© Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn ImagesUtah Mammoth’s top prospect Tij Iginla’s dad, Jarome Iginla, has been named to the NHL Quarter-Century Team.
The NHL revealed the first six names on the list, which includes Iginla, Zdeno Chara, Nicklas Lidstrom, Teemu Selanne, Joe Sakic, and Joe Thornton.
Iginla is widely considered the greatest Calgary Flame of all time. He was a fan-favorite captain who played the game hard every night—scoring goals, throwing hits, and even dropping the gloves when needed.
In 1,554 NHL games, he recorded 625 goals, 675 assists, and 1,300 points. In 40 playoff games, he added 16 goals and 16 assists for 32 points.
His trophy case is packed. Iginla won the Rocket Richard and Art Ross Trophies in 2001-02, along with the Ted Lindsay Award. In 2003-04, he won another Rocket Richard and added the King Clancy. He also picked up the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2009.
That same season, he helped lead Calgary all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, but they came up short against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Iginla went on to be the longest-serving captain in Flames history, wearing the “C” for nine seasons before being traded in search of a Stanley Cup. He went on to play for Pittsburgh, Boston, Colorado, and Los Angeles, but a Cup never came.
After retiring in 2017, it didn’t take long for him to be honored. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020 and had his No. 12 retired by the Flames in 2019.
When the NHL announced the Quarter-Century Team, they included a quote from his former teammate Martin Gelinas.
"He's a caring, smiling, charismatic person. What we saw on the ice is that player, that force, that guy who could score goals. For me, what made Jarome a complete, complete package is what he did off the ice..."
It’s great to see a player who worked as hard as Iginla get the recognition he deserves.
Now the hope in Utah is that Tij can follow in his dad’s footsteps and become just as impactful for the Mammoth.
