The Flames have retired Jarome Iginla’s #12
By Ryan Pike
5 years agoThe Calgary Flames have officially retired Jarome Iginla’s jersey number. In a ceremony prior to Saturday’s game, the Flames raised a #12 banner to the Scotiabank Saddledome rafters.
The ceremony ran roughly an hour and was emceed by Hockey Hall of Fame honouree Peter Maher. It featured a testimonial from Flames assistant general manager Craig Conroy, video tributes and gifts from Flames ownership, as well as a lengthy speech from Iginla where he thanked his family, teammates and fans for his lengthy, successful career.
It culminated with Iginla’s banner being raised between Lanny McDonald’s #9 and Mike Vernon’s #30.
Ten other Flames players wore 12 before Iginla, we’ve bolded the most notable of them:
- LW Ernie Hicke [1972-73] — claimed in the 1972 expansion draft from the California Golden Seals, then was traded to the New York Islanders — 58 games, 37 points
- C Tom Lysiak [1973-79] — Atlanta’s 2nd overall pick in 1973, then was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks — 445 games, 431 points
- C Ivan Boldirev [1979-80] — acquired from Chicago (and inherited Lysiak’s number), then was traded to the Vancouver Canucks — 65 games, 52 points
- LW Don Lever [1980-81] — acquired from Vancouver (and inherited Boldirev’s number), switched numbers with Denis Cyr prior to the 1981-82 season — 90 games, 87 points
- RW Denis Cyr [1981-82] — Calgary’s 13th overall pick in 1980, originally wore 9, swapped numbers with Lever prior to 1981-82 season, then traded to Chicago in Nov. 1982 — 56 games, 24 points
- D Howard Walker [1982] — acquired in a trade from the Capitals, called up in Nov. 1982, went back to minors and left team as a free agent — 3 games, 0 points
- RW Tim Harrer [1983] — Atlanta’s 148th overall pick in 1977, called up in Feb. 1983, went back to minors and left team as a free agent — 3 games, 0 points
- RW Hakan Loob [1983-89] — Calgary’s 181st overall pick in 1980, left back to Sweden as a free agent — 450 games, 429 points
- LW Paul Fenton [1991] — acquired from Washington mid-season, then traded to Hartford in the summer — 31 games, 12 points
- LW Paul Kruse [1991-96] — Calgary’s 83rd overall pick in 1990, traded to the Islanders midway through 1996-97 season — 246 games, 53 points
Iginla began his Flames tenure wearing #24 during the 1995-96 playoffs. He began wearing #12 at the beginning of Jan. 1997, roughly five weeks after Kruse’s trade to the Islanders.
By the time he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins near the end of the 2012-13 season, Iginla was the Flames’ longest-tenured player, their longest-tenured captain and the franchise leader in goals, points, power play goals, even strength goals, game-winning goals and even strength assists. (The only meaningful offensive categories he doesn’t lead are assists and power play assists, which are led by Al MacInnis.)
Iginla finished his NHL career with over 600 goals and 1300 points, as well as two Memorial Cups and gold medals at the Olympics (twice), World Championship, World Cup and World Juniors. He will be eligible for induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020.
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