The long-time Flames' face of the franchise has returned as a special advisor to the GM
Jarome Iginla came within an inch of winning a Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames as a player.
That championship is one of the few achievements not on the Hall of Famer’s resume.
Iginla will be on the hunt for that elusive crown in a management role now after re-joining the team as a special advisor to the general manager, which reunites him and Craig Conroy.
“Dating as far back as our playing days with the Flames, Jarome and I have always talked about one day working together in the NHL,” Conroy said in a release. “That day has finally come and I’m happy to welcome him back to Calgary. Jarome provides a creative approach and smart hockey mind to our team blended with a passion for the game, and a desire to win the Stanley Cup.”
Conroy and Iginla became best of friends while both were key components to the franchise’s rebirth, beginning with the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, in which they fell one goal short in the finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Iginla will spend the coming season coaching his youngest son, Joe, at the RINK Academy in Kelowna, B.C., before taking a bigger role with the organization.
“While the public focus of my contributions is on my playing career, I believe my hockey experiences since my retirement will also benefit the organization,” Iginla said. “Conny and I have 20-year-old pending work to complete, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Iginla returning to the fold is just the latest positive development for the franchise. Conroy, long a fan favorite in Calgary, took the GM reins after Brad Treliving moved on and has since become GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The team earlier this week announced Ryan Huska as the new head coach after Darryl Sutter was fired following a disappointing season which ended without a playoff berth.
Acquired by the Flames from the Dallas Stars in December 1995, Iginla became the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (1,219), goals (525) and points (1,095). The two-time Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy winner as the NHL’s top goal scorer who also won the Art Ross Trophy in 2002, Iginla was named to the NHL’s first all-star team three times and was an in-season all-star six times.
He twice won Olympic gold, and was part of championship teams at the World Cup of Hockey, the world championships, world junior championships and Memorial Cup.
With the Flames rebuilding, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in March 2013, and finished his career by playing for the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings.
He finished his career with 625 goals and 1,300 points before retiring after the 2017-18 season.
Iginla’s number-12 jersey was retired by the Flames in 2019 and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.