitation to play for Team Canada at the 1996 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Boston, where he helped Canada to its fourth consecutive gold medal.[14]

NHL career

Iginla warming up before a game in March 2006.

Iginla made his NHL debut in the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as he was signed to a contract and flown to Calgary immediately after his junior season ended in Kamloops. He appeared in two games for the Flames in their series against the Chicago Blackhawks. In doing so, he became the first 18-year-old to play for the Flames since Dan Quinn in 1983.[15] In his first NHL game, Iginla assisted on a Theoren Fleury goal to record his first point;[16] he scored his first goal in his second game.[17] He remained with the Flames, and played his first NHL season in 1996–97. He earned a spot on that year's NHL All-Rookie Team and finished as the runner-up to Bryan Berard in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year after leading all first-year players in scoring with 50 points.[18]

By his third season, 1998–99, Iginla led the Flames in goals with 28.[18] His success complicated negotiations for a new contract, as he and the Flames struggled to agree on a new deal following the season. Hoping to help resolve the contract impasse, he agreed to attend training camp without a contract, and purchased his own insurance as the team would not have been responsible financially if he suffered an injury. He remained without a contract at the start of the 1999–00 season and missed the first three games as a holdout before signing a deal worth US$4.9 million, plus bonuses.[18][19] He finished the year with career highs in goals (29) and points (63). He then topped both marks in 2000–01 by recording 31 goals and 71 points.[18]

After participating in Canada's Olympic summer camp before the season, Iginla again set new personal highs in 2001–02 when he registered 52 goals and 96 points. This season elevated Iginla to superstar status.[20] He earned the Art Ross and Maurice Richard trophies as the NHL's leading point and goal scorer, respectively.[18] He was also awarded the Lester B. Pearson Award as the league's most valuable player as voted by his peers, and was a nominee for both the Hart Memorial Trophy and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. The Hart Trophy voting proved to be controversial: Iginla tied Canadiens goaltender José Théodore in voting points, but received fewer first place votes than Théodore.[21] However, one voter, rumoured to be from Quebec—Théodore and the Canadiens' home province—inexplicably left Iginla off his ballot. As a result of the controversy that followed, the Professional Hockey Writers Association changed the rules on how its members voted for the award to prevent a recurrence.[22] Iginla was a member of Team Canada's Olympic gold medal-winning hockey team in 2002.

There were fears Iginla would again hold out after his contract expired following the season.[23] These fears were unfounded, however, as he signed a two-year, $13 million deal before the season and was looked on to again lead the Flames offensively.[24] Iginla fell back to 67 points in 2002–03 as injuries, including a lingering finger dislocation following a fight, diminished his play.[25] His 35 goals were still enough to lead the Flames for the fourth time in five seasons.[18] Despite his offensive contributions, the Flames missed the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.[26]

Captaincy

At the start of the 2003–04 season, Iginla was named the 18th captain in Flames franchise history, and 14th since the team moved to Calgary from Atlanta in 1980.[27] His predecessor as captain, Craig Conroy, cited Iginla's experience and leadership for his decision to relinquish the captaincy to Iginla. "He was a leader on that team and old enough to where he'd been there a long time. It was time for him. He took us to the Stanley Cup Final that year so it worked out pretty well."[28] Iginla was reported to be the first black captain in NHL history,[29] though former Blackhawks captain Dirk Graham, who is of African descent, has also been said to hold that honour.[30]

Darryl Sutter presents Iginla with a silver stick in honour of his becoming the Flames all-time scoring leader.

Iginla responded to being named captain by capturing his second Rocket Richard Trophy, sharing the goal-scoring title with Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash with 41 goals.[31] The Flames qualified for the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs as the sixth seed, the team's first playoff appearance in eight years.[32] Iginla led all playoff scorers with 13 goals as he captained the Flames to their first Stanley Cup finals appearance in 15 years. The Flames were unable to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning, however, falling to the Eastern Conference champions in seven games. A dejected Iginla sat in the Flames locker room after the final game and was met by his father, who told his son that "I'm proud of you. All of Canada is proud of you."[33]

While he was hailed as the best player in the world following his performance in the playoffs,[34][35] Iginla spent the 2004–05 NHL lockout focused on improving his game further.[36] Following the lockout, he was named as one of six player representatives on the newly created NHL competition committee, with a mandate to suggest recommendations for ways to improve the game. He held this position until early 2008.[37]

