Tij Iginla has another huge night for Kelowna Rockets as Flames fans look on

Playoffs are a near impossibility for the Calgary Flames, but that doesn’t mean their fan base has nothing to look forward to.

Speculation has been ramping up as of late about the Flames potentially selecting Tij Iginla, son of franchise icon Jarome, in the first round of this year’s draft. The 17-year-old is having an outstanding season with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL and had another huge night on Friday, scoring a hat trick in his team’s first playoff game versus the Wenatchee Wild.

Tij Iginla went OFF last night in his first game of the 2024 @TheWHL playoffs, finishing a hat trick before the end of the 2nd period 🚀🚀🚀

2024 Draft loading ▫️◽️◻️🟩 pic.twitter.com/fHWpLDqnai

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 30, 2024

Unfortunately, the Rockets lost by an 8-6 final, but it was another terrific night in what has been quite the year for the highly gifted forward.

Iginla had a breakout season with the Rockets, scoring 47 goals and 84 points in just 64 games. The huge year has resulted in him soaring up the draft boards, with Sportsnet’s latest rankings projecting him to go 11th overall.

His draft positioning has caught the attention of fans in Calgary, as the Flames are currently slotted to pick eighth overall with the first of their two picks in the opening round. The draft lottery could change that, but they are nearly right in line with selecting Iginla.

The Iginla name is well-known in Calgary, as Jarome spent the first 15 seasons of his Hall-of-Fame career with the Flames. He served as one of their assistant captains for three seasons before taking over the captaincy role from 2003 until being traded in 2013.

Jarome sits first in franchise history in games played (1,219), goals (525), and points (1,095). He also ranks ninth in penalty minutes with 831.

Drafting Iginla would be an amazing story that galvanizes the Flames fan base, but some are hesitant about it as well. Jarome is the most iconic player in the organization’s history, which would put an awful lot of pressure on his son’s shoulders. It wouldn’t be easy for a player who isn’t even 18 until August to handle, though with a mentor like Jarome, there is reason to believe he can live up to the expectations should the Flames select him.

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