Flames may not have a shot at Tij Iginla, according to latest draft ranking

The Calgary Flames and Tij Iginla may not be destined for one another after all.

Once it became apparent that the Flames weren’t a playoff-calibre team this past season, much of the fan base was rooting for the team to slide down the standings in the hopes of drafting Tij Iginla, the son of franchise icon Jarome.

After a so-so first season in the WHL where he recorded six goals and 18 points in 48 games, Iginla hit his stride in 2023-24, registering 47 goals and 84 points with the Kelowna Rockets.

Thanks to the big season, his draft stock has risen tremendously, with many rankings over the past few months projecting him to be selected right around 10th overall. Following the draft lottery, the Flames learned they would be selecting ninth, which fuelled even more speculation regarding Iginla joining the organization. However, it may not end up working out the way fans are hoping.

Yesterday, TSN’s Craig Button released his latest draft rankings, which has the 17-year-old Iginla projected to go fifth overall.

“Tij drives play,” said Button. “He’s a difference maker. He makes teams better; he makes players around him better. He can play with any player. He’s so smart, IQ off the charts. And you know what? I think he’s only scratching the surface.”

Should Iginla indeed fall into the fifth spot, he would be heading to the Montreal Canadiens. Not too long ago, it had been reported that the Habs had met with him on multiple occasions, indicating that, at the very least, there was interest from them.

Coming in at the ninth spot on Button’s list is Cole Eiserman, who spent the 2023-24 season playing in the USHL with the US National Development team. In 24 games, he scored 25 goals and added nine assists.

While it remains to be seen how things will play out, Iginla’s massive season may have put him out of reach for the Flames. We’ll know for sure come the first day of the NHL Draft, which is set to take place on June 28.

You might also like:
• "Good riddance": Flames fans not upset to see Marc Savard leave