Boston Bruins Free Agency: Jarome Iginla signs with Colorado Avalanche.
Feb 4, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins right wing
Jarome Iginla(12) during the third period against the Vancouver Canucks at TD Banknorth Garden. The Boston Bruins won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
The salary cap was going to play hell with the Boston Bruins this year. We all knew it. There just wasn’t going to be enough money for the Black and Gold to keep the team together. The Bruins could have attempted to free up more money by using a compliance buy out but chose not to do that. With so little money left and so many players still needing to be signed, sacrifices had to be made somewhere. In the end, the Bruins did what they believed was the best option for them. The Bruins chose to let living legend and future Hockey Hall of Fame member Jarome Iginla go.
Jarome Iginla to COL, as I reported on TSN.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 1, 2014
The Colorado Avalanche turned out to be the winners of the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes. The Avs signed the six time NHL All-Star to a three year, sixteen million dollar deal. He’ll receive $5.5 million for the first two years of his contract, and $5 million in the third. Iginla was one of the hot names on the free agency market. Realistically, there was no way the Bruins could have made an offer of that magnitude. Jarome Iginla’s bonus laden contract is the biggest reason why the Bruins are in cap jail this year. Iginla was also taken down off the Boston Bruins website under ‘active roster’ this morning, so that should have been a sign of this coming as well.
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Iginla who turned thirty seven today has spent his career searching for a Stanley Cup. He tried earning it with the Calgary Flames. In the fifteen years he was with that organization he put up 1,095 points(525 goals) in 1,219 games for the Flames. He was a six time NHL All-Star for them as well. When he realized his chances were dimmed at winning the Cup in Calgary, Iginla began his NHL walkabout. In 2013 Iginla almost signed with Boston, but at the last second of the trade deadline chose to go to the Pittsburgh Penguins. His hopes to win a Stanley Cup were dashed that year as the Bruins swept the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals.
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Iginla came to Boston before the start of last season and made an impact right away, moving into the slot vacated by the departed Nathan Horton. As part of the KIL line (along with David Krejci and Milan Lucic) he ended up with another thirty goal season, and finished third in overall scoring with sixty one points. His plus/minus of +34 was among the highest in the league (only to be outmatched by fellow Bruins). He put in four power play goals and eight game winning goals for the Black and Gold last season, and earned the bonuses that led us to the situation we are now in.
It’s a hard truth for the organization, and we’ll certainly miss his scoring. It was nice to have such an impressive player play for the Bruins, even if it was just for one season.