When the Calgary Flames aren't winning the heat gets turned up. From all quarters.
And nobody seems to take the heat more than captain Jarome Iginla. To his credit, he has never hidden from the heat; never threatened to get out of the hot kitchen. He faces the questions -- from coaches, media, fans, you name it -- with honesty. These days around the Scotiabank Saddledome, it is no different. Iginla, the team's leading point-getter for the last nine seasons, had three goals and seven assists heading into Wednesday's game against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Much of the blame was being heaped on Iginla's production level. And, of course, there are all the silly internet trade rumours that anybody with a computer can put out into cyberspace.
The latest of those made-up trades had Iginla going to Los Angeles. Naturally, he was asked about it. Naturally, he answered the question.
"I didn't see it on the Internet," confessed the captain, who was made aware of the supposed trade by Flames public relations staff. "As far as I know it is fans talking hockey and making things up."
That much is true.And we all know how much people love to make things up for the Internet.
The Flames did make a deal Wednesday before the game, acquiring Tom Kostopoulos and Anton Babchuk from the Carolina Hurricanes for Ian White and Brett Sutter. Didn't see that one posted on any blog or Facebook page did you?
"It's part of sports. It's part of hockey. It happens all over. It's my turn now," said Iginla, shrugging of the trade talk.
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