Thanks for the nice thoughts everyone. I have nothing to contribute really. To be honest I thought I'd mostly be relieved when the team finally started moving forward, but I got a little teary eyed browsing through images of him and watching the first period without Iggy.
I hope he has a great run with Boston. Looking forward to watching the playoffs.
2002 Gold Medal Game (the whole game - he was unbelievable)
2004 Game 7 against Vancouver (the whole game - he was unbelievable)
2004 SCF Game 5 - the Shift
2008 - Hitting 50 in Trevor Linden's last game then a touch of class to recognize Linden
2010 - Golden goal
Greatest legacy is maybe his overall consistency - 13 straight 20 goal seasons and 11 straight 30 goal seasons franchise records - etc. etc. etc
My favourite player of all time. He will be missed.
The Following User Says Thank You to Monty! For This Useful Post:
Iggy played his first game with the Flames a few months before I was born. Today is the first day of my entire life where iginla isn't on the Flames. So many memories of 2004 coming back tonight, I feel like a 7 year old again.
I am eternally grateful that I got to see my childhood idol play at home as a Flame back in December 2011. I hope he and the Bruins go the distance this year, defeating Vancouver in game 7 with Iggy scoring a beauty of a game winner in OT. Thanks for the memories jarome!
I remember listening to Peter Mahr in Iggy's first game vs the Hawks. He scored and I looked at the speaker while saying ''who?''. Feels like yesterday.
In '02 everyday before school I would read the Herald sport section while I ate breakfast in order to keep track of the scoring and rocket race. I was so happy to finally see one of our own players leading the pack. EVen when the Flames were outta the race, Iggy gave me something to cheer for. Every single day I checked that damn scoring race.
Iggy's 50th goal that season. A ripper over the shoulder of Thibault vs the Hawks. Peter Maher went nuts and so did I. That year Iggy cleaned up the awards, got screwed out of a Hart. And I asked myself if he could keep this up.
Then in '04, Iggy won another Rocket and was nominated for the Hart again. Beautiful.
We all know what he did in the playoff run. A legend was made.
Iggy losing out on a year of primeness due to the lockout is a travesty. Screw Bettman and that other goof for letting that happen.
Then Iggy in '07, Iggy was right up there with Ovechkin and Crosby and Dastyuk for the scoring race. AFter the halfway mark of the season, he was the Hart favorite according to all the news sources. He got injured and only played 70 games (the last time he missed a game). Iggy was on pace to destroy his best offensive season and would have hit 110pts. He very well might have hit 50. He was nominated for the Hart yet again.
Then the next season he reached that sweet 50 goal mark again.
There are too many great memories of this man. He is not only the face of the Flames, but of Calgary. Many tears will be shed by many tonight. This is my hardest day as a hockey fan since '04
No kidding. I'd thanks pretty much every post in this thread if I could.
I had a thanks showing on this reply only.....so I'll use it, I came to be a Flames fan because of Iggy. March 27th is my birthday. This isn't the best one I've had.
Can you find a nicer gentleman in professional sports - not just in his generation - but in any generation? A gentleman to the public - and in person - but a warrior on the ice for us.
I took this way harder than I thought I would. Now please excuse me while I go read this and cry myself to sleep!
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The Quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little, and it will fail, to the ruin of all. Yet hope remains while the Company is true. Go Flames Go!