Iginla leads Avs in scoring after 70 games

[Sylvanfan]

Paul Stastny 's contract will be a noose for the Blues after next season. They have to win this year or next year or their window closes for 3 years.

Iginla is an exceptionally conditioned athlete. His production is declining though at his age. Sort of shows why signing 30 year old players to 7 year contracts for high dollar numbers is a poor idea.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

LOL.... apparently whenever a team struggles, it's Iginla's fault.

The Avs are teeming with young talent that haven't put up good enough numbers this year. Plus, their defense is bad. That's why they suck.

Exactly this. Iginla leading their team in scoring is a problem, but its hardly his fault.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by 1stLand

For the Avs, they have young players that need the icetime and responsibility to develop - but instead that icetime has to go to Iginla first because of his Hall of Fame stature.

Iginla is 5th among Avs' forwards in TOI. His average is 17:47 per game. O'Reilly, Duchene, and Landeskog are all ahead of him. McKinnon is only 40 seconds behind, even though he's having a terrible sophomore year.

[icecube]

This goes out to every single person who has ever posted a dumb Iginla comment on a message board.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Hells Bells

I remember when he led the NHL in scoring in '02... and also led the Flames to within a goal of the Stanley Cup in '04...
Those are things I remember.

I remember those days too when Iginla was 24 and 26 years old... when he was willing to play the way the coach wanted him to... when he was less set in his ways, when he wasn't so stubborn.

I know a lot of people on here won't admit it, but Iggy, as he got older had a "I'll do it my way" attitude... which, in my opinion, was a detriment to team's success for a lot of years.

[Fire in the disco]

No insults intended but to those saying the Avs are worse off with Iggy, and claiming his minutes are being spoon fed to him, all I can say is wow. He is leading the Avs in points and is a hell of a top 6 presence. Jarome leading the team in points does not mean he is canibalizing others minutes, nor does it mean his shadow is leaving younger players in the dark.

He's a great player and the Avs are barely missing the playoffs, he is certainly not the one too blame for that

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Fire in the disco

He's a great player and the Avs are barely missing the playoffs, he is certainly not the one too blame for that

You could say the same thing about Joe Thornton who is another great player who just couldn't seem to get it done (win a cup) over the course of his career.

... but a lot of people do point the finger at Joe... just like they point the finger at Iginla.

[#-3]

Originally Posted by Money Baer

17 away from 600! What an accomplishment and amazing career!

Imagine if he didn't sit through 2 lockouts...

3 or 4 years ago some friends scoffed at me when I said he would reach 625 and pass Sakic for top 15 all time.

With at least 2-3 years remaining in his career he could have Andreychuks 640 in his sights.

[alan21]

Some of you speak of Iggy like an ex-wife that cheated on you.

He may not be the all-around player that everyone seems to want him to be but he is doing what he is getting paid to do and that's putting up points. Same thing he has done here for years.

[stemit14]

Congrats to iggy! Unbelievable that he has a real shot at 30 goals once again this season. And next season he'll join the elite of the elite 600 goal club.

Too bad the young stars on that team didn't pull their weight this year. Hope he does the flames a solid and lights up the Canucks and kings.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I remember those days too when Iginla was 24 and 26 years old... when he was willing to play the way the coach wanted him to... when he was less set in his ways, when he wasn't so stubborn.

I know a lot of people on here won't admit it, but Iggy, as he got older had a "I'll do it my way" attitude... which, in my opinion, was a detriment to team's success for a lot of years.

There were a lot of things detrimental to the team's success. Iginla was not one of them. He did everything he possibly could to help the team win.

The single biggest problem the Flames had for years was the disastrous drafting and development system, the same system that left a void of good young talent coming in to help Iggy as he got older. That has finally been addressed and we are seeing the results.

The tendency by certain people to blame Iginla for the failings of that era of the team reminds me a lot of how Vancouver fans generally act towards their players.

I just hope the people that have that big of a problem with Iggy choose to STFU and stay home the night the Flames retire his jersey.

[HelloHockeyFans]

Originally Posted by alan21

Some of you speak of Iggy like an ex-wife that cheated on you.

