Dec 8, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Dion Phaneuf (3) restrains Boston Bruins right wing Jarome Iginla (12) at Air Canada Centre. The Bruins beat the Maple Leafs 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
The NHL is a very fluid organization. While there are players who spend their entire careers in a single franchise, there are players who move around frequently. Other players just want to hold the Stanley Cup one more time, and if that means spending their last few seasons in another organization in the hopes of getting that Cup again (or for the first time), they’ll pack and move across the continent to get it done. Jaromir Jagr did it last year when he came to Boston, and this years’ Cup worthy transplant is forward Jarome Iginla.
It should be a very interesting night for Iginla when he returns to Scotiabank Saddledome for the first time since the Calgary Flames traded him on March 28th to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Iginla was a member of the Flames organization for 16 seasons. He was up in Calgary practicing with the Bruins yesterday, and he was in no way immune to the nostalgia coming back to a place that helped define his career.
“I don’t have a lot of expectations.” said Iginla to the press. It is pretty safe to argue that Iginla is probably one of the top ten if not the best NHL player ever to wear the ‘Flaming C’. “I hope it’s positive. I had great experiences here. I love playing here. I’m going to enjoy playing here being back at the Saddledome. I hope it’s positive. I don’t know, but I don’t have a lot of expectations or anything. I just want to enjoy it. It’s a thrill for me too and it will be for my family. It’ll be something different. I imagine it’ll be a little bit different at the start, but it’ll be cool.”
Iginla is the all time Flames’ franchise leader in games (1,219), points (1,095) and goals (525). The Bruins will be spending the rest of the week on a cross-Canada away stretch that has put the team through the grinder. The good news is that Johnny Boychuk is expected to be back in the line up tonight. The game will start at 9:30 EST, and will be featured on NESN.