On December 7, 2006, Iginla reached a career milestone when he scored his 300th career goal and 600th career point against the Minnesota Wild.[38] He was expected to play in the 2007 NHL All-Star Game in Dallas; however he missed the game with a knee injury.[39] The injury kept him out of 12 games in 2006–07. He nevertheless scored 94 points, including a career-high 55 assists.[18]

"I think it was a very classy thing to do. I think Jarome is one of the most classy players in the league, not only that, he’s probably the best player in the league. When you have a captain like that, it was certainly a very classy move on their part, no doubt."
—Trevor Linden, after Iginla led a procession of Flames players in shaking Linden's hand following his final NHL game, April 5, 2008[40]

The 2007–08 season saw Iginla post his second career 50 goal season, adding 48 assists for a career high 98 points,[18] good for third overall in the league.[41] He was voted to the starting line-up of the 2008 NHL All-Star Game along with teammate Dion Phaneuf,[42] and was named captain of the Western All-Star Team.[43] He broke the Flames' franchise record for games played when he played his 804th career game on November 29, 2007, against the Anaheim Ducks. He also broke Theoren Fleury's franchise record for goals when he scored his 365th on March 10, 2008, against the St. Louis Blues.[18] Iginla was nominated as a Hart Trophy finalist for league most valuable player for the third time, though he again did not win the award.[44] During the season, he signed a five-year contract extension with the Flames at $7 million per season.[45]

Iginla continued his pursuit of Fleury's franchise record of 830 points in 2008–09. He recorded his 800th point with a first period assist against the Chicago Blackhawks on December 19, 2008.[46] He ended 2008 with a career high five points in a New Year's Eve game against the Edmonton Oilers. He had 14 previous four point games.[47] In January, he was named to the 2009 NHL All-Star Game in Montreal, his fifth such selection.[48] Representing the Western Conference, Iginla scored his first career NHL All-Star Game goal in a 12–11 shootout loss.[49] He passed Fleury as the Flames' all-time scoring leader on March 1, 2009, scoring five points, including his 400th career goal, in an 8–6 loss to the Lightning.[50] He finished the season with 35 goals and 89 points, but a disappointing playoff performance led to questions of whether he had been playing with an injury. Iginla quickly denied the rumour, admitted that he had not played with the level of consistency he expected and stated that he would spend the summer focused on improving his play in 2009–10.[51]

International play

Iginla has represented Canada on numerous occasions
Medal record
Competitor for Canada Canada
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Gold 2002 Salt Lake City Ice hockey
World Championship
Gold 1997 Finland Ice hockey
World Cup
Gold 2004 World Cup of Hockey Ice hockey
World Junior Championship
Gold 1996 USA Ice hockey

Iginla first represented Canada at the 1994 Nations Cup, an unsanctioned tournament for players under the age of 18. He led Canada in scoring with five goals and nine points as it won the gold medal.[52] Two years later, he joined the national junior team at the 1996 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He led the tournament in scoring with five goals and 12 points as Canada won its fourth consecutive gold medal. He was named an all-star and the tournament's top forward.[4][14] One year later, Iginla played in his first tournament with the senior team, competing at the 1997 World Championships as a 19-year-old, the youngest player on the team.[53] He recorded two goals and three assists in 11 games as Canada won the gold medal.[7]

A late invitation to join Team Canada's summer camp in preparation for the 2002 Winter Olympics helped Iginla emerge as a star player. He was so surprised by the invite he initially thought one of his Flames teammates was playing a prank on him.[54] He scored two goals in the gold medal game, a 5–2 victory over the United States, as Canada won its first Olympic gold medal in 50 years.[55] Iginla also represented Canada at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, playing on a line with Joe Sakic and Mario Lemieux,[56] where Canada again won the gold medal.[57]

Iginla participated in his second Olympics at the 2006 Turin games, recording three points in six games.[7] The Canadians were unable to defend their 2002 gold medal, losing to the Russians in the quarter-finals.[58] He is expected to be a top player for Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver,[59] and is a candidate to serve as the team's captain.[60]

Playing style

Iginla faces off against Vincent Lecavalier.