Couldn't have said it better myself

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Iginla is 5th among Avs' forwards in TOI. His average is 17:47 per game. O'Reilly, Duchene, and Landeskog are all ahead of him. McKinnon is only 40 seconds behind, even though he's having a terrible sophomore year.

1stLand is just trolling, as usual. Don't waste your time responding to him.

[JohnnySkittles]

The fact that Iggy is leading the Avs in points, or that he's on the team in general has nothing to do with their season. Last year they rode a blazing hot Varlamov that helped mask the awful defense. Also they played a very different, junior type defense strategy that alot of teams couldn't adapt to. Along with losing Stastny they lost PAP and Downie. So in total this year teams knew how to match their defensive strategy, Varlamov wasn't blazing hot all year (had some injury issues also), and lost alot of their forward depth which last year helped them offset their terrible defense. That's why they're struggling, Iginla is what he is, a slow one dimensional goal scorer.

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

1stLand is just trolling, as usual. Don't waste your time responding to him.

I think the proper response to any 1stLand post is "lol".

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Igottago

There were a lot of things detrimental to the team's success.

I agree.

Originally Posted by Igottago

Iginla was not one of them.

I disagree.

Originally Posted by Igottago

He did everything he possibly could to help the team win.

Points wise... yes. Leadership.. no. He was a good leader, just not a great leader. A great leader would have put his own ego aside and played whatever way the coach wanted him to.

Originally Posted by Igottago

The single biggest problem the Flames had for years was the disastrous drafting and development system, the same system that left a void of good young talent coming in to help Iggy as he got older. That has finally been addressed and we are seeing the results.

I agree.

Originally Posted by Igottago

The tendency by certain people to blame Iginla for the failings of that era of the team reminds me a lot of how Vancouver fans generally act towards their players.

I don't think so. It just means they occasionally take off their rose colored glasses.

Originally Posted by Igottago

I just hope the people that have that big of a problem with Iggy choose to STFU and stay home the night the Flames retire his jersey.

I hope not. I love Iggy. But that doesn't mean I can't see his worts. BTW, I don't think the Flames will ever retire his jersey, even though, out of all the Flames players in history, it most deservedly deserves to be retired.. He will instead, become a "Forever a Flame". What a pile of hogwash that is... but that's a different argument altogether.

[burnin_vernon]

Originally Posted by Rerun

I know a lot of people on here won't admit it, but Iggy, as he got older had a "I'll do it my way" attitude... which, in my opinion, was a detriment to team's success for a lot of years.

How do you know he had that attitude?

[Hockey_Ninja]

Screw the haters. Kreep it up Iggy!

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Points wise... yes. Leadership.. no. He was a good leader, just not a great leader. A great leader would have put his own ego aside and played whatever way the coach wanted him to.

I see this stated a lot, and I'm just not sure I agree that its true that Iggy became a me first player, focused on points and openly ignorant of the defensive side of the game or his coaches wishes. He probably was as declining as an all around player, I will say that, but I think thats more a function of aging.

Let's face it, the primary duration of play we're talking about is the Brent Sutter era. Who in my mind, was the worst coach in Flames history. I just think that was a dysfunctional team all around, I don't think Brent had any of the players buying into what he was selling, none of them enjoyed it, and the results speak for themselves. Most of the good players under his "system" suffered greatly, had some of their worst years in the league.

The guy took a perennial playoff team, told them they weren't able to score on the rush, tried to fit square pegs in round holes, and the team floundered under a brutal suffocating culture of misery.

And yet...Iggy STILL produced, STILL led the way, and STILL maintained class throughout the entire ordeal.

That's leadership.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by burnin_vernon

How do you know he had that attitude?

Because I watched the way he played for the last 4 years. Iginla's style of play was a model of consistency no matter what kind of the system (right or wrong) that the coach would try to implement. Sure Iggy would buy into what the coach was saying for a few games but he'd always revert back to playing the way he was most comfortable with. ... and sure enough since Iggy was the team leader, the way Iggy played was the way the team played.
Even Hartley couldn't change him.