OTHL -- Jerome Iginla is herald as the best player in the league, yet the 28 year old Alberta native has yet to find a real home in the OTHL. Today he was traded to the Florida Panthers from the Atlanta Thrashers where he had played most of the season after a trade from the Calgary Flames. Three trades in one year for a player who was called "untouchable" not long ago. Where did it go wrong, and will Florida be his last stop this season?
The answer on the first question is easy, nothing has gone wrong. In Calgary he feel victim to the youth movment plus his $6.5 million dollar salary where no help either. In Atlanta, Jarome simply did not found his place on the roster. He did not find any chemistry with Kovaltjuk or Heatley. And on the second line he never go going. With his 13 goals and 31 points, Iginla where behind Dany Heatley (57p), Nils Ekman (51p), Ilja Kovaltjuk (50p) and Al MacInnis (39p) in the scoring race. And with the results not showing up for the team, Iginla became exbandable to the Thrashers front office.
So how will Jarome Iginla fit in on the Panthers roster? In Florida, Iginla will be the go to guy. He will be playing on the top line alongside Doug Weight and one of Frolov, Deadmarsh or Rolston. So insted of playing second fiddle behind Dany Heatley, Iginla will get back into the spotlight. And while he would never complain about it, it could just be the kind of move that makes Iginla start racking up points again. Because in the end, Jarome Iginla is to talented to be traded 3 times in one season.