Iginla is considered to be one of the NHL's pre-eminent power forwards.[61] Upon entering the league, he tried to emulate players like Brendan Shanahan and Keith Tkachuk, hoping to match their combination of finesse and physicality.[35] He is one of the most consistent scorers in the league; between 1998 and 2008, only Jaromír Jágr scored more NHL goals than Iginla.[62] Even so, scouting reports have argued that Iginla's lack of speed makes it easier for opponents to isolate him and restrict his ability to move if his teammates rely on him too much to lead the offence.[63]

The abuse he faced at the hands of opponents early in his NHL career prompted Iginla's coaches to work at developing his physical play. While he was not enthusiastic about fighting, Iginla accepted then head coach Brian Sutter's arguments that he needed to adopt a more aggressive style to improve as a player. Iginla is most effective when he has room to manoeuvre, and to create that space, he had to intimidate his opponents.[64] The lessons Iginla learned have carried throughout his career. "You've got a power forward who does it all," said Craig Conroy. "I mean, he'll fight, and hit, and score goals. Maybe it's not the end-to-end rushes, but he does all those little things that win games and get things done."[65] His opponents also respect his play. Rob Blake said that while Iginla is not known for fancy play, "he'll run you over. Or he'll fight somebody. And then he'll score a goal. He does pretty much everything you'd want a guy to do."[62]

Iginla has recorded several Gordie Howe hat tricks.[18] His fights, including one with Tampa Bay star Vincent Lecavalier in the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, have had a motivating effect on his play and that of his teammates.[66] Iginla has suffered injuries as a result of his fighting, including a broken hand from a 2003 fight with Bill Guerin of the Dallas Stars.[67] His physical style of play also leads to a greater risk of persistent injuries and penalties.[63]

He commands the respect of his peers, and has been known to stand up to the coaching staff to defend a fellow player. Former teammate Andrew Ference once described following Iginla as like "following a friend".[62] Preferring to lead by example, Iginla is not regarded as a vocal captain. He likes to speak with players individually, and tries to ensure that all of his teammates are comfortable.[28] He was named the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2009.[68]

Off the ice

Iginla married his high school sweetheart, Kara, and the couple has three children: Jade, Tij and Joe. They had been dating since they were in the eighth grade.[4] He has two brothers, Jason and Stephen, and two sisters, Theresa and Elizabeth.[69] He is an avid golfer and a regular participant in the Calgary Flames Celebrity Charity Golf Classic.[4]

He is well known for his kind-hearted nature. Former Flames general manager Craig Button described Iginla as being grounded: "he doesn't carry himself with any attitude or arrogance. He's confident in his abilities. He's self-assured. He's genuine. He's a better person than he is a player, and we all know what kind of player he is."[70] In 2002, while in Salt Lake City for the Winter Olympic Games, Iginla struck up a conversation with four Calgarians sitting next to his table, and found out they were sleeping in their car outside of the hotel. He excused himself from the conversation, and booked them accommodations at his own expense at the hotel his family was staying in.[71]

Since 2002,[72] he has operated the Jarome Iginla Hockey School in Calgary as a non-profit organization, donating proceeds to the Diabetes Research Association.[4] In 2004, he was awarded the NHL Foundation Player Award for his community service and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in recognition of his humanitarian contributions.[73] Iginla supports many charities. In 2000, he began donating $1,000 per goal he scored to KidSport, a figure he doubled to $2,000 in 2005. From 2000 through to the end of the 2008 season he donated $430,000 from this initiative.[4]

Iginla is a part owner of the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League.[74] He purchased a minority share in the franchise, along with fellow NHL players Shane Doan, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor, in October 2007.[75] He is also an ambassador with the NHL Diversity program, which supports youth hockey organizations that offer economically disadvantaged kids the opportunity to play.[76] Since 2008, he has been a hockey spokesperson for Scotiabank, appearing in commercials and at events supporting its grassroots hockey programs,[77] as well as for Samsung Canada.[78]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1991–92 St. Albert Raiders AMHL 36 26 30 56 22 — — — — —
1992–93 St. Albert Raiders AMHL 36 34 53 87 20 — — — — —
1993–94 Kamloops Blazers WHL 48 6 23 29 33 19 3 6 9 10
1994–95 Kamloops Blazers WHL 72 33 38 71 112 21 7 11 18 34
1995–96 Kamloops Blazers WHL 63 63 73 136 120 16 16 13 29 44
1995–96 Calgary Flames NHL — — — — — 2 1 1 2 0
1996–97 Calgary Flames NHL 82 21 29 50 37 — — — — —
1997–98 Calgary Flames NHL 70 13 19 32 29 — — — — —
1998–99 Calgary Flames NHL 82 28 23 51 58 — — — — —
1999–00 Calgary Flames NHL 77 29 34 63 26 — — — — —
2000–01 Calgary Flames NHL 77 31 40 71 62 — — — — —
2001–02 Calgary Flames NHL 82 52 44 96 77 — — — — —
2002–03 Calgary Flames NHL 75 35 32 67 49 — — — — —
2003–04 Calgary Flames NHL 81 41 32 73 84 26 13 9 22 45
2004–05 DNP — lockout NHL — — — — — — — — — —
2005–06 Calgary Flames NHL 82 35 32 67 86 7 5 3 8 11
2006–07 Calgary Flames NHL 70 39 55 94 40 6 2 2 4 12
2007–08 Calgary Flames NHL 82 50 48 98 83 7 4 5 9 2
2008–09 Calgary Flames NHL 82 35 54 89 37 6 3 1 4 4
WHL totals 183 102 134 236 264 62 29 31 60 92
NHL totals 942 409 442 851 668 54 28 21 49 70

