It’s 600 and counting for Jarome Iginla.
The future Hall of Famer from St. Albert scored the historic milestone marker with the Colorado Avalanche in the 1,432 game of his illustrious career Monday against the Los Angeles Kings at the Pepsi Center.
Iginla is the 19th player in NHL history to reach the 600-goal plateau and the first since Teemu Selanne in 2010.
“When I started I didn’t think I was going to get to 600 or 500,” Iginla told Ron Knabenbauer in a story on the Avalanche website. “You just play and you want to be in the league and you want to win and you want to be a part of the NHL. Each year goes by and you keep going, keep battling and time flies and stuff. It’s one of those things that I never would have guessed (scoring 600 goals) and it’s pretty neat.”
Iginla, 38, and the 44-year-old Jaromir Jagr (736 goals in 1,588 games) are the only active NHLers with 600 or more goals.
Iginla’s next goal will tie Jari Kurri at 601 and is 10 back of equalling Bobby Hull’s 610 total for 16th overall.
The St. Albert Minor Hockey Association product was also 24th in games played at 1,433 and 37th in points with 1,248 before Friday’s game against the Nashville Predators.
The three-time Team Canada Olympian and two-time gold medallist has scored at least 20 goals in every full season since 1998-99 and last year led the Avalanche in goals with 29 and tied for first in points with 59 in 82 games.
Iginla’s 11th of the season ended the scoring against the Kings as head coach Patrick Roy kept the former bantam AAA Sabre and midget AAA Raider on the ice for an extend shift on the power play late in the third period and the elusive 600 only a shot away.
Tyson Barrie fed the puck to Iginla, who skated down the left side and from below the faceoff circle passed it toward the front of the net, where Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog were hovering. The puck hit Kings’ defenceman Jake Muzzin’s skate and slid past goalie Jhonas Enroth for the team’s fourth goal with 6:58 remaining.
“When I got my five hundredth (Jan. 7, 2012 with the Calgary Flames against the Minnesota Wild) it went off somebody else too. A pretty mouldy goal but you’ll take them all. I’m not picky. It felt good and they all feel good,” said Iginla, who had five shots in 13:05 of ice time.
It was also the 182nd power-play goal in Iginla’s 19th season and the right winger is now tied with Dale Hawerchuk for 25th place all-time.
After the goal, Iginla was embraced in a group hug by his teammates on the ice before the rest of the players jumped off the bench for congratulations. The crowd also gave Iginla a standing ovation, which the assistant captain acknowledged from the bench before the game resumed.
“It was neat to get it here at home. The fans were great and I appreciate that,” said Iginla, who had his wife, Kara, daughter Jade and sons’ Tij and Joe in attendance. “Those are things that one day, I’ll appreciate it today but also remembering one day.”
But at the end of the day it was a much-needed victory for the Avalanche, who were winless in their last four home games and are trying to gain ground on a playoff spot in the tough Western Conference
“Absolutely, the win makes it way sweeter,” Iginla said. “I feel very fortunate that it is part of a win and being able to be at home.”
The Sir Alexander Mackenzie, Lorne Akins and Paul Kane alumnus is in the second of a three-year deal with the Avalanche and had 22 points in 41 games after picking up an assist in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win against the visiting St. Louis Blues.
The two-time Memorial Cup champion with the Kamloops Blazers joined the Avalanche after a 30-goal and 61-point campaign in 78 games with the Boston Bruins after splitting the 2012/13 season with the Flames – the team captain for nine of his 16 seasons in Calgary – and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The 2002 Art Ross Trophy winner as the NHL’s top point producer has scored 30 or more goals 12 times, potted 20 or more goals 16 times and has posted at least 50 points in 16 seasons.
The Flames’ all-time franchise leader in goals (525), points (1,095) and games played (1,219) also amassed 37 goals and 31 assists in 81 playoff games with Calgary, Pittsburgh and Boston.
