Wings Need To Trade For Jerome Iginla
By: Jeff Riger
Remember the days where the Red Wings could get whoever they wanted? It used to be great, Ken Holland would make a call and the next thing you know the Wings would have a new player whether he was a free agent or a trade deadline acquisition. Well I think it's safe to say that those days are gone.
Last offseason when the Wings were in hot pursuit of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, Wings fans just expected both of them to be wearing a Winged Wheel. And, it made sense because for the better part of the last quarter century that's all Wings fans knew. They get what they want and that's that. Well Parise and Suter proved that Detroit is no longer, well, Detroit as both of them decided to go to the hockey hot bed in Minnesota, a team that had no tradition and had previously won absolutely nothing. Yes, Parise had family ties there, but those issues never seemed to matter before.
And, now we see it again as a possible fix for the Wings leaves them off his list of desirable destinations.
Or does he?
As the April 3rd trade deadline rolls around, Detroit is looking to make their team better and a true goal scorer could be just what the doctor ordered. Yes, Detroit could use a top four defenseman but I'm not sure one of those is out there so let's focus on the scorer. Detroit needs a guy that could consistently net the Wings 30 to 40 a season, something that they have not had since Marian Hossa scored 41 goals for them back in 2009 and then left to win a cup in Chicago the following year. In fact, Detroit has struggled to light the lamp for quite some time now and a lack of goal scoring could be to blame for early playoff knockouts the last 3 seasons.
Jerome Iginla could be their man!
For as long as I can remember there have been rumors that the Flames would deal Iginla but now it actually seems like it will happen. Iginla is in the last year of his deal and there is no way the Flames want to resign the 35 year old captain who will be an unrestricted free agent as they are currently in a rebuild. They can't afford him and he doesn't want to be there anymore. So could he come to Detroit?
Maybe!
Initial reports state that Iginla gave the Flames 4 teams that he would be willing to go to and waive his no-trade clause in his contract. The Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks, Boston Bruins and L.A. Kings are the lucky ones. However since that report, others have claimed that the Wings have been added to his list, and then some have taken that back and say Detroit is indeed not there. Bottom line I believe Iginla could help Detroit and help them make a long postseason run.
This season Iginla only has 9 goals in 30 games however before this year he has always been one of the better forwards in all the game. The last 11 seasons, not including this year, the lowest amount of goals Iginla has had has been 31 while the most has been 52.
I believe that Iginla still has a lot of good hockey left in him and that a change of scenery would do him wonders. Go get him!
Of course Calgary is not just going to give him away! Rumors swirling around on what it would take to land the star include draft picks, a top 4 defenseman and at least an everyday top two line forward plus prospects. The price is hefty but the payoff has a chance to be sensational. I'm not going to sit here and pretend to know who exactly from Detroit it would take to land Iginla, but I do know if he would come here then Detroit has enough pieces to make it work.
People constantly bring up the LA Kings and how they, as an 8th seed last year won it all. Well why can't Detroit do the same thing? The Wings are playing their best hockey of the season. They have won their first 3 games of a 4 game West Coast road trip and they are a season high 6 games above .500. In fact the Wings have won 5 of their last 6 and have figured out their power play woes that troubled them pretty much all season long. Detroit has scored man advantage goals in 8 consecutive games including 5 in a row on the road. They are playing well and a bona fide scorer should make things that much better.
So what do you say? I think bringing Iginla here makes Detroit an automatic contender. What about you? The only question is if he would come?
