Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - [Rumour] Iginla willing to waive NMC at this years deadline

Calgary4LIfe · 12-17-2016, 07:54 PM

Iginla for sure deserves SOME of the flack he has received. I don't think there is a question about it. I just think it has become overblown to the point that people hear or read something, and make 3 or 4 leaps to the point where he suddenly becomes some sort of a cancer. 3 other teams have stated that Iginla is a great role model and does what he needs to do.

Defensively, Iginla has left something to be desired in the last few years. However, is it because he gave no effort and was horrible defensively, or is it because we as fans saw a change? Iginla wasn't just good defensively before - he was literally a beast. He came hard on the backcheck, and would remove guys off the puck and come away with it. That was prime Iginla. When he became more of a 'sniper', I would say he didn't engage as often defensively.

Did he become horrible defensively? Irresponsible? I don't think so. Just not that 'beast' we saw before.

I still say Keenan deserves a lot of the blame for ALLOWING Iginla to turn into a more offence-oriented player. Sutter came in, and tried to implement a system that just didn't fit the Flames. I saw it, many other people saw it, and Iginla most definitely saw it as well (as did the rest of the forwards). We all heard for years that "this team can't score on the rush". It was a poorly built team in the forward ranks, and scoring off the rush wasn't a strength for sure. However, it was even worse along the boards because they were small and old (the smallest and oldest in the NHL, or very close to it in both categories). You don't build a system that forces everything along the boards in a team built like that.

The Flames went on some runs those years when they deviated from Sutter's system, IMO. It had nothing to do with Sutter's "Wolfpack Mentality" - that part was on the money. Forwards should have come down harder on defence and skated up together more as a unit. However, the system entailed moving the puck up along the boards. Well, it isn't like the opposing teams would sit there and just allow it to happen. They engaged, board battles were inevitably lost (teams were both quicker and bigger, and knew the system was all about forcing things up the boards). You can hardly fault a team for figuring it that the system just isn't working.

Sure, I can lay some blame on Iginla for whatever his part was in deviating from the system. For sure. However, Iginla was often along the boards (Bertuzzi, Langkow and Moss being the only other players that were half-decent along those boards).

I think too many people think that the captain ensures everyone else follows him. It doesn't work that way. Giordano was lauded as a great captain - heck, people were posting how he was a BETTER captain than Jarome was at times. Now this season, we have seen posts about Giordano not leading, questioning his leadership, etc. See a pattern?

The coach has always been and will always be THE captain of a team. As the coach goes, so does the team. If the coach doesn't find a way to command respect out there, the team doesn't do well. It doesn't matter if Iginla (or Giordano) is the greatest captain of all time, and is still 100% buying into the system.

This isn't implying that Brent Sutter wasn't a leader, or that Hartley wasn't a leader - then suddenly became a wonderful leader when the Flames made the playoffs, and then suddenly stopped last year, or that Gulutzan wasn't, then was, now 'maybe' is. Sounds kind of stupid, right?

Why then, was Iginla without question the game's best leader in '04, and then suddenly a cancer? Why was Giordano 'a much better leader', and now he suddenly isn't? Could it be that by chance there is just so much 'noise' and connecting the dots on things that as fans we have no clue about because we have no real insight on? We hear someone say something, and suddenly we connect two or three dots and assume it means something. I think that happened quite a bit with Iginla the last few years he was here, and it seems to be happening with Giordano now.

When a team is losing, people start questioning and making assumptions. Period. I bet that Iginla wasn't the perfect leader he seemed to be in the '04 run. I also bet that he wasn't even close to the cancer people were making him out to be (and still are) in the latter years he was here as well. I can't speak for everyone, but to me this just screams absolute nonsense.

I still don't want Iginla back on the Flames, but it has little to do with him disrupting the locker room or being some cancer. I just openly question if he could keep up with the style of game the Flames are trying to play, and will absolutely HATE to see him become a whipping boy (more than he already is) on these forums or in the media at large.

Iginla is what he is - a once great player who is in the twilight of his career. You bring players like these on your team once in a while for a cup run when your team is young and inexperienced to help them along. Anything else is gravy. If he fits a role here doing that on the Flames, so be it, and I will accept him coming on board. If he doesn't fit what the Flames are needing, then so be it too.

I just find it difficult to think that over the years, Iginla decided to trade-in his 'white hat' for a 'black one', and has decided to turn into a selfish villain who only cares about padding his stats.

