The writing is on the wall. I think its as clear as day that Iginla is using this season to evaluate where the team is headed. He has never clearly indicated he would stay, he said he wouldn't want to be part of a rebuild - and that is clearly where this team is headed. The Iginla era is almost over.
The key now is for management to maximize the return for Iginla and accomodate him to a contender. Best move for all parties. I can say with a reasonable degree of certainty that Iginla will walk if he isn't traded. Iginla isn't stupid and he's not going to stick around as captain of the Titanic if he has a chance to sign elsewhere and experience some playoff success.
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A few weeks after crashing head-first into the boards (denting his helmet and being unable to move for a little while) following a hit from behind by Bob Errey, the Calgary Flames player explains:
"I was like Christ, lying on my back, with my arms outstretched, crucified"
-- Frank Musil - Early January 1994
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