Jarome Iginla vs the Western Conference

Colorado Avalanche right wing Jarome Iginla joined the team at the beginning of the 2014-15 season. Prior to that he had spent the majority of his 17-year career (at the time) with the Western Conference Calgary Flames. His familiarity with the Western Conference shows — he earned 18 of his 29 goals and 14 of his 30 assists against Western Conference teams.He earned 12 goals and six assists against the tough Central Division alone

Jarome Iginla didn’t have for him a career season, though he was tops on the Colorado Avalanche both in points and goals. Though hockey is a team sport, let’s examine exactly how Iginla did against Central Division foes and the Western Conference as a whole.

Jarome Igina No Show

There was not a single Central Division team against which Jarome Iginla didn’t earn at least a point. However, there was one team against which he didn’t score a single goal. It might come as no surprise that the team was the Minnesota Wild. As a whole, the Colorado Avalanche only scored four goals in five games against that team.

Iginla did earn two assists against the Minnesota Wild. Both those assists came in the final game of the series, a 3-2 victory for the Colorado Avalanche. Iginla assisted on Cody McLeod’s opening goal and also on captain Gabriel Landeskog’s power play goal, which was the game winner.

Iginla failed to earn any points against two Pacific Division teams, the San Jose Sharks and the LA Kings. The Colorado Avalanche as a whole did not beat either of those teams.

Jarome Iginla, Nothing But the Goals, Ma’am

Season-wide, Jarome Iginla was almost dead even in goals and assists. Against the Central Division, though, he had twice as many goals as assists. Against two teams he eschewed assists altogether, and his points all came from goals.

Feb 24, 2015; Nashville, TN, USA; Nashville Predators center Craig Smith (15) is hit by Colorado Avalanche right winger Jarome Iginla (12) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Iginla scored three goals each against the Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars. All three goals against the Nashville Predators came in different games, two at home and one away. The three Dallas goals came in separate games, too — again, two home and one away.

Iginla also got goals-only — or a goal, anyway — against the Edmonton Oilers. That goal came in a late March loss to the Oilers.

Jarome Iginla, Terminator

Jarome Iginla just seemed to have certain teams’ numbers. A couple of them are Canadian teams — the Winnipeg Jets and the Vancouver Canucks. Against the Jets, Iginla scored three goals and earned two assists in five games. He did even better against the Canucks, earning three goals and an assist in just three games.

Iginla did reasonably well against a couple American teams, too. He scored a goal and earned four assists against the Arizona Coyotes. Against the Central Division rival Chicago Blackhawks, he scored two goals and earned an assist. Both of those goals came in the final, feel-good game of the season.

Here are the highlights from that Fan Appreciation Night game:

Jarome Iginla, Etc.

Jarome Iginla was neither dominant nor passive when it came to the St. Louis Blues — he earned one goal and one assist against those Central Division rivals.

Overall against the Pacific Division, Iginla scored six goals and earned eight assists. In addition to the tallies already mentioned above, he earned a goal and an assist against the Anaheim Ducks.

There’s one team Iginla should know how to dominate — his Calgary Flames. He did, after all, spend 16 seasons with that team. Maybe for that very reason he struggles against them, like a mental block. In any case, with the Avalanche, he only earned a single assist, and that in the mid-March win against the Flames.

Analysis

As I stated before, Jarome Iginla’s comfort with the Western Conference is obvious. He’s a big, gritty player who obviously does well in the physical play of the Wild West.

In his now 18 years in the NHL, Iginla has had 30+ goal seasons 12 times and has come to within one goal two other times — including last season. If Iginla wants to keep scoring half or more than half of his points against the Western Conference foes, that’s great for the Colorado Avalanche.

More Player Profiles vs the Western Conference:

Next: Ryan O'Reilly and the Hillside Song

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