Former Calgary Flames Captain Joins The 600 Club
Former Calgary Flames captain, Jarome Iginla joined elite company tonight as he joined the ‘600 Club’ after netting his 600th regular season NHL goal.
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The goal came on the power-play in the third period with the Colorado Avalanche leading against the Los Angeles Kings.
Iginla, in netting goal six-hundred joins other illustrious names including Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Phil Esposito and another former Calgary Flames player, Brett Hull.
Of course among Calgary Flames fans, Iginla is remembered fondly for the fact that 516 of those regular season goals came whilst wearing a Calgary Flames jersey.
Jarome Iginla was a first round eleventh pick overall in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars, but ended up with the Calgary Flames after being traded for Joe Nieuwendyk in December of his draft year.
Per his biography on the Calgary Flames website, he debuted with the Calgary Flames soon after playing in twice in the 1996 playoff series against the Chicago Blackhawks. Dan Quinn, at that time was the last Calgary Flames player to play as an eighteen year-old, proving the value the organisation put on one of its then prized assets.
On debut in the regular season, he notched an assist in his first game and his first goal in his second Calgary Flames game.
He went from strength to strength with the Calgary Flames organisation and was awarded the captaincy in 2003, leading the team to the Stanley Cup Final that season where the they came within a whisker of repeating the 1989 team’s Cup-winning heroics.
In terms of franchise records, he is the Calgary Flames leader in several categories with 1,219 games played, notching 1,095 points, 525 goals and 92 multi-goal games. Some of these will eventually fall, others may remain for a long time.
Ultimately he found himself traded by the Calgary Flames, but the Calgary faithful don’t hold any ill feelings – he is welcomed back to the Saddledome with a cheer every time he appears against them.
The fact that he achieved the milestone wearing Colorado Avalanche colors is just part of the game; players move on, no matter how loyal they are in their time with your team.
Current Calgary Flames player T.J. Brodie put it best, assessing his legacy when he departed for Pittsburgh. “Not many guys play for the same team for that long and accomplish what he’s accomplished over the years. Definitely there’s no one that can fill those shoes,” he said.
Either way, Jarome Iginla marking this milestone was well-received by Calgary Flames fans, though of course they’ll be hoping one day someone can achieve such a milestone whilst wearing a Calgary Flames jersey.
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What do you think of Iginla’s achievement? Do you have a specific Jarome Iginla goal that sticks in mind when you think back on his time with the Calgary Flames? Let us know in the comments section below.