Flame for Thought
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Calgary Flames 2004 cup run: Where are they now?

By Ramina Shlah

CALGARY, CANADA - JUNE 5: Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin #35 of the Tampa Bay Lightning stops a puck shot by Martin Gelinas #23 of the Calgary Flames during the third period in game six of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals on June 5, 2004 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Canada. A television replay showed that the puck might have crossed the goal line. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)
CALGARY, CANADA - JUNE 5: Goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin #35 of the Tampa Bay Lightning stops a puck shot by Martin Gelinas #23 of the Calgary Flames during the third period in game six of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals on June 5, 2004 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Canada. A television replay showed that the puck might have crossed the goal line. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – MAY 25: Craig Conroy #22 and Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames celebrate with teammate Martin Gelinas #23 after Gelinas scored the team’s first goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game one of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals on May 25, 2004 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – MAY 25: Craig Conroy #22 and Jarome Iginla #12 of the Calgary Flames celebrate with teammate Martin Gelinas #23 after Gelinas scored the team’s first goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game one of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals on May 25, 2004 at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /

Forwards

Jarome Iginla

I didn’t want to cry today yet here we are. Jarome Iginla has that effect on me. With Alex Ovechkin finally winning his well-deserved Cup, you can’t help but feel somewhat sad that Iginla hasn’t had his. But again, that’s beside the point.

That Cup-run year, Iginla won the King Clancy and won the Rocket Richard Trophy for most goals in the regular season. He was also third in playoffs scoring with 22 points and first in goals with 13.

Iginla was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013 with the hopes of winning a Cup. He signed with the Boston Bruins the following year, then signed with the Colorado Avalanche before getting traded to the LA Kings last year. He didn’t play last season, many people expecting retirement from him, but we found out that he required surgery and was nursing some injuries. However, he has stated that he isn’t done in the NHL just yet. He’s also a franchise owner of the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL and has been since 2007.

Iginla may be making a comeback this upcoming season. With who? I honestly can’t even speculate because I truly have no idea. But he’s the only player from that 2004 roster who hasn’t retired yet. Can you guess what team he will go to?

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Craig Conroy

The line consisting of Iginla, Craig Conroy, and Martin Gelinas was a force, and a clutch one at that. After 2004, Conroy played a season with the LA Kings before coming back to the Calgary Flames the following season and spending the rest of his career here. He officially retired in February 2011, but right away became a special assistant to the GM of the Flames. He held that position until 2014 where he was promoted to assistant GM.

Conroy still acts as assistant GM of the Flames. Guess he just can’t let go of 04 either and needs to win a Cup with them, hey?

Martin Gelinas

Martin Gelinas, the final of that top-line. After the 2004 season, he signed with the Florida Panthers and finished his NHL career off with the Nashville Predators. He played a season with SC Bern of the NLA before announcing his retirement in 2009. That same day, he was named a director of player development with the Nashville Predators but didn’t actually work in that role until 2011, where he was also an interim assistant coach to their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.

The following year, Gelinas was named an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames and has held on to that role until now. He has been on the bench, but for this upcoming season, he’ll be a “bird in the sky”, meaning he’ll be up with Brad Treliving in the Press Box rather than at the bench.

I guess like Conroy, he just can’t let go of 2004.

Can you imagine if Iginla signs with the Calgary Flames? Then Conroy, Gelinas, and Iginla will all be reunited again. Wow, who else is crying? Or, say after Iginla retires and he also takes on some role with the Flames, and I’m not trying to get my hopes up here because I’ll end up crying since this will never happen, but imagine they all end up winning a Cup with Calgary together?

Next: Flames at the 2018 NHL Draft

Just kidding, I’m already crying. One can only hope.

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