Jarome Iginla Biography

Jarome Iginla

With the NHL back on ice in 2005, Jarome Iginla has his eyes set on winning another NHL scoring title and taking the Calgary Flames back to the Stanley Cup Finals. Iginla means "big tree" in Yoruba - the African language of Jarome's Nigerian-born father. Find out more about how this big tree became an NHL superstar.

Jarome Iginla - Little Tree Becomes Big Tree

Jarome Iginla was born on July 1, 1977 in Edmonton, Alberta. He first picked up a hockey stick and laced up a pair of skates when he was six, when his grandfather enrolled him in a minor hockey program. After playing goalie for two years, Iginla switched to playing forward and developed a great scoring touch. After three years as a star junior hockey player, Iginla was drafted in the first round of the NHL entry draft by the Dallas Stars in 1995, and was on his way to a pro career.

Jarome Iginla - Big Tree Become Big Star

Jarome Iginla was traded to the Calgary Flames in 1996. He had a strong rookie season with the Flames, scoring 21 goals and being named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. But it wasn't until the 2001-2002 season that Iginla finally developed into a true NHL superstar. In 2002, Jarome led the NHL in both goals and points and finished second in voting for the NHL's MVP award. Besides success in the NHL, Iginla also had success at the 2002 Winter Olympics, helping Canada win the gold medal in hockey for the first time in 50 years. In 2004, Jarome Iginla had his first taste of NHL playoff success, when he helped the Calgary Flames reach the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in an exciting seven-game series. As the puck drops on a new NHL seaon, Iginla will be trying to take the Flames back to the Stanley Cup Finals next spring. He will also be helping Canada defend its gold medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics, which will take place in Italy in February.