The Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League retired the number 12 of Canadian Olympic gold medalist Jarome Iginla on March 2 when they hosted the Minnesota Wild. Iginla, of Edmonton, Alberta, became the third Flames player in the history of the organization to have his number retired. The others are Lanny McDonald of Hanna, Alberta, who had his number nine retired on March 17, 1990, and Mike Vernon of Calgary, Alberta, who had his number 30 retired on February 7, 2007.
Iginla is the Flames all-time leader in career games played (1219), career goals (525), career points (1095), career power play goals (161), career game winning goals (83), and career shots on goal (3992). From 1996-2013, Iginla became the heart and the soul of the Flames organization and while as a Flame, led the National Hockey League in goals in 2001-02 (52), points in 2001-02 (96), goals in 2003-04 (41) and game winning goals in 2003-04 (10).
In terms of NHL Awards, Iginla won his fair share. They include the Art Ross Trophy, Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award in 2002, and the King Clancy and Maurice Rocket Richard Trophy in 2004. The reason why Iginla was chosen for the King Clancy Trophy is because of his strong commitment to KidSport. Iginla was also a three-time first team NHL all-star and represented the Flames at six NHL All-Star Games.
Iginla is the fourth Canadian to have his number retired in 2019. and seventh Canadian to have his number retired during the 2018-19 NHL season. The other six were Paul Kariya of Vancouver, British Columbia, who had his number nine retired by the Anaheim Ducks on October 21, Rick Middleton of Toronto, Ontario, who had his number 16 retired by the Boston Bruins on November 29, Vic Hadfield of Oakville, Ontario, who had his number 11 retired by the New York Rangers on December 2, Red Kelly of Simcoe, Ontario, who had his number four retired with the Detroit Red Wed Wings on February 1, Scott Niedermayer of Edmonton, Alberta, who had his number 27 retired with the Anaheim Ducks on February 17 and Shane Doan of Halkirk, Alberta, who had his number 19 retired with the Arizona Coyotes on February 24.
Iginla won the gold medal for Canada in men’s hockey at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. On March 2, the Flames lost 4-2 to the Minnesota Wild.
