Flame for Thought
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Tij Iginla still unranked on 2024 prospect lists despite continued scoring

ByBrett Montrose|
KELOWNA, BC - FEBRUARY 2: the Kelowna Rockets line up against the Everett Silvertips at Prospera Place on February 2, 2018 in Kelowna, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)
KELOWNA, BC - FEBRUARY 2: the Kelowna Rockets line up against the Everett Silvertips at Prospera Place on February 2, 2018 in Kelowna, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)

Despite a goal-per-game lamp-lighting pace that has Tij Iginla third in WHL goals (with fewer games played than those in the one and two spots), the 2024 draft-eligible centre remains unranked on Sportsnet’s 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings.

A couple weeks back, we took a look at the likelihood of the Calgary Flames drafting the son of their greatest ever player, Jarome Iginla. At the time, Tij was unranked on any prospect lists I could find, save Elite Prospects’ Top 96, which had him in the 87th position. I’m not sure how frequently Elite Prospects updates this particular set of rankings, but as of today, Iginla’s ranking is unchanged.

Iginla started his season with seven goals and 10 points in six games. Three more games into the season, Iginla has added another pair of goals for 12 points in nine games with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. Check out his most recent tally below (note how familiar that release looks…):

Even though Flames fans are all rooting for Tij’s success and hope to see him crack meaningful scouting lists in advance of the 2024 NHL Draft, being unranked means Iginla isn’t yet projected to be taken off the draft board before the Flames could select him in the first or second round.

Of course, it’s early. Just like it might be a little much for Flames fans to overreact to the play of Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau the way they are through only three games, it would also be a little much for scouts to overcorrect their Tij Iginla analysis only nine games into the 68-game WHL calendar.

Consider Flame For Thought your official Tij Tracker. I plan to see Iginla play in person when the Rockets visit the Victoria Royals next month and will continue to pay attention to the closest thing to Jarome Iginla that men’s hockey has seen since the Calgary Flames’ all-time games played, goals, and points leader retired. (Yes, Jarome also has a hockey-playing daughter. Jade Iginla represented Canada at the U18 World Championships and is currently an NCAA Division I Ivy League sophomore at Brown University with two points in two games.)

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