Jarome Iginla re-joins Flames as advisor to GM Craig Conroy

The legend is back in the fold. Jarome Iginla, the Calgary Flames’ all-time scoring and games-played leader, is re-joining the team as the special advisor to general manager Craig Conroy, his one-time running partner on the Saddledome ice.

Iginla, 45, will join the executive team to provide Conroy, who was named GM at the end of May, support in every aspect of hockey operations.

The team announced the appointment early this afternoon.

“Dating as far back as our playing days with the Flames, Jarome and I have always talked about one day working together in the NHL,” Conroy said in a statement. “That day has finally come and I’m happy to welcome him back to Calgary. Jarome provides a creative approach and smart hockey mind to our team blended with a passion for the game, and a desire to win the Stanley Cup.

“Our relationship goes back 20 years and includes being opponents and teammates combined with a long-standing friendship. While our views on the game are similar, we often challenged each other on systems and playing style, always pushing each other to be better. I look forward to our team benefiting from his fierce competitiveness, career experiences and love of hockey.”

IGGY IGGY IGGY!

Jarome Iginla is returning to the #Flames as the Special Advisor to the General Manager!

— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) June 15, 2023

Iginla, who was drafted into the NHL by the Dallas Stars in 1995 as the 11th overall pick, joined the Flames via trade later that year in a deal that saw star Joe Nieuwendyk head to Texas in return. The St. Albert, Alta., native went on to play 16 seasons in Calgary, 10 of them as team captain, playing 1,219 games in a Flames uniform, scoring 525 goals and 1,095 points. Those marks stand as team records.

The power forward, compared by many to throwback stars Gordie Howe and Mark Messier, led the Flames to the Stanley Cup final in 2004, was a six-time NHL all-star, won the Rocket Richard trophy twice as the league’s top goal scorer and was named recipient of the Lester B. Pearson trophy as the most outstanding player in the regular season as decided by the members of the NHL Players’ Association. He also won gold as a member of Canada’s men’s hockey team in 2002 and 2010.

“While the public focus of my contributions is on my playing career, I believe my hockey experiences since my retirement will also benefit the organization,” said Iginla, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020. “Conny and I have 20-year-old pending work to complete, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Beyond his achievements on the ice, Iginla was a fixture in Calgary during his playing days and beyond, supporting various charities and local efforts as the face of the franchise.

Iginla will continue his coaching responsibilities this coming season at a hockey academy in Kelowna, B.C., where one of his sons plays.