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After wearing a "C" on his red sweater for nearly a full decade in Calgary, Iginla has been letterless in black and yellow for the past month, helping him feel free, fast and fortunate again at 35 years old.
"I'm feeling as good as I've felt now as far as energy than I have in a while," Iginla told NHL.com. "I don't mean years or anything, but this year has been a tough year. It was a contract year, we had the lockout, and I knew we had to get off to a good start or I was maybe moving. There were unknowns, uncertainties. I love playing hockey, still love it as much as I ever have, but it was stressful leading up to the trade.
"This is exciting, this new experience. I don't feel that pressure or have that pressure of being a leader at all."
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Iginla hasn't been on a contender in a long time; so long that he had to think back to 18 years ago, when he was a junior with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League, to remember the last time he felt as good about his team going into the playoffs as he does about the Penguins.
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"We won the Memorial Cup and we were rated first overall," Iginla said. "In the NHL, we [the Flames] never got there. Even when we went to the Cup Final [in 2004] it was all underdog stuff, so I haven't been in this situation in the NHL."
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He called coach Dan Bylsma's system different than any he has ever experienced in the NHL, which is saying something since Iginla played for 10 different coaches in Calgary. Iginla said his adjustment was difficult because after relying on his instincts for so long it now seemed like he had to re-learn how to play, where he was supposed to go.
He didn't, of course. The game isn't any different in Pittsburgh than it is in Calgary, save for the talent level. But Iginla had to figure out the Penguins' way of doing things, how to thrive in a competitive, winning environment again.
Source:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=668388