Some people bristle when a team’s best player gets thrown under the bus when his team is struggling, especially since hockey is a team sport with more than its fair share of lucky (and unlucky) bounces. My viewpoint, though, is that it’s reasonable to put a little more weight on a big dog’s shoulders. After all, the guy signed the big contract, may have put a ‘C’ or an ‘A’ on his sweater and smiled for all the magazine covers.
Craig Conroy wishes that people would just leave Jarome Iginla alone as the Flames’ playoff hopes fade off into the distance. Here’s what Conroy had to say to the Vancouver Sun.
“You got to give the guy a break. He’s got enough on his plate. Maybe we just need to back off. Everyone always expects Jarome to be the saviour. But, you know, it’s a team – a team game. I’m sick of everyone on him all the time. He’s doing his best out there.”
Look, Iginla seems like a fantastic human being and has a better-than-excellent chance to make the Hockey Hall of Fame. He seemingly willed that Calgary Flames team – along with Miikka Kiprusoff – into an exciting seven game Stanley Cup Finals series with Tampa Bay years ago. Still, there’s simply no way to sugarcoat his dismal performance when the Flames have needed him the most this season.
After the jump, a rundown of Iginla’s slump and tough questions the Flames need to answer.
This brings me to two tough questions. Should Iginla shoulder the blame for the Flames missing the playoffs? And should the Calgary Flames consider the idea of trading Iginla and starting over?