Jarome Iginla—Edmonton's Top Young Gun Flies South

There is more than a little irony in Jarome Iginla’s young career. Born in Edmonton on Canada Day, 1977, Iginla’s professional career has been shaped by both the Dallas Stars and the Calgary Flames.  As a child, Iginla cheered for the Edmonton Oilers; today, the Stars and Flames are the biggest rivals of the his favourite childhood franchise

Alberta hockey fans first noticed Iginla when he scored 34 goals in 36 games for the St. Albert Saints of the Alberta Major Junior Hockey League.

After winning the 1994 and 1995  Memorial Cup championships with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League, Iginla was drafted by the Dallas Stars in 1995. The Stars decided it was best to let Iginla mature with another year in major junior hockey, and he responded with a season that proved to scouts that he was ready for the National Hockey League.  That final in juniors, he scored 63 goals in 63 games for the Blazers, and would become a key factor in Team Canada’s win at the 1996 World Junior Championships held in Boston.

Halfway through the 1995-96 season, the Stars decided they wanted to add a veteran presence to their lineup and initiated a trade for Calgary Flames’ forward Joe Nieuwendyk. The Stars sent Iginla to southern Alberta in exchange for a player who was a proven 50-goal scorer.

For the Flames, the trade was a major gamble; they had sacrificed one of their most popular players in order to acquire Iginla. Right away Flames fans found Iginla could play; he appeared in two playoff games in 1996, registering a goal and an assist.

Iginla admitted that his arrival in Calgary not only required a change of heart from he and his family. They were once Oiler fans, and took nothing but cold comfort from their hatred of the Flames during the 1980s and the glory days of the Battle of Alberta.

"It’s great that I can still play so close to home," Iginla said back in 1997. "My family and friends can come and see me play. But I know it’s kind of funny for them, the situation that they’re in. They all still have a hard time cheering for the Flames because they all live in Edmonton."

Since then, Iginla has shown that he is one of the best Alberta-born players in the National Hockey League today. In 2001-02, he won the Art Ross Trophy for being the NHL’s top point producer (96 points) and the Rocket Richard Trophy for leading the league in goals with 52. He also became an instant national hero with a two-goal performance for Team Canada in the gold medal game at the Salt Lake City 2002 Olympics.

When Iginla’s career is over, many will remember him as one of the finest players to come from Edmonton. But for now, he prefers to stick it to his hometown as the undisputed leader of the Calgary Flames.

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