Jarome Iginla to play alongside young NHL superstar next season?

An NHL insider thinks it would be a great fit!

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 6 years ago
Jarome Iginla to play alongside young NHL superstar next season?
Keystone Press Agency

Now that Jarome Iginla is 40 years of age and still without a contract more than a month after the official opening of the free agent market, his time in the National Hockey League might be over. 

Some say he simply can’t keep up with the pace of today’s NHL. The prolific winger looks every day of his age and his body is breaking down after 20 years of playing his rough-and-tumble style. But that does not mean he is ready to call it quits just yet.

While we have no indication he is close to signing a new deal anywhere, Bleacher Report's Lyle Richardson believes Iginla would be a great fit with Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. Here's why:

"When Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli was GM of the Boston Bruins, he signed Iginla to a one-year contract in 2013. Perhaps he would consider giving the veteran right wing another shot at pursuing a Stanley Cup. With over $16 million in salary-cap space, Chiarelli has the room to sign Iginla to a modest one-year deal with bonuses."

Indeed, Edmonton still has to sign Leon Draisaitl, but there is no way he would eat up all of their remaining salary-cap space. So this possibility makes a lot of sense. Iginla could bring a great deal of experience in the locker room, which would definitely be beneficial for the team. 

Iginla scored 625 goals and 675 assists for 1300 points in exactly 1,554 games with the Calgary FlamesPittsburgh Penguins, Boston BruinsColorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings. The 40-year-old winger is still without a contract for next season.