OffThePost.org

I suppose it would be a little odd if I didn't mention the franchise's leading scorer entering the Hall this year.

1554 games played with 1300 points (career totals)

1095 points and 525 goals with the Flames including 2 50 goal seasons.

Arguably the best player in the league during the early 2000s.

As I've said before Iggy came aboard during that dark transitionary period after the cup (96-97)......"the young guns" late 90's campaign.........the threats to move because season ticket sales were low. Iginla's brief hold out, Trading Theo.........Calgary really chapped my ass in those years and while I appreciated Iginla I probably didn't appreciate him as much as I should have. Although remaining a fan, I was still pretty butt hurt with the Flames for the better part of a decade (I never put a players name from that era on a jersey and that didn't change until Johnny). 2004 would have gone a long way to fix that but Gary and the NHLPA were too busy depriving the Flames of another shot with the lockout and not reviewing game 6 goals! The Flames could never get it going in the next 4 seasons of playoffs with Iginla again. The following 4 were no playoffs at all (2010 and beyond) until he was finally rented to Pittsburgh for a run that never happened. He ended up scoring 30 for the Bs (13-14, his last crack at the postseason unfortunately Montreal ended that ) and then had a few serviceable years with the Avs until that team hit a poor spell as well. He finished off playing a few games for the Kings in 16-17.

So while throughout the years he was productive his teams never took that next step in Calgary and he missed the boat most everywhere he went besides Team Canada. Too bad the cup eluded him.

In all reality Iginla probably saved the Flames franchise from moving. He was classy, quiet and led by example. He consistently produced while management ground the gears. He gave the fans a reason to attend when they really didn't have many at the time.

He is still Calgary's all time leader in many categories including Goals, Points and GWGs.

https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/ ... areer.html

So my hat is off to Jarome.....the old saying you don't know what you got until its gone.

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It's a shame I had to witness his final two seasons in an Avs sweater. He deserved better than that.

I'm sad he didn't get his Cup, but he was a very bright star in the league that, in his prime, did not have a lot of them.

Incredibly well deserved entry to the Hall. Great player, better person.

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Shoresy, "It's called a sweater"

The time he not only got game tickets but also hotel rooms for some Canadians who had driven to Salt Lake City just to be around the prolympic atmosphere- that story did it for me. Dude is awesome.

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Posting your political views on social media is like sticking your head up your ass & whispering: You're just as likely to change someone's mind, and you'll always come out looking like a shithead.

Amazing career and a well-deserved place in the HOF for Jarome.

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Thanks Chuck, E.L. and Harmy!