May 1, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing
Jarome Iginla(12) at the face-off circle against the New York Islanders during the first period in game one of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs at CONSOL Energy Center. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
As Pens fans already know, Jarome Iginla was traded to the team on March 28, 2013 after playing 16 seasons with the Calgary Flames.
Acquired to the help the Pens capture the cup this past season, Pittsburgh surrendered Ben Hanowski, Kenneth Agostino and a first-round pick (22nd overall) to the Calgary Flames.
In 13 regular-season games with the Penguins, Iginla logged 11 points (5G, 6A) and skated to a plus-2 rating. For the 15 postseason games he played in, he registered 12 points (4G, 8A) and skated to a disappointing minus-4 rating.
And while these stats seem legit, Iginla looked slower as the playoffs went on and sort of lulled the chemistry the team had built throughout the year.
Some of the blame towards Iginla’s poor play somewhat falls on the shoulders of head coach Dan Byslma — who switched him from his natural position (right wing).
Many NHL fans speculated Iginla and the other pieces (Jussi Jokinen, Brenden Morrow, Douglas Murray) added at the trade deadline would be the key to the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup — but they ultimately failed.
Not only did they fail to accomplish their goal of winning the Stanley Cup, but now it seems as though Iginla — as well as Jokinen, Morrow, and Murray — will be on their way out of Pittsburgh.
The recent contract signings of defenseman Kris Letang and forwards Pascal Dupuis, Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin leave little to no room to sign number-12.
Iginla’s contract over the past few years has been for $7 million-a-year and now they can only ink him for about $4.1 million-a-year if he returns.
But knowing how valuable Matt Cooke and Craig Adams are to the team — Iginla might as well start searching for other suitors.
Looking back on the trade — was Iginla everything they’d hoped for?
The Penguins only had the 36-year-old for 28 games and lost a few promising young prospects in the process.
Ben Hanowski, a defenseman who was drafted in the third-round (63rd overall) by the Pens, played in five games for the Flames this season and looks as though he’ll be valuable asset for years to come in Calgary.
Kenneth Agostino, who was selected by the Pens in the fifth-round (140th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, was looking as though he’d be one of the Pens best prospects at the forward position — considering he shined at Pittsburgh’s training camp earlier this season.
And then there’s the first rounder they gave up — in which Calgary took forward Emile Poirier out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).
So with Iginla all but gone from the Pens and worthy prospects shipped off to Calgary, Pittsburgh’s trade for Iginla — which once looked profitable for the organization — now looks like it really wasn’t worth it.