Iginla leads Avs in scoring after 70 games

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Locke

I guess my real issue is that if Iggy isnt scoring then he isnt bringing anything else either. Hes not going to go out there at 40 and crash and bang, hes too slow for a really effective forecheck and he isnt killing penalties.

That is true of any veteran in the twilight of their career though. When you're acquiring a guy like that, you're seeking to fill a specific role rather than get someone you can put into any situation.

And, of course, you present the big risk of acquiring any over-the-hill player: if they fail to perform the one or two tasks you set for them, you've wasted your time. Risk-reward scenario, and the risks KFF brings up are valid, which is part of why I don't think we ever see him back in a playing capacity.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by KootenayFlamesFan

You can't bring in possibly the face of the franchise's history and a former longtime captain and pretend nothing will change or that it wouldn't change the dynamic of the team, especially in the dressing room. That's a big elephant in the room. Love the guy, had an awesome career in Calgary, but that ship has long sailed. This team is finally on the right track, let's not bring back sentimental favorites for the heck of it. Let's continue on the path we're on.

No one's pretending that bringing back Iginla would have 0 effect on the dressing room. What I'm protesting is this apparent percieved stigma of bringing him back being some kinda automatic cancer on the dressing room.

Maybe there were issues with the dressing room when he was still captain, but it's years now and the entire room is different. Calgary's group is tight knit enough that someone not being on board would be pretty much an outsider anyway, and it would get kicked up all the way to Treliving.

I won't go over the "for the heck of it" part since I've discussed it from a business perspective already. But if Flames are seriously considering bringing him back to improve the team, then they'd all have a discussion with Hartley, Gio + assistants first before contract talks even start.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by Gaskal

No one's pretending that bringing back Iginla would have 0 effect on the dressing room. What I'm protesting is this apparent percieved stigma of bringing him back being some kinda automatic cancer on the dressing room.

Maybe there were issues with the dressing room when he was still captain, but it's years now and the entire room is different. Calgary's group is tight knit enough that someone not being on board would be pretty much an outsider anyway, and it would get kicked up all the way to Treliving.

I won't go over the "for the heck of it" part since I've discussed it from a business perspective already. But if Flames are seriously considering bringing him back to improve the team, then they'd all have a discussion with Hartley, Gio + assistants first before contract talks even start.

The problem with Iginla's final years in Calgary was not buying into what the coach is selling.

He may be a great teammate, but he's not exactly the most coachable player.

I don't think the Flames really want a guy approaching 40 who is resistant to changing the type of game he plays, and I don't think Iginla is going to be prioritizing teams that are asking him to be a bottom 6 journeyman.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The problem with Iginla's final years in Calgary was not buying into what the coach is selling.

He may be a great teammate, but he's not exactly the most coachable player.

I don't think the Flames really want a guy approaching 40 who is resistant to changing the type of game he plays, and I don't think Iginla is going to be prioritizing teams that are asking him to be a bottom 6 journeyman.

That's the thing though. I don't think there will be a lineup of 30 teams salivating at the chance to sign 40 year old Iggy.

In my opinion, when his current deal is up, he'll have a handful of teams interested, and so he becomes the beggar, not the chooser if he wishes to remain a pro athlete. My opinion is that Flames will be a good team, if not a contender by that time, and the Flames offer will look good to Iggy (if there of course is an offer at all).

Like I said in previous posts, during contract negotiations you tell him exactly what you expect from him. He either buys in or he doesn't. If he's "resistant" to play the way they want him to, he simply won't get signed.

Iggy is a smart fellow. He knows he can't walk into any organization and start calling the shots as a 40 year old. He'll negotiate (and play) accordingly.

[Gaskal]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The problem with Iginla's final years in Calgary was not buying into what the coach is selling.

He may be a great teammate, but he's not exactly the most coachable player.

I don't think the Flames really want a guy approaching 40 who is resistant to changing the type of game he plays, and I don't think Iginla is going to be prioritizing teams that are asking him to be a bottom 6 journeyman.

Wasn't this mostly having to do with Brent Sutter being an awful coach? IIRC practically the whole team tuned him out, he was so awful at utilizing his players and playing a system to their strengths.

Those were dark years with a crummy locker room but I'm pretty sure Sutter had more to do with that than Iggy. Or Hartley, who had only like 3 months to work with Iginla - and by then he was already eyeing the door out.

[MrCallahan]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

The problem with Iginla's final years in Calgary was not buying into what the coach is selling.

He may be a great teammate, but he's not exactly the most coachable player.

I don't think the Flames really want a guy approaching 40 who is resistant to changing the type of game he plays, and I don't think Iginla is going to be prioritizing teams that are asking him to be a bottom 6 journeyman.

One note on that, I think he may not have been the most coach-able player then. That was at a time when he had never been traded, always been the top dog in the dressing room. Now, a few years later, having been traded a few times now, he may have changed his perspective. He would have had to with switching teams and being the new guy in the room, he didn't have as much pull in the locker room with the teams as he did in Calgary.

Put me in the boat to bring him back if the opportunity presents himself. The key thing would be to just not build the team around him. I think that was the issue was with the previous management teams, always looking for players that would play well with Iggy (eg, Tanguay). If he ever comes back, let him play and fit him in with the best line that he works best with (most likely 2nd or 3rd line, at his current play level).

[azzarish]

Iginla has moved on and the Flames have moved on. We've seen Jarome Iginla's Calgary Flames, now it's the turn of the new breed (Johnny, Monahan, Bennett, Brodie, Gio, etc ). Great servant to the organization, but a different time now and a different team.

That's pretty much all I have to say on the matter.