Quote:
Originally Posted by kyuss275
KK and Feaster going into last summer said that re-signing Iggy was priority #1. KK even said that Iggy will retire a flame. Conroy last summer said that Iggy should never play in another uniform. The only reason they did not get their wish was that when they approached Iggy, he was not sure he wanted to resign and was quoted on a "wait and see" approach.
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IIRC, the Flames management, even before Feaster, was taking the approach that Iginla should remain a Flame, as "the face of the franchise", until retirement. Few players get accorded that status, but he's one that (I think) deserved it,
if he wanted it. He appeared to be comfortable with that.
However, I think the obvious signs of long-term loser status for the Flames in the past season, coupled with the continual discussions in the media (with a variety of experts and ex-players like Lanny suggesting that he should move on), brought Iginla around to accepting the idea of a trade to a team with a chance to win it all. Then, as the Flames continued to slide during the season, when Feaster suggested to him that they were no longer willing to pay anywhere near what players of his age and stature could get in the July free agent market, he said OK to the request to waive the NTC.