Iginla closes in on Flames all-time leading scorer

by James Mirtle on Feb 25, 2009 12:26 AM CST Comment 3 comments

Jarome Iginla potted two goals and two assists on Tuesday night to get to 828 for his career, which puts him just two points shy of Theoren Fleury as the Flames all-time leading scorer:

R	Player	From	To	Yr	Pos	GP	G	A	PTS	PTS/G
1	Theoren Fleury	1989	1999	11	RW	791	364	466	830	1.05
2	Jarome Iginla	1997	2009	12	RW	920	398	430	828	0.90
3	Al MacInnis	1982	1994	13	D	803	213	609	822	1.02
4	J. Nieuwendyk	1987	1995	9	C	577	314	302	616	1.07
5	Gary Suter	1986	1994	9	D	617	128	436	564	0.91
6	Kent Nilsson	1980	1985	6	C	425	229	333	562	1.32
7	Guy Chouinard	1975	1983	9	C	514	193	336	529	1.03
8	Gary Roberts	1987	1996	10	LW	585	257	248	505	0.86
9	Eric Vail	1974	1982	9	LW	539	206	246	452	0.84
10	Paul Reinhart	1980	1988	9	D	517	109	336	445	0.86

Iggy played his junior hockey in Kamloops, which means I've been watching his career for nearly 16 years now. He arrived in the WHL as a quiet 16 year old from just outside Edmonton and left a goal-a-game scorer, a Memorial Cup winner and as a first-round pick who would step right into the NHL soon after his 19th birthday.

I'll never forget when the Stars, who drafted Iginla 11th overall in 1995, dealt him six months later to the Flames for Joe Nieuwendyk, something that made front page news in my little hometown. We knew Iginla was a talent, but wondered just how he'd ever live up to being traded for one of the best Flames in that franchise's history.

Turns out it worked out just fine.

A phenomenal talent, a phenomenal person.

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Iggy

I was in the stands when Iggy played his first NHL games. Few remember he debuted the playoffs playing Game 3 and Game 4 of the ’96 opening round series with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Iggy had a goal and an assist in the two games (a sign of things to come), but the Flames got swept, and didn’t return to the playoffs until their magical run of ’04 where he fought Ohlund in the first round, Darien Hatcher in the second, and Vinny in the final, on top of a 13 goal post-season.

Iggy’s 52 bingos in 01/02 were a remarkable feat considering the era (the next closest was 41) , and the rest of that Calgary roster. He was robbed out of the Hart when he was left of a ballot and lost a tie break to Jose Theodore.

Best Flame Ever.

"It's a great day for hockey" - BBJ

by jealous broadcaster on Feb 25, 2009 3:55 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Good to see a couple of old Atlanta Flames still on this list!

Chouinard and Vail…boy does that take me back!

by tbell61 on Feb 25, 2009 10:04 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I remember when he was traded… Iggy was initially devastated as he thought he was traded to the Calgary Hitmen, an expansion team that was going nowhere while Kamloops was in the midst of their dynasty. Jarome Who? was estatic when he found out it was actually the Flames.

As much as we love him in this city, I think a lot of Flames fans don’t quite realize that we are so fortunate as to be able to watch one of this generations greatest players from the start of his career, likely to the end. By far the greatest Flame of all time, a future Hall of Famer, and hopefully soon he can finish the job and win that Cup we almost got in 04.

Two games until a long, Brier induced road trip. I very much hope he gets both 400 goals and 831 points at home.

by Resolute on Feb 26, 2009 9:24 AM CST reply actions 0 recs