Flames Legend Jarome Iginla Facing Serious Health Issues

In his first full season with the Flames, he recorded 21 goals and 50 points in 82 games, which landed him on the National Hockey League (NHL) All-Rookie Team and made him the runner-up in the Calder Trophy race for the league’s top rookie. 

His successes continued, and season over season he continued to improve rapidly, hitting the 50-goal mark for the first of two times in his career during his sixth season. This was also the first time he averaged over a point per game. Two years later, before the start of the 2003-04 NHL season, he was named the 18th captain in Flames history after current general manager Craig Conroy stepped down, citing the 26-year-old star at the time as the de facto captain. 

The decision to step down by Conroy was definitely the right one, as Iginla led the team in goals with 41 while no other player even had 20 goals and points, recording 73. The season was also a major team success, as the Flames came within one goal of winning the Stanley Cup in one of the most controversial finals in league history. 

On March 1, 2009, Iginla broke Flames history, becoming the team’s all-time scoring leader, passing Fleury in a phenomenal display, recording five points in a single game, including his 400th career goal. 

Iginla’s time came to an end in 2013 when he was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline. He then moved around teams for the remainder of his career as he chased down a championship, unfortunately never able to return to the finals, with the 2004 Final being his only trip. 

Iginla’s impact in Calgary is hard to measure or even put into words. Sixteen NHL seasons in one city is something you do not see too often. A sustained loyalty to the city to continue playing even when other offers were on the table showed what the city meant to him and his family. To say he was the soul of the city during his time there would be an understatement for the longtime Flames fan. It’s funny that a boy who grew up an Edmonton Oilers fan would become the face of the Flames. 

A Legacy That Lasts Forever

Flames fans remember Iginla as the dominating force on the ice who can take control of a game in a matter of seconds, which makes the news of his health battle heartbreaking to hear. 

Iginla originally underwent surgery to replace his hip due to years of sustained contact from his nearly 1,600 career games. What is speculated to have happened is that cobalt-chromium components found in the replacement released debris into the bloodstream over time, causing the neurological issues. It was also revealed that he has high levels of mercury in his blood, and he is trying to figure out with his team whether there is any correlation between the two. 

For Iginla, the future is now about putting his health as the number one priority while also being a great father to his three young kids as the whole hockey world rallies behind the Flames legend.