Jarome Iginla is headed back to the Western Conference, and joining one of it’s most exciting young teams.
The veteran winger has inked a three-year, $16 million deal with the Colorado Avlanche, per various outlets. It’s a big paycheck and a fairly significant cap hit ($5.3 million) for the 37-year-old, but one Iginla more than earned after leading Boston with 30 goals last year.
The Bruins wanted Iginla back, but conceded they were out of the running in the days leading up to free agency, as their current cap situation prevented Iggy returning for a second season.
In Colorado, Iginla joins a talented, youthful squad with plenty of weapons up front -- Calder winners Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan McKinnon, Canadian Olympic center Matt Duchene and excellent two-way forward Ryan O’Reilly. Iginla also becomes the oldest player on the active roster, though the Avs did pick up some additional experience yesterday in acquiring forward Daniel Briere in exchange for P.A. Parenteau.
It’s probably worth noting Iginla is only 11 years younger than his new head coach -- 48-year-old Patrick Roy, who won the Jack Adams this year as the NHL’s top bench boss.
Also worth noting? This move will reunite Iginla with ex-Flames teammate Alex Tanguay, who got off to a nice start with the Avs last season before suffering a knee injury that shut him down for the year. The two played on Caglary’s top line together in 2010, centered by current UFA Olli Jokinen.