NHL Trade Rumors: Los Angeles Kings showing interest in Jarome Iginla
By Dave Holcomb
The Colorado Avalanche are going nowhere, and the Los Angeles Kings could pick their bones by acquiring Jarome Iginla.
In order to get back to the playoffs, the Los Angeles Kings desperately need more offense, and there are rumors circling that the team is ready to make a big splash to improve offensively before the trade deadline.
According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Los Angeles is showing interest in future member of the Hall of Fame Jarome Iginla. The 39-year-old has a full no-trade clause, but McKenzie reports Iginla may also be interested in the Kings.
In 61 games this season, Iginla has recorded eight goals and 18 points, but he also owns a minus-21 rating and a career-low average of 14:45 per game. But just last season, Iginla was a 20-goal scorer, and perhaps a change of scenery to a place to where he has a legitimate chance of winning the Stanley Cup will rejuvenate the 39-year-old.
In his 20th NHL season, Iginla has never won the Stanley Cup. He came closest in 2004 when he led the Calgary Flames to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals with 13 goals and 22 points. The Flames lost Game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning, 2-1. What made it worse was the fact Calgary also lost Game 6 in double overtime, 3-2.
Although he’s never been back to the Finals, Iginla has built himself a Hall of Fame career with 525 goals and 1,095 points in 1,219 career games. He reached both the 500-goal and 1,000-point milestones in 2015-16.
The 39-year-old spent the first 15 and a half years of his career in Calgary, but then at the deadline in 2013, the Flames dealt him to Pittsburgh. The Penguins made several moves that season and looked to be in position to get Iginla back to the Stanley Cup Finals. However, the Bruins swept the Penguins in the Eastern Conference Finals.
That summer, Iginla joined the Bruins in the hopes of riding them back to the Finals, but the Montreal Canadiens upset Boston in the second round in 2014. The following offseason, Iginla signed with Colorado, who hasn’t been to the postseason since he arrived.
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Although no longer the same player, adding Iginla would help the Kings weak offense. Los Angeles is ranked 25th in goals per game and 23rd in power-play percentage. The Kings enter play Wednesday one point out of the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.