Jarome Iginla Jersey Card

Unbeknownst to most hockey fans, Jarome Iginla just played in his 1400th NHL game; he's now also 8 goals shy of 600, and 63 penalty minutes shy of 1000. Oh, and 6 game-winners away from the 100 mark.

His 5 points in 8 games so far this year aren't bad at all, especially at 38 years old, but watching Colorado Avalanche games, I get the impression that perhaps he's not all that comfortable playing with Matt Duchene; it only seems like they're half-clicking.

Still, the Avs need better defensemen to get the puck out of their own end and get the play moving to the other side; those star forwards can only work their magic when they have the puck, and apart from when two of Tyson Barrie, Erik Johnson and François Beauchemin are on the ice, that puck is staying deep in the Avs' defensive zone.

I was happy when Iginla signed with the Avs two summers ago, and while he's probably better off than with the Pittsburgh Penguins or Boston Bruins, Colorado isn't looking like a Stanley Cup contender these days.

Here he is from his days as captain of the Calgary Flames, from Upper Deck's 2005-06 Series 1 set (card #J-JI of the UD Game Jersey sub-set), showing him wearing the team's red jersey:

Ironically, all of my Iginla swatch cards don't have the matching jersey swatches/jersey in picture; this one's black, for instance.

Still, he's one of my favourite players, and a sure-shot first-ballot Hall of Famer.