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Colorado Avalanche Player Grade: Jarome Iginla

By Nadia Archuleta

Apr 3, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Jarome Iginla (12) controls the puck in the first period against the St. Louis Blues at the Pepsi Center. The Blues defeated the Avalanche 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Jarome Iginla (12) controls the puck in the first period against the St. Louis Blues at the Pepsi Center. The Blues defeated the Avalanche 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Colorado Avalanche’s veteran winger, Jarome Iginla, did not have a great season, though he did accomplish personal milestones. His grade is just below average.

The Colorado Avalanche acquired Jarome Iginla in free agency in the summer of 2013. Iginla is widely heralded as a future Hall of Famer. He spent the majority of his career with the Calgary Flames where he even served as captain for nine years.

In fact, those leadership abilities are a large part of the reason that the Colorado Avalanche brought him on board at an annual salary of $5.5 million despite his being at the end of his career. It’s also why he was almost immediately awarded the alternate captaincy.

This season Iginla surpassed a few milestones, the most significant being he scored his 600th career goal.

Jarome Iginla skated on different lines throughout the season. He finished the season skating on the third line with John Mitchell and Blake Comeau.

Player Statistics

Stats:

Games

PlayedGoalsAssistsPointsGoal % of PointsAssist % of Points 82 22 25 47 46.8% 53.2%Even Strength Goal %PP Goal %SOGShooting %Even Strength Assist %PP Assist % 40.9% 59.1% 182 12.1% 40.9% 24% 

Take AwaysGive AwaysTurnover +/-BlocksHitsTOI per Game 22 22 0 45 70 15.85

Player Grade: C-

Jarome Iginla didn’t have a $5.5 million year, not in any way. He scored 22 goals and earned just 47 points total. That’s one of the worst seasons he’s ever recorded. His points put him only sixth on the team for scoring.

Though Iginla finished the season on the third line, that’s because of his lack of production. He started the season in the top-six, so he was skating with the Colorado Avalanche’s best scorers, such as Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon. He also skated on the team’s first power play unit.

What’s more, the Avalanche imploded at the end of the season. The players seemed to stop trusting each other, and their play fell completely apart. Here’s where Jarome Iginla had the chance to show his legendary leadership. Here’s where I feel he failed.

According to the Denver Post, Iginla was hesitant to claim his leadership responsibility because he wasn’t putting up the kind of numbers as he had in his prime. However, he was brought on to be the veteran leader, not a leading goal scorer. In failing to take up that leadership mantle, he failed in one of his prime responsibilities to the Colorado Avalanche.

If it were any other player, Iginla’s grade would be higher. You expect more out of a future Hall of Famer, though. Nonetheless, he achieved those personal milestones, and his numbers weren’t horrendous. For that reason, I consider him just below average — C-.

More Player Grades:

Player Future

Jarome Iginla has one year left on his contract. The Denver’ Post’s Terry Frei asked if he planned to play next season and reported the following quote:

"“I plan on playing, no question. It’s been a challenging year for a number of reasons, but no, I feel good and I still enjoy it.”"

Now, the question and answer related to whether Iginla planned to play hockey for the 2016-17 season — not whether it was with the Colorado Avalanche. I don’t know if both Frei and Iginla left it deliberately vague, but in no way does Jarome say he’s returning to Colorado specifically.

I rather hope he doesn’t, and my reasoning is two-fold.

First of all, he didn’t earn his $5.5 million last season. He hasn’t lived up to expectations, even in leadership. The Avalanche could use that money toward a younger player.

Secondly, Jarome Iginla hasn’t won a Stanley Cup, and he’s not going to do it with the Colorado Avalanche in the one year he has remaining on his contract. It’s a question now of whether that’s still the prime motivator.

Iginla, like so many other people, chose to move to Colorado partially because of the lifestyle here. He expressed admiration for the youth hockey system here — as well as the relatively good weather.

However, Iginla’s window for being immortalized on the Stanley Cup is shrinking — it could well be just one season more. Is never hoisting the Stanley Cup worth a little youth hockey and sunshine?

And do the Colorado Avalanche want a player whose commitment to winning the Stanley Cup is so flimsy? Some of the players are already showing difficulty in promoting a Stanley Cup attitude.

Next: Is Iginla on the Way Out?

In any case, Jarome Iginla deservedly has a no-movement clause on his contract, meaning he’ll only get traded to a team of his choosing. I hope Avalanche GM Joe Sakic at least approaches Iginla about waiving that clause for a trade that benefits both sides.

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