Tij Iginla is more than just Jarome’s son – he’s a future NHL star

VANTAA, Fin. – There’s a new Iginla in town donning the Canadian red, white and black threads on the world stage.

Jarome, a Hockey Hall of Famer, had 13 points during his five-game run with Canada’s U-18 team at the La Copa Mexico during the 1994-95 season, leading all players. He then led the 1996 World Juniors in scoring en route to gold, only to win Olympic gold in 2002 and 2010 and the World Cup back in 2004. Tij’s older sister, Jade Iginla, won gold in her only national team appearance at the 2022 U-18 World Championship.

Now, it’s Tij’s time to carry on the legacy.

The 17-year-old has already had a big impact at the 2024 U-18 World Championship in Finland, his first official IIHF competition after putting up a point-per-game at the Hockey Canada-led U-17 World Hockey Challenge last season. Iginla had an assist against Sweden in the team’s first game and scored twice in a feisty 6-0 bout over Czechia, with Iginla proving to be one of the most impactful players.

“It’s super special to throw on this jersey,” Iginla said. “You dream of that as soon as you start playing hockey. Looking up to my dad and seeing my sister at the U-18 Women’s Worlds was really cool. Now with this type of group, it’s super special.”

Iginla was the last player officially added to the team after finishing up his WHL season with the Kelowna Rockets on April 20. The Rockets fell in five games in the second round to Prince George, but Iginla scored nine goals and 15 points in 11 games to make his mark as one of the WHL’s most dangerous postseason weapons.

After winning the WHL title with the Seattle Thunderbirds last year, Iginla wants more. He has tasted success, but doing it while wearing your country’s colors means even more. Iginla knows how important winning gold would be, and with one of the most stacked lineups in recent years, Canada has a realistic chance at going the distance for the first time since Connor Bedard, Wyatt Johnston and company won it in 2021.

“It’s been a great group to be a part of,” Iginla said. “I knew a lot of the guys. They welcomed me in really quickly. We feel like we have a great team and a tight-knit group.”

It’s been a wild regular season for Iginla, who finished with 47 goals and 84 points in 64 games. Scouts knew he had talent, but after scoring just six goals and 18 points last year, the massive increase was more than many expected. Few 2024 draft-eligible prospects shot the puck as often as he did, and few showcased the dominant puck control he possessed.

Suddenly, it wasn’t whether or not Iginla would be a first-rounder but just how high he could possibly go. Some scouts say top 10. Many say top 15. Daily Faceoff had him at No. 11 in our most recent ranking, but it’s really a close fight after the first few picks.

“Depending on the team, he could go as high as five,” a scout said. “Many teams really like him and think there’s even more to his game that he hasn’t unlocked.”

One of the more obvious teams would be the Flames, the team his dad made a name for himself on after wearing the captain’s C for nine years. Calgary has the ninth-best odds of landing the first overall pick, but should get a high selection, regardless. Getting selected by the Flames would bring its own set of pressures, but don’t get it wrong – it wouldn’t be a pick driven by nostalgia or nepotism. Iginla truly is legit.

According to SportContract data, Iginla has at least 60 percent Corsi-for and expected goals-for more often than not this season. He averaged over 20 minutes a night, leading a Rockets team that was significantly better with him on the ice than not. No player had a bigger impact this season, which is quite impressive for a first-year draft prospect.

So much of Iginla’s success comes down to his shot. He puts significant volume on net, but he’s always looking for opportunities to use space to his advantage. Iginla has a quick, deceptive release while creating his own time and space – a mark of a real game-changer. He’s not a follower; he makes his own luck.

“He looked hesitant to shoot last year, often relying on his older teammates,” another scout said. “Something clicked in Kelowna. He figured it out and got hungrier.”

Iginla is also exceptionally committed to the defensive game. You’ll often find offensively talented wingers trailing in that regard at this age, but he puts the effort in and is willing to get aggressive, too. Not to his dad’s level by any means – don’t expect any 80 PIM seasons out of Tij any time soon – but you can tell he’s a chip off the old block.

Iginla’s biggest improvement might be how he distributes the puck. His quick hands allow him to make a move before shipping the puck off to someone else. Last year, it looked like he’d make a pass just to take the pressure off him. Now, he reads the play at such a high level that he has figured out how to utilize the help around him the best. Iginla still can make the odd off pass that can get him into trouble, but with his growing confidence has come a better understanding of the game.

Winning gold just under two months before the 2024 NHL Draft in Vegas would be huge for the mobile, 6-foot winger. This is the perfect showcase event for him to take charge, and the results have been strong so far. Next up, the NHL Draft combine in Buffalo in early June, the last chance for him to show teams why he’s the right choice for their club. Scouts think there’s top-six potential and that his play’s growth this year is just the start of a bright future.

And having a winning pedigree doesn’t hurt, either.

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Tij Iginla is more than just Jarome’s son – he’s a future NHL star

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