Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (born July 1, 1977 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) is a professional ice hockey player.

Playing Career

Born to a white American mother and a Nigerian father, his surname Iginla means "big tree" in Yorùbá, his father's language. His parents split up when he was a baby, and Jarome was raised by his mother and grandmother in the Edmonton suburb of St. Albert. The boy's first love was baseball (he was the catcher on the Canadian National Junior team), but also starred for St. Albert in the AAHA before graduating to juniors. He played goalie in his first two years of organized hockey, then switched to the right wing, and developed a knack for scoring.

Iginla played 3 seasons in the Western Hockey League and won two Memorial Cups with the Kamloops Blazers. He was picked 11th overall by the Dallas Stars, then traded with Corey Millen to the Flames for Joe Nieuwendyk. Iginla's best season was 2001-2002 when he had 96 points and 52 goals, becoming the first player of African descent in history to win the regular season goal and point scoring titles. He also won the Lester B. Pearson Award as the league's best player as voted by his peers, and was a nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy. Iginla was also a key member of Canada's Olympic gold medal-winning hockey team in 2002. This season elevated him to superstar status and he became a fan favourite.

Iginla was named captain of the Calgary Flames in October 2003, making him the first player of African descent to be named captain of an NHL team. In the 2003-04 season, he scored 41 goals, sharing the goal-scoring title with Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash. On May 20, 2004, Iginla scored his 10th playoff goal to help the Flames advance to their first Stanley Cup Finals in 15 years. He recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick in Game 3 of the Finals when he fought Vincent Lecavalier. However, they eventually lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.

Iginla has been married since August 6, 2003 to his high school sweetheart, Kara Kirkland. They live in Cranbrook, British Columbia, and have 1 child. Somewhat of a populist, Iginla rarely endorses products, but supports Cure for Cancer .

Awards

• George Parsons Trophy (Memorial Cup Most Sportsmanlike Player) - 1995
• WHL West First All-Star Team - 1996
• Canadian Major Junior First All-Star Team - 1996
• Named to NHL All-Rookie Team - 1997
• Played in 2 NHL All-Star Games - 2002, 2003
• Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy - 2002, 2004 (shared)
• Art Ross Trophy - 2002
• Lester B. Pearson Award - 2002
• King Clancy Memorial Trophy - 2004

Career Statistics

International Play

• 1996 - Played for Team Canada in World Junior Championships
• 1997 - Played in World Championships
• 2002 - Gold medal with Team Canada at 2002 Winter Olympics
• 2004 - Won World Cup of Hockey with Team Canada

See also

• Black Canadian
• Canada

External links

• Statistics from NHL.com

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