12-17-2016, 07:54 PM	#546
Calgary4LIfe Franchise Player Join Date: Jun 2010 Exp:	Iginla for sure deserves SOME of the flack he has received. I don't think there is a question about it. I just think it has become overblown to the point that people hear or read something, and make 3 or 4 leaps to the point where he suddenly becomes some sort of a cancer. 3 other teams have stated that Iginla is a great role model and does what he needs to do. Defensively, Iginla has left something to be desired in the last few years. However, is it because he gave no effort and was horrible defensively, or is it because we as fans saw a change? Iginla wasn't just good defensively before - he was literally a beast. He came hard on the backcheck, and would remove guys off the puck and come away with it. That was prime Iginla. When he became more of a 'sniper', I would say he didn't engage as often defensively. Did he become horrible defensively? Irresponsible? I don't think so. Just not that 'beast' we saw before. I still say Keenan deserves a lot of the blame for ALLOWING Iginla to turn into a more offence-oriented player. Sutter came in, and tried to implement a system that just didn't fit the Flames. I saw it, many other people saw it, and Iginla most definitely saw it as well (as did the rest of the forwards). We all heard for years that "this team can't score on the rush". It was a poorly built team in the forward ranks, and scoring off the rush wasn't a strength for sure. However, it was even worse along the boards because they were small and old (the smallest and oldest in the NHL, or very close to it in both categories). You don't build a system that forces everything along the boards in a team built like that. The Flames went on some runs those years when they deviated from Sutter's system, IMO. It had nothing to do with Sutter's "Wolfpack Mentality" - that part was on the money. Forwards should have come down harder on defence and skated up together more as a unit. However, the system entailed moving the puck up along the boards. Well, it isn't like the opposing teams would sit there and just allow it to happen. They engaged, board battles were inevitably lost (teams were both quicker and bigger, and knew the system was all about forcing things up the boards). You can hardly fault a team for figuring it that the system just isn't working. Sure, I can lay some blame on Iginla for whatever his part was in deviating from the system. For sure. However, Iginla was often along the boards (Bertuzzi, Langkow and Moss being the only other players that were half-decent along those boards). I think too many people think that the captain ensures everyone else follows him. It doesn't work that way. Giordano was lauded as a great captain - heck, people were posting how he was a BETTER captain than Jarome was at times. Now this season, we have seen posts about Giordano not leading, questioning his leadership, etc. See a pattern? The coach has always been and will always be THE captain of a team. As the coach goes, so does the team. If the coach doesn't find a way to command respect out there, the team doesn't do well. It doesn't matter if Iginla (or Giordano) is the greatest captain of all time, and is still 100% buying into the system. This isn't implying that Brent Sutter wasn't a leader, or that Hartley wasn't a leader - then suddenly became a wonderful leader when the Flames made the playoffs, and then suddenly stopped last year, or that Gulutzan wasn't, then was, now 'maybe' is. Sounds kind of stupid, right? Why then, was Iginla without question the game's best leader in '04, and then suddenly a cancer? Why was Giordano 'a much better leader', and now he suddenly isn't? Could it be that by chance there is just so much 'noise' and connecting the dots on things that as fans we have no clue about because we have no real insight on? We hear someone say something, and suddenly we connect two or three dots and assume it means something. I think that happened quite a bit with Iginla the last few years he was here, and it seems to be happening with Giordano now. When a team is losing, people start questioning and making assumptions. Period. I bet that Iginla wasn't the perfect leader he seemed to be in the '04 run. I also bet that he wasn't even close to the cancer people were making him out to be (and still are) in the latter years he was here as well. I can't speak for everyone, but to me this just screams absolute nonsense. I still don't want Iginla back on the Flames, but it has little to do with him disrupting the locker room or being some cancer. I just openly question if he could keep up with the style of game the Flames are trying to play, and will absolutely HATE to see him become a whipping boy (more than he already is) on these forums or in the media at large. Iginla is what he is - a once great player who is in the twilight of his career. You bring players like these on your team once in a while for a cup run when your team is young and inexperienced to help them along. Anything else is gravy. If he fits a role here doing that on the Flames, so be it, and I will accept him coming on board. If he doesn't fit what the Flames are needing, then so be it too. I just find it difficult to think that over the years, Iginla decided to trade-in his 'white hat' for a 'black one', and has decided to turn into a selfish villain who only cares about padding his stats.