Calgary Flames
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Jersey |
Manufacturer: Reebok
Material: Edge 2.0
Year: 2011
Heritage Classic: Jarome Iginla Size 52
Material: Edge 2.0
Year: 2011
Heritage Classic: Jarome Iginla Size 52
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Jersey History |
So this was my first Edge 2.0 jersey. I didn't even realize what an Edge 2.0 was when I purchased this and thought it was a fake since I got it for a really good price. After some research I learned so so much. When the Blackhawks reached their dark days I turned to some other teams that were having success. The Calgary Flames were one of those teams. This is the 2011 Heritage Classic jersey which the Flames wore. The Heritage Classic is a regular season outdoor game played between two Canadian teams. This year the Flames would host the Canadiens at McMahon Stadium. They ended up winning the game 4-0. This jersey style was based off Calgary's first professional hockey team the Calgary Tigers.
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Player History |
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Jarome Iginla: The Flames cup run in 2004 was what made me an Iginla fan for life. He is the epitome of a power forward scoring goals and playing a tough, physical game. Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla was born in Edmonton, AB. He was drafted 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in 1995 but was traded at the end of the year to the Calgary flames, with Corey Millen, for the rights to Joe Nieuwendyk. He would join the Flames in the playoffs 1996 after winning two championships in the WHL. His first full season with the Flames saw Iginla score 50 points earning him runner up to the Calder trophy just behind Bryan Berard. He scoring prowess would slowly come to form with the Flames before he dominated the league in 2002 winning the Maurice Richard, Art Ross, and Lester B. Pearson. He would be named captain of the flames in 2003 after the title was taken from Craig Conroy. He played 16 season with the Flames, winning every scoring title he could without reaching the ultimate trophy. He would go Cup chasing, as the Flames declined, being traded to Pittsburgh in 2013 for a first round pick and college prospects Kenny Agostino and Ben Hanowski. The Penguins didn't pan out so Iginla signed a one year deal with the Bruins in the 2013-14 season. The Bruins weren't able to re-sign him in the off season so he ended up in Colorado for three years in 2014 on a three year deal. Still not able to win the Cup, he was finally traded to the Kings for a conditional fourth round pick. He would finish the season with the Kings but not be re-signed as he had to undergo surgery on hips in the offseason. The comeback to the NHL never happened and Iginla retired in 2020.
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Iginla was just as good off ice as he was on. He was known to be a stand up guy and a leader in everything he was a part of. He would go on to play 20 seasons in the NHL playing in 1554 games while scoring 625 goals and 1300 points. He would score 20+ goals five times, 30+ goals eight times, 40+ goals twice, and 50+ goals twice. Only Jaromír Jágr was scoring more goals than Iginla in his prime. He unfortunately did not see the postseason often only playing in 81 games scoring 37 goals and 68 points. As I mentioned before, Iginla would collect many trophies over his career winning the Maurice Richard in 2002 and 2004, Art Ross in 2002, Lester B Pearson in 2002, King Clancy in 2004, NHL Foundation Player Award in 2004, and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2009. He would be a part of the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1997, the First All-Star Team in 2002 and 2008-09, the Second All-Star Team in 2004, and play in the All-Star Game in 2003-04, 2008-09, and 2011-12.
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Iginla would have a great international career as well, representing Canada. He would win gold in the 1996 IIHF World Junior Championship. He would win gold in the 1997 IIHF World Championship. He would win gold in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He would participate in the 2006 Winter Olympics and would go on to win gold in 2002 and 2010 assisting on Crosby's overtime goal in one of the best games of hockey I've seen. Iginla was actually the first black athlete to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics too which is pretty crazy. Iginla was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020 during his first year of eligibility becoming the fourth black player inducted after Grant Fuhr and hockey pioneers Angela James and Willie O'Ree. For the Flames, Iginla leads the club all-time in goals, points, and games played, and is second in assists behind Al MacInnis. His number 12 was retired to the rafters on March 2, 2019. It's a shame he never won the Stanley Cup, but he had a phenomenal career regardless and will always be a hockey legend.