Tij Iginla
2023-24 Team: Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Date of Birth: Aug. 1, 2006
Place of Birth: Lake Country, BC
Ht: 6-foot-0 Wt: 185 pounds
Shoots: L
Position: C/LW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
When your dad is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, it can be hard to emerge from his shadow. Jarome Iginla was renowned for the intensity and work ethic he brought to every game, leading to the unofficial title as the last of the great power forwards. He was also a talented goal-scorer, and despite leaving the team over a decade ago, he still holds the Calgary Flames’ record for the most career goals and most career points. His number 12 was retired in 2019 and hangs in the Saddledome’s rafters alongside Lanny MacDonald’s number 9.
That’s a big legacy to live up to, but Jarome’s 17-year-old son, Tij Iginla, looks like he can do it. First, the points — Tij finished his draft season with 47 goals and 84 points in 64 games, surpassing Jarome’s 1994-95 totals by 14 goals and 13 points. While his father blended physicality with a good shot, Iginla has shown much better skill with the puck. He has an incredibly quick release that can pack a lot of power, and he can fire the puck from any angle.
On top of a strong shot, Iginla also has very soft hands, and the control he shows with the puck is just a fraction lower than elite puck-handlers like Berkly Catton. He can move the puck so quickly between his stick that opponents are left stumbling, which he uses to create space for either himself or a teammate for a scoring opportunity. When pressured, he’s strong on his stick, too, stretching the puck away from him almost as far as he can, yet still maintaining complete control, using his frame and skating to protect the puck from an attacker.
Speaking of his skating, aiding Iginla’s puckhandling is his agility. He’s not the slowest player on the ice, and nor is he the fastest. But he’s strong on his skates, allowing him to get the most out of his edges. He can change direction in a fraction of a second and still have enough momentum to pull off the same move two or three more times. When he doesn’t have the puck, he is constantly moving, putting himself into good positions to pick up a pass or create a turnover.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Watching Iginla cycle through the neutral zone or seeing him pick up a loose puck and pass it to a teammate in one fluid movement hints at the…
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