Quote:
Originally Posted by Savvy27
In this case, I think you should reconsider. MacKinnon plays about 5 and a half more minutes per game than Iginla and with better linemates yet he only has 4 more goals. Duchene leads that team with 16 goals. How do you explain their low numbers given what you have said about good players racking up big numbers on bad teams?
He's 5th on the Avs in PP ice time but 4th in points and tied for the lead in PP goals. It also looks like he's having some bad luck this year as his career worst shooting percentage is nearly half his career average at 7% (vs 13.1% --- he had a 12.1% shooting percentage last season). He's 5th on the team in shots on goal, behind MacKinnon, Duchene, Landeskog, and Barrie.
His advanced stats aren't all that bad either. 48% of his zone starts are in the defensive zone, yet the Avs generate more shot attempts when he's on the ice than when he isn't (1.9 SAT relative score).
Colorado is an incredibly bad team. Here are some team stats to give context:
Goals For Per Game: 2.02 -- 30th
Goals Against Per Game: 3.30 -- 30th
Shots On Goal: 28.2 -- 27th
Shots Against: 32.4 -- 27th
Power Play: 13.9% -- 29th
Penalty Kill: 78.5% -- 24th
Shot Attempts: 47.5% - 25th
5 on 5 Save Percentage: .909 -- 28th
The point being, his numbers aren't that bad when put in context and he's likely got more to give if put in a better situation where there is something to play for. Iginla is 39 and may be in his last season. He plays for what might be the worst team in the past decade (their point percentage is currently .308 -- the next worst post lockout team was the Sabres in 13-14 with a .317 rate).
I'd like to see him come back to the Flames and put in his final stretch in front of Flames fans in the midst of a crazy playoff race and into the playoffs. I simply don't agree with people who suggest that his game has completely fallen off a cliff and, even if his numbers aren't great, I would expect them to improve once he is in a better situation. And as fan of Iginla's I want -and expect- him to have a few more big moments while wearing the flaming C. It'd be an absolute blast to watch.
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Man thank you for spelling out my thoughts. That Avs team is dismal. Every individual on that team is struggling. It's not shocking a 39 year old Iggy is struggling as well.
Of course the dream is to win the Cup and have Gio hand it to Jarome. But even just one playoff round with Iggy getting limited minutes would be a nice gesture from the club and a fitting send off for a legend of the game. It would do no harm to the club to trade for him. Of this I am sure.