Over 11 years in the past, in late March 2013, Calgary Flames followers have been heartbroken to see not solely their finest chief however among the finest leaders in NHL historical past in Jarome Iginla get traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The transfer didn’t come as a lot of a shock, as his contract was set to run out on the finish of the 2012-13 season, and the staff was within the midst of a rebuild. Nonetheless, it was very onerous to say goodbye to the person who wore the ‘C’ for 9 seasons and was nonetheless an unbelievable participant.
Coming the opposite means within the commerce have been Kenny Agostino, Ben Hanowski, and a first-round decide within the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, which they used to pick Morgan Klimchuk years later. Whereas it was clear that profitable a commerce involving Iginla can be extraordinarily robust, this return, even on the time, appeared considerably underwhelming. Nonetheless, each Agostino and Hanowski appeared to have some potential, and the first-round decide definitely added some worth.
Chasing a Cup
Having already gained two Rocket Richards, an Artwork Ross, and a Lester B. Pearson Trophy (now often known as the Ted Lindsay Award), Iginla was well-established as one of many sport’s premier gamers. The one factor he had left to perform was profitable a Stanley Cup. His first likelihood got here that exact same season, as he and his Penguins teammates superior to the Japanese Convention Finals, solely to be swept by the Boston Bruins.
That summer time, Iginla selected to signal a one-year cope with these exact same Bruins. They as soon as once more had an excellent common season and have been thought of Cup contenders, particularly after knocking off the Detroit Pink Wings in simply 5 video games within the opening spherical. Sadly for Iginla and co, they have been eradicated within the second spherical in a collection versus the Montreal Canadiens that went the gap.
That run turned out to be Iginla’s final likelihood at a Stanley Cup, as he selected to signal a three-year cope with the Colorado Avalanche that subsequent summer time. Although they seemed to be a staff on the rise, they ended up struggling immensely throughout his elements of three seasons there, and it was evident that Iginla himself had misplaced a step.
In his remaining season with the Avs, he was traded to the L.A. Kings on the deadline in hopes of getting yet another shot at a Cup. As a substitute, the Kings ended up lacking the playoffs utterly, and that ended up signaling not solely the top of Iginla’s season however his profession.
Although it stays disappointing he was by no means capable of hoist the Stanley Cup like he very a lot deserved, it doesn’t take away from what was a superb profession. After his time with the Flames, he performed in a mixed 335 video games, scoring 100 targets and 205 factors. When paired along with his Flames totals, he completed with a ridiculous 625 targets and 1,300 factors in 1,554 video games. He was elected into the Corridor of Fame in 2020, and deservedly so.
Kenny Agostino
Now to the gamers who the Flames obtained. The largest piece on the time coming the Flames’ means was Agostino, who was within the midst of his third season with Yale College on the time of the deal. By the point his junior season had ended with Yale, he completed tied for first in staff scoring with 41 factors in 37 video games. He adopted that up with a considerably disappointing senior season, registering 32 factors in 33 contests.
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After his senior season was up, Agostino performed in eight video games with the Flames to complete out the rest of the 12 months, recording a purpose and an help. He then spent the vast majority of the following two seasons within the AHL, getting referred to as up for under two extra video games with the Flames in 2015-16. Flames administration determined on the finish of that season that they had seen sufficient and selected to not supply him a qualifying supply, making him a free agent.
After his time with the Flames, Agostino was a ‘tweener’ participant, going up and down on many events between the NHL and AHL. Whereas his numbers on the AHL degree have been spectacular 12 months after 12 months, he was unable to search out his scoring contact on the NHL degree. After the 2020-21 season with the Toronto Marlies, he departed North America for Europe the place he’s performed since. He has appeared in a complete of 86 NHL video games with eight targets and 30 factors.
Ben Hanowski
On the time of the commerce, Hanowski was in his fourth and remaining season with St. Cloud State. Very like Agostino, he had a stable junior season in school, scoring 23 targets and 43 factors in 39 video games. Nevertheless, he additionally regressed in his remaining season, registering 17 targets and 31 factors in 37 matches.
When his 2012-13 season ended with St. Cloud State, he headed to Calgary and suited up for 5 video games, through which he was capable of rating his first-ever NHL purpose. It additionally turned out to be his final, as he performed simply 11 video games the next season however was held to simply two assists in what can be his last-ever stint as an NHLer. After the 2014-15 season, one which he spent totally within the AHL, he selected to move to Germany to play within the DEL and retired after the 2019-20 season.
Morgan Klimchuk
As talked about above, the Flames chosen Klimchuk with the first-round (twenty eighth general) decide they obtained from the Penguins on this commerce. On the time, this decide seemed very promising, as he was coming off of a 36-goal, 76-point season with the Regina Pats of the WHL. He went on to play two extra seasons within the WHL, rising his totals in every, earlier than becoming a member of the Stockton Warmth for the 2015-16 season.
His rookie season with the Warmth forged some doubts over his future, as he actually struggled with simply three targets and 9 factors in 55 video games. He was capable of enhance these totals over the following two seasons, although to not what Flames administration or followers had in thoughts. He was capable of get a quick shot in the course of the 2017-18 season, the place he appeared in a single NHL sport however was held off the scoresheet.
He as soon as once more started the 2018-19 season within the AHL earlier than being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in alternate for defenceman Andrew Nielsen. After the commerce, he remained within the AHL, most not too long ago having suited up for the Belleville Senators in the course of the 2019-20 season. It’s protected to say that this decide was a miss by the Flames.
Nothing in Return
Whereas it’s simple to evaluate strikes like this in hindsight, this was a really poor commerce by the Flames and former basic supervisor Jay Feaster. They probably would have been higher off transferring Iginla earlier within the season, as his worth would have been a lot greater if groups might have had him for a whole season fairly than simply as a rental.
The three gamers they acquired suited up for a mixed 24 video games in a Flames uniform, additional proving simply how a lot of a catastrophe this deal was. Although they’ve had some profitable seasons for the reason that transfer, you may’t assist however surprise how a lot better of a staff they may very well be had they made a greater resolution relating to Iginla.
