Tij Iginla’s dad Calgary-favorite Jarome Iginla opens up about criticism faced by his sons (Image via Tij Iginla Instagram)
Tij Iginla,͏ a promisin͏g prospect from the͏ K͏elo͏wna Ro͏cke͏t͏s, is ͏ge͏nera͏tin͏g con͏sidera͏bl͏e buzz͏ ͏ahead of͏ the upc͏oming NHL Draft. His fa͏th͏er͏, Calgar͏y Flames ͏leg͏end͏ and Hockey͏ Hal͏l of Famer Ja͏rome ͏Iginla,͏ shared͏ insights on͏ ͏the unique press͏ure͏s f͏aced b͏y his sons͏.
Jarome made it͏ cl͏ear that he prefers a family-͏cent͏ri͏c ap͏proach to this milestone.
“I see me staying up in the stands with Tij, Cara and the kids until he’s drafted,” Iginla remarked.“That moment is a pretty neat one for all the players who get drafted, but it’s also very special for the parents. Cara and I are feeling very blessed and I want to be in the stands in that setting, taking that in as a family.”
As a father, Jarome acknowledges the added scrutiny his sons face due to their last name.
“Growing up they would get it a ton, especially in Canada,” he said.“They’d hear from guys all the time, ‘You’re only on the team because of your dad,’ or whatever. Over the years, they’ve got tougher skin.”
Jarome Iginla says he would be happy if his son Tij is drafted by the Flames but added that he isn’t trying to sway the process. (@EricFrancis) https://t.co/SHBJ4BTiYO
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 20, 2024
Despite the criticism, Jarome is confident in his sons’ resilience and determination.
“He puts it on himself. He wants to be good, it’s in his compete. He likes it,” he said about Tij.
Jarome, who amassed 1,300 NHL points, understands the competitive nature of the sport and believes that his sons are well-prepared to handle it.
“As soon as he’s drafted it will be our job, and his job, to focus on all the great things that organization and opportunity has.”
Jarome hopes Tij Iginla embraces the opportunity and thrives in his hockey journey regardless of where he’s drafted.
Tij Iginla and Cole Eiserman shine in Craig Button’s final NHL draft rankings
Tij Iginla’s ascent in TSN Craig Button’s final NHL Draft rankings has been nothing short of meteoric.
Beginning outside the top-32 in September, the Kelowna Rockets forward surged to No. 3 by June, behind only Macklin Celebrini and Ivan Demidov.
Button, reflecting on his initial assessments of Tij’s father, Jarome Iginla, admitted his feelings of underestimation:
“I’ve got the gnawing feeling that I’m underestimating Tij Iginla still. We drafted Jarome, and we really liked him, but he was so much better than we thought.”
Tij Iginla’s impressive season with 47 goals and 84 points in 64 games, and a stellar performance for Canada at the U18s, solidified his rise.
Cole Eiserman also made a significant climb in Button’s rankings, moving from No. 9 to No. 5. The USNTDP winger, known for breaking Cole Caufield’s goals record and netting nine goals at the U18s, was praised by Button:
“He’s a player that I’m just fascinated to watch. Cole is a hard-working player… You’re not getting him for defence, you’re getting him for offence.”
Button highlighted the draft’s defensive depth with nine defencemen in his top-20, led by Zeev Buium at No. 4. Buium’s standout season at Denver and performance at the World Juniors drew comparisons with Scott Niedermayer:
“I think he’s an elite skater with an elite brain and can do it all.”
The 2024 NHL Draft promises excitement, with prospects like Iginla and Eiserman making waves in scouting circles.