Quote:
Originally Posted by Resolute 14
That's easy to counter. The Flames were garbage until Iginla turned into an elite forward, and returned to being garbage as he declined.
The Flames were garbage before Darryl Sutter came in and built an actual team. They returned to being garbage when he forgot how to build a team.
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Well the Flames were still a garbage team back when Iginla turned into an elite power forward back when he put up his first 50 goal season in 2001-02 (and should have won the Hart). You could tell things were slowly turning around, but that changed in rapid succession the day Sutter traded for Kiprusoff. In 2003-04 the Flames were 24-10-4 with Kiprusoff in net, and 18-23-3 with the other three (Turek, McLennan, Sabourin), and that's with Turek holding up the fort in relief of Kipper in January and February. Without Kiprusoff in net the Flames would have missed the playoffs, and wouldn't of had much success in later years without major improvements elsewhere.
I think all three are owed a great debt to the success of the Flames, and obviously Sutter should be charged with our failures as well. Both Iginla and Kiprusoff deserve the highest honors in my view being the best two positional players in the history of the Flames (MacInnis being the best defender). Most people probably consider Iginla to be the greatest Calgary Flame of all time, and it's hard to argue that. Jarome was a great player, a true leader, and a great person both on and off the ice; and I doubt there is a single true hockey fan that dislikes him. However you could also make a credible argument Kiprusoff was more important in the turnaround; either way though there is no Cup run in 2004 without both of them. Both most certainly deserve to have their numbers retired, and I honestly don't think that point is even debatable.