On the Fly: Which team should trade for Jarome Iginla?
In this edition of "On the Fly," theScore's NHL roundtable series, we discuss teams that could rescue Jarome Iginla from the Colorado Avalanche.
Oilers
After what seemed like a never-ending rebuilding phase, the Edmonton Oilers appear set to finally make a postseason appearance for the first time since advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in 2006.
Meanwhile, Iginla, an Edmonton native, has said he'd consider waiving his no-move clause to jump on with a playoff team, which makes sense seeing how the 37-year-old is in the final year of his contract with the last-place Avalanche.
While the Oilers may not quite be up to the level of true Cup contenders, adding Iginla would give the young squad some added veteran experience, and perhaps some depth on offense as well. Iginla's goal-scoring is way down this season, but he did average 25.5 over his first two years in Colorado, and likely has enough gas left in the tank to make a contribution when it matters most.
Additionally, he'd come cheap, and Edmonton is one of the only potential playoff teams with the cap space to take on what's left of his contract.
Bring Iggy home, Oilers.
Bruins
The Boston Bruins need scoring badly, and while Iginla is struggling to do that this season, his most successful campaign in recent years - a 30-goal, 61-point campaign - came with the Bruins in 2013-14.
They have a pair of holes on the right wing, and despite Iginla's lack of production this fall and winter, he'd still be an upgrade over Riley Nash and Jimmy Hayes on Boston's third or fourth lines, respectively.
He carries a $5.3-million cap hit, but it would be prorated to whenever a potential deal took place, and the Avalanche could always agree to cover enough of it to get a trade done.
Putting the black and gold back on might be exactly what Iginla needs to get his mojo back, and the Bruins are going to need to make a move both for the playoff push and to give themselves more separation from their Floridian rivals in the Atlantic Division.
Kings
What better way to end a star-studded career than a trip to Hollywood?
The Los Angeles Kings should trade for Iginla. The deal would mark a reunion between the former Calgary Flames captain and Kings bench boss Darryl Sutter, who were together in Calgary for seven seasons, including the Flames' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2004.
There is a familiarity between the coach and player, and Iginla's crash-and-bang style would fit the playing style of the Kings like a glove. And while Iginla's scoring touch isn't what it once was, the Kings could use all the help they can get when it comes to finding the back of the net. As a Cup contender, Los Angeles is also a solid bet to provide Iginla with his first Cup ring.
A deal between the Kings and Avalanche would take some cap creativity, with the Kings having about $1.5 million to play with, while Iginla's remaining salary is nearly double that money. If the Avs are willing to retain some salary, and possibly take back an expiring contract in a potential deal, it could be the last step needed to send Iginla to the City of Angels.