No crystal ball can tell Iginla’s future
Jarome Iginla’s hockey resume absolutely glitters with accomplishments.
A two-time Olympic gold medallist. The leading scorer in Calgary Flames history. A lock for the Hockey Hall of Fame.
But the face of the franchise, in spite of all his on-ice brilliance, is no clairvoyant. He can’t read minds or travel through time.
“I don’t know what next year holds,” the captain muttered after the Flames knocked off the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 in the final game of the 2011/12 season. “I can’t say. They’re going to look at everything, and I really don’t know what it holds.”
Throughout the last two seasons, general manager Jay Feaster has steadfastly insisted Iginla is going nowhere. Same holds true for team president Ken King.
But the fact is, the Flames have failed to qualify for the post-season for three years running. Iginla turns 35 in July, and his contract expires at the end of the 2012/13 season.
The ownership and management of the flames ,meanwhile, stand at a crossroads as the stewards of the oldest team in the NHL to not make the playoffs. And not for the first time. “I do know there will be lots of questions, and we’re all going to be looked at,” Iginla told a massive clump of report-
DO I WANT TO FULLY REBUILD? I WOULD BE LYING TO YOU IF I SAID THAT I DO
JAROME IGINLA
ers camped at his stall in the dressing room. “That’s part of it. We all should be, being out for three years. They have to decide what direction they want to go.”
Iginla’s contract includes a no-movement clause, so he calls the shots in this situation with one year left at an annual salary of $7 million.
In 82 games this season, the captain registered a team-leading 67 points — his lowest total since 2005-06.
“Do I want to be on a team where we’re going to fully rebuild? I don’t know that I do,” Iginla said. “I think Calgary is a very good organization. I think they treat us all well as players, and I do think there’s a lot of good things going.”
Good things like Akim Aliu scoring his first two goals Saturday against Anaheim. Good things like Sven Baertschi, the emergency-call up from Portland who collected three goals in five NHL games.
Good things like rookie defenceman T.J. Brodie and forward Lance Bouma establishing themselves as full-time Nhlers.
“You see the young guys this year,” Iginla said. “It’s a positive.”
But those positives aside, where exactly are the Flames headed with their two franchise players, Iginla and Kiprusoff, much closer to the end than the beginning of their storied careers?
“Are you asking me?” centre Michael Cammalleri said when t he topic of his discussion turned to the futures of No. 12 and No. 34. “I would love to play alongside Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kip- rusoff next season.”
For the record, he expects to play alongside Iginla and Kiprusoff next season.
“In my opinion, I can’t see it happening, ”cammalleri said of trades involving the two aging superstars.
“Why even speculate? On even a broader mandate level, I’ve got to know our ownership group here in my time in Calgary. They’re a group that’s very committed to on-ice success. I’m confident they’re going to do whatever they can to make that happen.”
No matter how you look at it, this spring — and summer- promises to be eventful for the Flames.
“I don’t know what the situation will be,” said Iginla, who has played his entire NHL career in Calgary. “Do I want to fully rebuild? I would be lying to you if I said that I do. But at the same time, the organization has to do what they want to do. . . .
“I have no idea what’s going to happen.”
Springtime questions about Iginla’s future are every bit as much of a part of the fabric of life in Calgary as April snow storms.
Regardless of what happens in the days ahead, Iginla clearly still yearns for the one thing missing from his hockey resume.
“It gets harder every year,” he said. “It does get harder every year. No matter how long we play, we’re always at one year less of our careers. It’s something that’s tough not being in.
“You want it more than ever. It just builds when you’re watching other teams compete for the Stanley Cup. So it’s not easy.”
Especially when Iginla convinced himself this time would be different.
“We had a goal,” he said. “You start the year, that’s the first goal to give yourself a chance to win the Stanley Cup. And when you don’t make it, there’s no question we all feel like we failed to reach our goal.
“And we did.”