Statistics as of the end of the 2008–09 season.

International

Year Team Comp   GP G A Pts PIM
1996 Canada WJC 6 5 7 12 4
1997 Canada WC 11 2 3 5 2
2002 Canada Oly 6 3 1 4 0
2004 Canada WCH 6 2 1 3 2
2006 Canada Oly 6 2 1 3 4
International totals 35 14 13 27 12

All-Star Games

Year Location   G A P
2002 Los Angeles 0 0 0
2003 Sunrise 0 1 1
2004 St. Paul 0 0 0
2008 Atlanta 0 1 1
2009 Montreal 1 0 1
All-Star totals 1 2 3

Awards

Iginla being honoured as part of a Molson Cup ceremony
Major junior
Award Year
Memorial Cup Championship team 1994, 1995
George Parsons Trophy 1995
WHL West First All-Star team 1996
Four Broncos Memorial Trophy 1996
CHL First All-Star team 1996
NHL
Award Year
NHL All-Rookie Team 1997
First team All-Star 2002, 2008, 2009
Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy 2002, 2004
Art Ross Trophy 2002
Lester B. Pearson Award 2002
ESPY Best NHL Player 2002, 2004
Second team All-Star 2004
King Clancy Memorial Trophy 2004
NHL Foundation Player Award 2004
Mark Messier Leadership Award 2009
Calgary Flames team awards
Award Year
Molson Cup 2001–2004, 2008
Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award 2001, 2002
J. R. McCaig Award 2008
International
Award Year
World Junior First All-Star team 1996
World Junior Best Forward 1996

