Jarome Iginla may have a future as an NHL team ambassador.
The Calgary Flames' all-time leading scorer helped his former club acquire Milan Lucic from the Edmonton Oilers in a trade for James Neal on Friday. Lucic chose to waive the no-movement clause in his contract after chatting with Iginla about his potential new home.
"I had a really good talk with Jarome," Lucic said, according to NHL.com. "He told me what a great hockey town Calgary is, how much the people are behind the Flames. It's a fan base that loves seeing effort. They obviously want to win, but regardless, they love the heart-and-soul guys, the guys who give their all, who don't compromise, which I like to think speaks to the way I play."
Iginla played 1,219 games over 16 seasons with the Flames. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of the 2013 trade deadline, and the 6-foot-1 winger then joined the Boston Bruins on a one-year deal ahead of the 2013-14 campaign.
"Jarome and I got to know each other really well the year we played together in Boston," Lucic said. "We were linemates, we shared a lot of stories, went out to dinner together a lot. … I like to think he knows me pretty well and that's why he took time out of his day to give me a call and help me with my decision. And he did help me make up my mind."
Lucic tallied 59 points on a line with Iginla that year - a mark he hasn't achieved since. It's unlikely the 31-year-old will be able to return to that level of production, but after a career-low six goals and 20 points with the Oilers last season, a fresh start may serve him well.
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