Jarome Iginla's son Tij just got traded to a new WHL team
Tij Iginla is on the move.
The 16-year-old, who is the son of Calgary Flames icon Jarome Iginla, was acquired by the Kelowna Rockets in a trade with the Seattle Thunderbirds on Wednesday afternoon.
In 48 games with the Thunderbirds this season, Iginla scored six goals and 18 points. He was selected ninth overall by the Thunderbirds in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft.
“We’d like to thank Tij for his time in Seattle,” said Thunderbird GM Bill LaForge. “We wish him the best of luck in Kelowna.”
Headed the other way in the deal is forward Grady Lenton, along with a first-round pick in the 2024 WHL Draft and a second-round pick in 2027. Lenton suited up for 59 games with the Rockets this season, scoring four goals and eight points.
While Iginla’s totals from this past season don’t jump off the page, he struggled to find ice time as a young player on a loaded Thunderbirds team that was defeated in the Memorial Cup Final days ago. He is still very young with a ton of potential, which has the Rockets very excited about bringing him into the fold.
“He’s a great skater with great hockey sense, who shoots the puck well,” said Rockets President and GM Bruce Hamilton. “He’s exactly who we’re looking for in the makeup of our team in trying to get faster. With the personnel that we have, he adds to the group of elite players that can play in our top six.”
The trade also allows Iginla to be closer to his family, as they currently reside in the Lake Country area. His younger brother, Joe, is expected to play one more season of minor hockey in Kelowna before likely joining the Edmonton Oil Kings, who recently selected him 12th overall in this year’s Bantam Draft.
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