See also

References

General
Footnotes
  1. ^ LaPointe, Joe (2002-06-18). "Iginla's dream season heads into overtime". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B00E4DA1F3CF93BA25755C0A9649C8B63. Retrieved 2008-12-14. 
  2. ^ Larry Wigge (2009-01-26). "Iginla's name is as big as his game". National Hockey League. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=406226&navid=DL. Retrieved 2009-01-27. 
  3. ^ a b Cazeneuve, Brian (2007-03-05). "Jarome Iginla". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1107127/index.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-14. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Board, Mike (2008-11-29). "Overtime: #12's Top 10". Blaze Magazine (Calgary Flames Hockey Club): 6–11. 
  5. ^ Gulbranson, Davin. "Jarome Iginla—The Smile Says It All". City Light News. http://www.calgarychristian.com/articles/2004/406-jarome_iginla.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-27. 
  6. ^ Amber, David (2005-10-28). "Facing Off: Q&A with Jarome Iginla". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?id=2205382. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
  7. ^ a b c d "Player Profile—Jarome Iginla". Hockey Hall of Fame. http://www.legendsofhockey.net:8080/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SearchPlayer.jsp?player=10613. Retrieved 2008-12-09. 
  8. ^ Flett, Cory and Watts, Jessie, ed. 2008–09 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League. p. 206. 
  9. ^ Lapp, Richard; Macaulay, Alec (1997). The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship. Harbour Publishing. p. 260. ISBN 1-55015-170-4. 
  10. ^ Lapp, Richard; Macaulay, Alec (1997). The Memorial Cup: Canada's National Junior Hockey Championship. Harbour Publishing. p. 267. ISBN 1-55015-170-4. 
  11. ^ Duhatschek, Eric (1995-12-21). "Flames bank on future". Calgary Herald: p. C1. 
  12. ^ Flett, Cory and Watts, Jessie, ed. 2008–09 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League. p. 199. 
  13. ^ Flett, Cory and Watts, Jessie, ed. 2008–09 WHL Guide. Western Hockey League. p. 165. 
  14. ^ a b "1996 - Boston, United States". The Sports Network. http://www.tsn.ca/World_jrs/feature/?fid=1047&hubname=. Retrieved 2008-12-08. 
  15. ^ Board, Mike (1996-04-22). "'Iguana' enjoys heat". Calgary Herald: p. D3. 
  16. ^ Duhatschek, Eric (1996-04-23). "A quick learner". Calgary Herald: p. D1. 
  17. ^ Duhatschek, Eric (1996-04-24). "Heartbreak". Calgary Herald: p. C1. 
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Hanlon, Peter and Kelso, Sean, ed (PDF). 2008–09 Calgary Flames Media Guide. Calgary Flames Hockey Club. pp. 59–61. http://downloads.flames.nhl.com/other/2008CalgaryFlamesMediaGuide_web.pdf. 
  19. ^ Board, Mike (1999-10-09). "Iginla signs 3-year deal". Calgary Herald: p. E1. 
  20. ^ Allen, Kevin (2002-03-05). "Iginla ready to break the bank". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/columns/allen/2002-03-05-allen.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-15. 
  21. ^ Harris, Cecil (2003). Breaking the Ice: The Black Experience in Professional Hockey. Insomniac Press. p. 20. ISBN 1-894663-58-6. 
  22. ^ Dowbiggin, Bruce (2008-03-07). "Hart irony may burn Iginla". Calgary Herald. http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=5550ffa5-080c-439f-8a58-c4ea3ea66b70. Retrieved 2009-05-20. 
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  24. ^ Dolezar, John A. (2002-09-16). "2002–03 season preview – Calgary Flames". CNN Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/hockey/news/2002/09/16/2002_flamespreview/. Retrieved 2008-12-15. 
  25. ^ Canella, Stephen (2004-02-16). "Catching Fire". Sports Illustrated. http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1031196/index.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-04. 
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  27. ^ Hanlon, Peter and Kelso, Sean, ed (PDF). 2008–09 Calgary Flames Media Guide. Calgary Flames Hockey Club. p. 131. http://downloads.flames.nhl.com/other/2008CalgaryFlamesMediaGuide_web.pdf. 
  28. ^ a b Rosen, Dan (2008-12-09). "Iginla honored to be captain of Flames". National Hockey League. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=396926. Retrieved 2008-12-10. 
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  33. ^ Adelson, Eric (2004-06-14). "Iginla gives Flames hope, even in defeat". ESPN. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2004/columns/story?id=1817708. Retrieved 2008-12-15. 
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  42. ^ Podell, Ira (2008-01-08). "Red Wings, Penguins' Crosby top NHL All-Star voting". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2008-01-08-all-star-starters_N.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
  43. ^ "Iginla, Lecavalier to handle captain duties". The Sports Network. 2008-01-26. http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=228282&hubname=nhl. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
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  45. ^ Duhatschek, Eric (2008-03-04). "Iginla enjoying the ride". The Globe and Mail. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080304.wsptduha4/BNStory/Sports/columnists. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
  46. ^ Board, Mike (2008-12-19). "Iginla notches 800th point". Calgary Flames Hockey Club. http://flames.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=399212. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
  47. ^ "Iginla, Cammalleri both tally five points each as the Flames beat Oilers 6-4". The Hockey News. 2009-01-01. http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/21862-Iginla-Cammalleri-both-tally-five-points-each-as-the-Flames-beat-Oilers-64.html. Retrieved 2009-01-02. 
  48. ^ Holland, Brad (2009-01-07). "Defense sets the table for Western All-Stars". National Hockey League. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=402614&navid=DL. Retrieved 2009-01-07. 
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  50. ^ "Lightning rain on Iginla's record-setting night". The Sports Network. 2009-03-01. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=269423&lid=sublink02&lpos=headlines_main. Retrieved 2009-03-02. 
  51. ^ Hall, Vicki (2009-04-30). "Iginla nixes injury rumour". Calgary Herald. http://www.calgaryherald.com/business/Iginla+nixes+injury+rumour/1549050/story.html. Retrieved 2009-05-20. 
  52. ^ "La Copa Mexico 1994". Hockey Canada. Archived from the original on 2006-05-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20060514092829/http://www.hockeycanada.ca/4/2/2/0/index1.shtml. Retrieved 2008-12-09. 
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